DIERKS DECLARES DON WILLIAMS 'THE THING' ON 'THE THREAD'

On his weekly radio show today, 'The Thread', Dierks Bentley talked about 'The Thing." You know, The Thing About Love--the biggest hit from recent Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Don Williams.

Set List:
You're My Best Friend (1975)
Turn Out The Light and Love Me Tonight
'Til The Rivers All Run Dry
Lord Have Mercy On A Country Boy
Say It Again--#1 from 1976
Tulsa Time
It Must Be Love
Good Old Boys Like Me - 1980 - One of Dierks' favorites! "What a great lyric!"
I Believe In You ( #1 two weeks in a row in 1980)
Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good
Stay Young
The Thing About Love
My Love Is On A Good Roll
Walkin' A Broken Heart
Back In My Younger Days

After only two songs, Dierks announces, "I'll keep the talking to a minimum and the music to a maximum." Over the weekend, he admitted to CMT Insider that hearing his own speaking voice is 'dreadful' to him. But actually, that's the best part for me!

I know we're all used to hearing Dierks sing on the radio, but to hear him talk on his own radio show is a special treat!

"I really did jump at the chance--it's really a dream come true. I used to come in this room (WSM studio), before I had a record deal just because I was such a fan of the station and the on-air personalities that broadcast from this room."

With the help of producer Shannon McCombs, Dierks records his stories and intros, and the music is added later.

"Don Williams is huge in Europe and was awarded "Star of the Decade," in the 1970s. They call him the The Gentle Giant because he's a big man with a great heart and a huge sack of killer songs (17 number ones!)."

This is Week 5 of The Thread, and Dierks has been playing mostly artists who inspired and influenced him, but has yet to air any of his own songs (except at the onset of the show). "Since I do have control of the radio for an hour I should get some good spins out of it. Might as well go ahead and start spinning my own songs...two from Ray Price, one of mine, a Portner Wagner, three of mine..." Might as well get the first single off to a good start (Up On The Ridge)!"

Might as well, Dierks! What do you do with good ole boys like you? Ya just gotta love 'em! We love ya, dude! Great job on the radio show! I had no idea I loved Don Williams so much--thanks for the trip down memory lane! I loved all these songs from the 1980s!

*To get your MP3 copy of this weeks episode of 'The Thread', send a BLANK email to: thethread@dierksfans.com. You will automatically be sent an email with a link to download the show. Be sure to go to dierksfans.com and post a thank you!