DIERKS HITS THE BLUEGRASS, RED DIRT ROAD

Dierks Bentley performed "Red Dirt Road" at the Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN last night as a tribute to Brooks & Dunn, the dynamic duo who are "splitting, but not quitting." They were presented with the Country Radio Seminar Career Achievement Award during the event held to celebrate radio DJs.

Dierks introduces Red Dirt Road like this:

"One of the first concerts I saw in Arizona was when B&D came to town. I'm a huge fan of theirs. I knew I couldn't out honky-tonk Kix Brooks, and I can't out-sing Ronnie Dunn but I thought I could bring in some good friends in the bluegrass community, the guys from the travelin' McCourys: Ronnie McCoury, Rob McCoury, Jason Carter, Alan back on the upright bass and... we'll out-bluegrass 'em! I picked a song these guys wrote, they've influenced me not only from the stage in their shows and their whole catalogue of hits, but also just as songwriters also....they're great songwriters this is a song the two of them wrote together and I think it typifies everything that's great about a great country song. Here's our version of it:"

John Shomby -"the guy in charge of programming at Max Media of Hampton Roads"--had this to say about the event: "Tonight I had the opportunity to attend the Country Radio Hall of Fame dinner honoring some DJ's, radio managers and Brooks & Dunn for Career Achievement. Two big momemts - Taylor Swift came onstage to intro one of the DJ's (no, not Jimmy Ray!). The second was Dierks Bentley performing with the bluegrass band, The McCoury's, and doing a blue grass version of "Red Dirt Road". Really cool rendition and you can tell that Dierks really likes the bluegrass thing. Don't be surprised if he hits town with this band and does a bluegrass show some time soon. "

Other artists were there to help honor B&D and the DJs, including Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan, Randy Owen and Blake Shelton.

*Special thanks to Meg for finding the You Tube video for us!

DIERKS' TRIBUTE TO BROOKS & DUNN

CMT News
Dierks Bentley Plans Tribute to Brooks & Dunn at DJ Hall of Fame Banquet
February 16, 2010

Dierks Bentley will perform an acoustic tribute to Brooks & Dunn when they're presented the Country Radio Broadcasters' Career Achievement Award during the 2010 Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The event takes place Feb. 23 at the Nashville Convention Center. Brooks & Dunn plan to retire after their Last Rodeo tour ends in August. Bentley opened the duo's Australian tour in 2009. "When we toured together, I watched their show every night from sidestage in total awe of the number of hits they've had and what they've built over the last few decades," Bentley said. "They've done it all. I still can't believe they're about to retire."

WEEK 6: IWMYCYE CRACKS TOP 30

This week, "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes" cracks the Top 30 on the Billboard Top Country Songs chart, and lands at #29. WOOHOO! (I personally love it because it's so much easier to see where it is.)

I know it seems like it's taken forever to get to this point, but compared to other songs, it isn't doing too badly. Case in point: "Long Line of Losers" by Montgomery Gentry also cracked the Top 30 this week, coming in at #30 -- in its 12th week on the charts. "Honky Tonk Stomp" by Brooks & Dunn is at #26 this week, in its 5th week, and you have to remember that particular song is likely getting a boost from the announcement B&D made about calling it quits next year. Closer to the top of the charts, "Boots On" by Randy Houser is at #2 this week, but it's taken a whopping 28 weeks for it to get there!

So, frustrating as it may seem, especially after the immediate success "Sideways" had on the charts, IWMYCYE isn't doing too badly. It's at 195 of 226 stations, which is 59 stations more than last week!!! Pat yourselves on the back, Congress, it's obvious our efforts are paying off!

~ Carrie S. ( DBC Rep/Chart Reporter - NC)

CMA HONORS DIERKS BENTLEY & BROOKS & DUNN WITH INTERNATIONAL ARTIST ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

CMA HONORS DIERKS BENTLEY AND BROOKS & DUNN WITH INTERNATIONAL ARTIST ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS DURING HUGELY SUCCESSFUL AUSTRALIAN TOUR

NASHVILLE - Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, and Dierks Bentley, all acclaimed internationally as musicians and performers each received the distinct privilege of being presented with the CMA International Artist Achievement Award for their contributions to Country Music overseas. They were presented the awards backstage at the Acer Arena May 6 in Sydney, during the final stop of their hugely successful Australian tour.

The International Artist Achievement Awards were presented by CMA Board member Rob Potts, CEO of Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, and Ray Hadley from Radio 2GB and currently Australia's No. 1 rated radio presenter.

"Halfway around the world, it is easy to say, but it takes an amazing amount of coordination and commitment from so many people to pull it off, and ultimately, and most importantly, the support from the fans," Brooks said. "As usual, we get to just walk out on stage and do our thing, but it's hard not to stand there in Sydney, or wherever, and go, 'Wow, how did this happen?!' Thanks so much to everyone who shared this experience with us!"

