Memorial Day and Every Day, How Dierks Bentley Honors Those who Died for our Freedom

You only need to listen to his music or see him perform live to know how much America means to Dierks Bentley.   His patriotism is on full display every day. And on Memorial Day, a day to remember and honor those who fought and died for our country's freedom,  we couldn't help but think about how his words and music do just that.

The most obvious song is "Home," from the 2012 album of the same name. Written by Dan Wilson, Brett Beavers and Dierks, the lyrics subtly serve as a reminder that many of our military gave their life for something they believed in--freedom. 

brave, gotta call it brave, to chase that dream across the sea
names, then they signed their names, for something they believed
red, how the blood ran red, and we laid our dead in sacred ground
just think, wonder what they’d think if they could see us now
it’s been a long hard ride, got a ways to go
but this is still the place that we all call home
it’s been a long hard ride, and i won’t lose hope
this is still the place that we all call home

Several years ago, Dierks performed "Home" at Country Music: In Performance at the White House--a series of events created to showcase the music that's contributed to the fabric of American culture.



"'Home" has been a staple in Bentley's set list since 2012 and fans capture that image of freedom every night at his live shows, where he sometimes brings members of our military on stage.



Photo by Stephanie Lanham, DBC Rep, Missouri



Photo by Stephanie Lanham, DBC Rep, Missouri

Photo by Marycoleen Geiger, DBC Rep, Louisiana




Photo by Dan Foley, DBC Rep, Massachusetts and featured in "The Mountain" video

Many fans in the audience come prepared to show their love of America during Dierk's performances.

 

Photo by Meghan Dunphy



Photo by Roger Stroupe, DBC Rep, Ohio

His father, Leon, served as a First Lieutenant in WWII and during Dierks' performances of  "I Hold On" you can see his image in the flag on the big screen as Dierks sings, I hold on Like the stripes to the flag, Like a boy to his dad I can't change who I am, right or wrong So I hold on.  Leon Bentley died June 1, 2012 and for many shows after that, Dierks would sing Home and pay homage to his dad by changing the lyrics slightly: just think, wonder what He'd think if He could see Me now.

He'd be so proud, Dierks!


Photo by Carrie Srebro, DBC Rep, North Carolina


In 2016, the Black album brought us "Freedom," more evidence of Dierks' love of our country.  Written By Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman and Dierks, he sings: That flag on a solider's sleeve
All around the world they know what it means, And they all just wanna little piece of freedom, yeah

These are just a few examples of how Dierks honors our country every day and those who fell defending it.

Don't miss seeing Dierks on the Mountain High Tour this year with Brothers Osborne and LANCO.  See tour schedule here.


Ronna Clark (FL)
DB Congress Chair

On The Set Of Dierks Bentley's New Video, 'Home'

I won the chance to be on the set of a Dierks Bentley video through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society auction.  The video shoot took place Tuesday night in a soybean field on a farm just outside Nashville.  My husband, Lloyd, and I were brought onto the set by Joanna Carter, VP of Creative Services at Capitol Nashville.  She gave us the explanation for the treatment of this video which is:

Dierks singing in a field with an acoutistic guitar.  Then there will be fireworks that illuminate the sky, and as they explode, images will form in the sky, images that tell the story of our country from who we are as a people to the beautiful landscape.  It will then cut away to people all across America taking notice of what's happening in the sky.

So we watched as Dierks played his song in the field about  20 times or so, so they could get different angles.   We got to talk to him briefly between takes.  I asked him who decides what the next single will be,  and he said that in this particular case, Capitol Records did, which he said was just fine with him because he trusts their choices.   He said the song and video should be out in a couple of weeks. 

After Dierks performance part was over, he left and so did we.  It was about 2:00 a.m., but the crew was still going to be there filming the fireworks and b-rolls until 4:00!  (b-rolls, I discovered, are the filming of anything other than the main artist, i.e., background, extras, anything without Dierks.)

Joanna was very nice and has worked for Capitol Records Nashville for 18 years.  She is on the set of every video filmed by a Capitol artist, and has been on every set of Dierks's videos.  She told us her favorite one was Long Trip Alone, though being a woman in a Mexican prison was a little scary!  I told her I always love the ones where Jake and George make an apprearance.

While on the set, we also met Dierks's beautiful wife, Cassidy.  She was very nice.  We talked about the Kentucky Derby and how they get wonderful invitations to go, but Dierks always has a gig.  We talked dogs, and she said that they thought about bringing them [Jake and George] because when they get home, the dogs will bark and might wake up their little girls.  She also said Jake and George like going to "camp" when the family is on the road.

Here are some pictures from the shoot (it was hard to get good ones because it was so dark.)

One of the highlights of this experience was finding out that Dawn Gates, Senior Director of New Media at Capitol Records, raised $50,000.00 for LLS! Way to go!

~Lee Ann Miller (corgigirl)
DB Congress, Kentucky

Dierks Bentley Sings New Single: Home

Back in his home town of Phoenix, Arizona, it was fitting that Dierks Bentley previewed his new song "Home" for the KMLE 8 Man Jam audience.

Dierks introduced the song that he wrote:  "I love this country...thanks to you guys we get a chance to travel all over this country...I think about the guys who settled this country, America wasn't just a place to them, it was an idea."



From the mountains high
To the wave crash coast
There's a way to find
Better days I know

It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
This is still the place
That we all call home

No release date yet, but get ready!  As soon as we know, we'll be asking all DB Congress to hit the campaign trail and start requesting via radio!