DIERKS SINGS BLUE CLEAR SKY ON STRAIT TRIBUTE

Dierks Bentley performed on the George Strait Artist of the Decade television special, which aired on CBS last night. The event was filmed live on April 6 in Vegas. According to CMT News, prior to singing "Blue Clear Sky," Dierks briefly went off script to recall his first major tour as Strait's opening act.

"In 2005, I was playing in this building, opening up for George Strait," Bentley said. "A girl called me that I had known since I was 13 years old. She said she wanted to come out to the show. We had tried dating a couple of times, but I kind of figured it wasn't going to work out because I was chasing this dream down in Nashville. She came out to the show, and you talk about 'out of the blue clear sky' -- 'One day you're giving up the dream/And the next you're picking out a ring.' We eloped down to Mexico that same year. So I owe George and Norma a lot for giving me my life, and I love my life. I really appreciate it, and you are my blueprint for what we aspire to be."

None of that dialogue made the television version. But Dierks did manage to show everyone his great sense of humor by giving George, uh, I mean Norma Strait a CD he just happened to have in his back pocket! See Dierks' performance below.

GEORGE HONORED, DIERKS SINGS

The George Strait Artist of the Decade special (held live in Vegas Monday night) will air at 8 p.m. on May 27 on CBS and will feature footage of live performances by Brooks and Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson, Dierks Bentley, Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Lee Ann Womack, Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.

“It's kind of ironic to be standing up here getting ready to present this award to the man who’s fully responsible for where I’m at today,” Garth Brooks said. “It is an honor to pass the torch to the man who I believe has carried the torch for country music for the last 30 years,” he said.

After Garth Brooks’ unannounced appearance, it was Strait’s turn. As anyone who has watched tributes knows, they can take on an almost “I’m watching my own funeral” feel for the recipient, and as performer after performer talked about growing up on Strait or—to really dig in the dagger- Bentley talked about how his dad loved Strait, the 56-year-old honoree must have felt he was as old as the hills.

“As a songwriter, the ultimate goal is to get George Strait to cut one of your songs,” another performer, Dierks Bentley, said. “I’m not afraid to say I’ve stalked and ambushed him a number of times … I think the last time was in an elevator in Nashville,” he joked before slipping Strait’s wife, Norma, one of his CDs.

Dierks Bentley gave George Strait a CD

Dierks sang George's, “Blue Clear Sky,” during the tribute.