"It's fantastic to be recognized by the CMA after all my international touring in Japan, Europe and now Australia - this is very cool," said a surprised Bentley.

"I can't think of any more deserving U.S. artists to win this award," Potts said. "Their tour here has had a huge impact on the profile of Country Music in this territory and it's fantastic that we were able to present the awards to them in Australia. It's also terrific to have a former CMA International Broadcaster of the Year and Australia's No. 1 rating radio presenter, Ray Hadley, here to help us surprise the guys with their awards."

"It's fantastic that artists like Brooks & Dunn and Dierks make the effort to travel half way around the world to play to their Australian fans," said Hadley. "They bring huge excitement to this market."

"Ronnie, Kix and Dierks have all impacted and expanded the international market place for Country Music," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. "As representatives for Country Music on a global scale, they are all very deserving of this prestigious award."

Formerly the International Touring Artist Award, the CMA International Artist Achievement Award recognizes outstanding achievement by a U.S.-based artist who contributes to the awareness and development of Country Music outside of the United States. Previous winners include Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood, and Dwight Yoakam.

Nearly two decades after their music career began the biggest recording duo in Country Music history arrived in Australia for the first time in February 2008. Back again in 2009 with opening act Dierks Bentley, the high-octane Brooks & Dunn Australian tour played packed venues in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

"To have Brooks & Dunn back here twice inside two years is a great boost to Country Music in the country and it is very fitting that they and Dierks are recognized by the CMA Board for helping grow our genre of music around the world," Potts said.

Bentley began his international career in 2006 when he participated in CMA's "New From Nashville" tour performing in Dublin, Glasgow, and London. He has performed at the Country Rendez-vous Festival in Craponne, France; the Seljord Country Festival in Norway; The Borderline in London; and performed at the Country Gold Festival in Japan.

BENTLEY PERFORMS FOR KING GEORGE

The 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards is honoring George Strait as the "Artist of the Decade." The ACM Awards will be telecast live on Sunday, April 5, 2009 (8 pm Eastern), and Dierks will be presenting an award (which one is yet to be named).

The next day (April 6), a special concert will be filmed with a live audience from the Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show will air on CBS on May 27.

Dierks (whom George Strait secured as his supporting artist during his 2004 and 2005 tours) will perform during the show and will be joined by an amazing lineup of country music superstars, including scheduled performances by Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Jamie Foxx, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Lee Ann Womack, John Rich, Jack Ingram, Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and more-paying tribute to "The King of Country" George Strait and his legendary 25-year career.

If you live close enough to drive, or you can hop on a plane last minute, tickets are still available to the public for the April 6 event for $200, $150 and $100 through Ticketmaster.com for the all star country concert television taping. Proceeds of all sales benefit the Academy of Country Music Charitable Fund (ACMCF).

Strait is the fifth to receive the artist of the decade honor, after Marty Robbins, Loretta Lynn, Alabama and Garth Brooks.

SPEND 20 HOURS WITH DIERKS FOR ONLY $20,000

How does spending 20 hours on a plane with Dierks sound? Well, start rummaging all the couches you can for change because a first class ticket will cost you at least $20,000 according to Expedia.com. It's pretty clear why Dierks is sitting coach for his upcoming visit to the land down under.

GAC talked with Dierks recently about his upcoming trip to Australia.

As one of country music’s real road warriors, Dierks Bentley has seen plenty of the U.S. and Canada, and he’s even done a couple tours of Europe and played at a Nobel Peace Prize concert in Norway.

Nevertheless, he’s found new ground to cover with his upcoming tour of Australia as an opening act for Brooks & Dunn. Which is, of course, accompanied by a very long air trip.

"I cannot wait for the 20-hour flight in coach," he told the national radio show GAC Nights: Live From Nashville. "It’s gonna be soooo exciting."

Okay, so the travel won’t be so great. But the destination — that definitely gets a thumbs-up.

"I’ve always wanted to go to Australia," he continued. "Had a lot of opportunities to go down there and always wanted to and just waited for the opportunity. [Brooks & Dunn] have already gone down there and sold out buildings. Now we get a chance to go open up for them. So it’s the best way to crack into the country and make as many fans as possible and get in front of as many fans as possible. It’s a great opportunity and we’re real psyched they asked us to go. Other than the flight, I can’t wait."

Country stars seem to have taken note of the market of late. Joe Nichols and Deana Carter both performed there for the first time in the last three weeks, and Taylor Swift likewise made her first run Down Under, adding a four-song performance at the Sound Relief benefit concert on Saturday in Sydney. The show raised money for victims of the bushfires that destroyed more than 1,000 homes. Taylor was on the same bill with Coldplay, Jet and Barry Gibb, who had a cool country-related surprise: Olivia Newton-John made a guest appearance, Billboard reported, to cover "Islands In The Stream," which Barry wrote with his brothers for Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton.

Dierks’ visit to Australia begins May 1 in Perth.