Dierks Bentley Fans React to Miles and Music For Kids Record-Breaking Event

Dierks Bentley had plenty of reason to smile big, in awe of the crowd on September 28, 2014.  He broke his own record Sunday, raising $335,479 for the kids at Monroe Carrell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, in Nashville, Tennessee. That topped the 2013 amount of over $307,000.

The Miles and Music For Kids celebrity motorcycle ride and concert marked his ninth year and more than $2.6 million for the kids all total.

This year, a pre-event creative campaign gave a jump start to the annual fund-raiser with, Riser bird flockings and "flock" insurance.

DB Congress (fan club) reps were feeling a mix of emotions-reverence, respect, and pride for our DB Congress president and all he has accomplished because of  his huge heart! He truly does 'give it all he has to give,' to borrow a line from "Up On The Ridge." Many of them shared their most memorable moments below, happy to support him and the kids in this worthwhile event.

I loved it when he gave a shout out to George Jones' wife, Nancy, (who was watching from a roof top building) and talked about how he influenced him.  When he gave a shout out to DB Congress for being there and mentioned Riser birds and the pilots in the crowd, I know my friend Jessica and I were proud to be part of congress and we were repping our pilot outfits! It was fun having people ask us for pictures and why we did it.  Loved Dierks' reaction to the total dollar amount raised! I honestly thought he was gonna cry. - Adrian Taylor, NC

It was my first MM4K. I loved everything. The way people from all over the country gathered to support Dierks and his cause was amazing. Dierks had so much positive energy and it radiated to the crowds.  I will make this a definite annual trip!  I just love my DB Congress buddies. Best fan club ever! - Brandy Knight, MS

My two favorite parts were when he presented the check to the hospital and his intro to "I Hold On." That story never grows old. The truck, the guitar with George Jone's autograph....awesome when a superstar remembers and appreciates where they came from. Class act, DB!
- Greg Birkmann, MO

Watching Dierks hang out with his peers side stage is always fun, you know he's having a blast. It really does feel like CMA fest, except the weather is better and you know your money is going towards something worth while! - Takara D., MO

I love seeing the families of Dierks, Dude Inc., and the guests. The fact that the event is family-oriented makes it all more special. Here is a great pic that I love.  - Meredith Mauer, SC

Brian Layson (lead guitar) and his kids

Funny thing though... Moses was trying to take pics or videos of dad, Brian Layson! He was so focused! - Kristin Houghland, IN

Dierks is one of a kind! He has a heart of gold and appreciates his fans! He knows without the fans he wouldn't be where he is today! Proud to be a member of DB Congress and a long time fan! 

- Lee Ann Boyle, NE

My favorite part was that he acknowledged that we had been with him on the road the last four days. He knows when we are there! - Sandra Grubb, NC

I love how excited he is about playing in Nashville, not only that but the joy he gets from giving back to people. He's such a humble, great guy! I also loved how he brought his mom along with him! 

- Katie Prater, TN

I love both making new friends and meeting up with "old" friends. Traveling alone isn't so bad when you know your DRT friends will be there. Picking them up from the airport and sharing a favorite spot for lunch is especially fun. For me, Saturday night's Indy concert was the first time D never seemed to know I was at a show. Knowing he's gotten so big that so many people are there to see him and that he is so in the moment of entertaining and enjoying every minute of it is bittersweet. Seeing him on Sunday at the dealership saying quick hellos to everyone, getting a hug and a how are ya... Always great. When I told him awesome show last night, he looked at me and questioned "you were there?" I think he felt bad for not having seen me, and yet you could tell he seemed humbled that fans would drive such distances to attend multiple shows back to back. He's the real deal folks! 

- Kristin Houghland, IN

Two highlights for me were the check presentation and his shout out to us for following him for four shows in a row. -Kathy Butler, IN

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Mattingly, DBC rep in Kentucky, coordinated the annual pre-party for MM4K9. They had dinner/drinks and some card signing at Joe's Crab Shack in downtown Nashville Saturday night before the ride/concert on Sunday.   Reps brought with them some 'Get Well' cards for the children at Vanderbilt. "This is a huge hit and the hospital staff appreciates and acknowledges our efforts," David posted.

Each rep and each of the 176 get well cards received a Dierks Bentley guitar pick from the current Riser Tour. Janet Marlborough flew in from California to help sign cards and posted this photo:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Storme Warren, Sirius XM The Highway (Master of Ceremonies) and Ricky Kelley, Harley-Davidson of Columbia tell the crowd all the many states and Canada that all the riders came from!

Special Guests

Eric Close (Teddy on ABC's Nashville)

Chip Esten (Deacon on ABC's Nashville)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

People magazine captured Dierks and baby boy Knox (who turns one on 10/9) and Dierks and his mom, Cathy, who rode on the back of his bike with him to the Riverfront

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The music

Dee Jay Silver warmed up the crowd, followed by Riser Tour opener, Jon Pardi

Randy Houser, backed by Dierks band, wowed us. Then finished his set solo, with a goose-bump version of "Like A Cowboy"

Steve Misamore, Cassady Feasby

Tim Sergent, Dan Hochhalter

Kip Moore performed a moving acoustic rendition of "Hey Pretty Girl" after several of his hit songs with Dierks's band backing him.

Chris Young couldn't say enough good things about Dierks, after being on the Riser Tour with him, then launched into his power ballads

And the main man....Dierks!

Dierks said he saw a lot of fans in the audience that came to show after show and he was always trying to find something to make the same show a little different and special for them.  One way he thought was to sing his new single, "Say You Do":




-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It is about the money... "We've come a long way from passing a Gatorade bucket around with Dalton."



Guess all that pre-event flocking helped boost the total!



And the final bow...the "I'm not worthy" bow...(yes you are!)

And one final with Brian Layson's son Moses!

We can't wait for #MM4K10 to set a new record again!

Riser Bird Flocks Nashville; Announces 9th "Miles & Music For Kids" on 9/28/14

Flocks of Riser Birds began descending on Nashville this week to help announce country music star Dierks Bentley's ninth annual "Miles & Music for Kids" celebrity motorcycle ride and all-star concert scheduled for Sun., Sept. 28 in Nashville, TN.   Randy Houser, Kip Moore, Jon Pardi  and Chris Young have been tapped as the first artists to take part in the event, which has raised over $2.5 million to date for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country.

Presale tickets are available beginning tomorrow, July 9 on www.dierks.com and general public tickets go on sale this Fri., July 11 at 10:00A CT.

"The Riser bird symbol we've been using to represent this album has really come to mean something to my fans.  I've been hearing stories about it on the road, people are getting tattoos of it.  It's a symbol of strength and resilience, and I think it's perfect to extend into what we do for Miles & Music, especially when we are talking about the history of the event, the bikers and fans who come out every year to support it and most importantly, the children and their families being treated at Vandy. ” said Bentley. “The Riser Bird Movement that started this week is a cool way to get the community involved in a deeper way and earlier this year….it's been fun to see it start to spread across town." 

This year’s annual event will once again begin at the Harley Davidson of Columbia (1616 HarleyDavidson Blvd., Columbia, TN) for an hour-long ride that ends downtown at Nashville’s Riverfront Park. From Riverfront, Bentley will take the stage for a family-friendly day of music with a lineup that will continue to grow as the event approaches.

Fans can purchase a combo ticket for the ride and concert for $50 or individual concert tickets for $30. Special VIP packages and student tickets are also available. This month, Nashville residents can “Flock It Forward” at www.dierks.com/riserbirdmovement by sending Riser Birds to their friends, also benefitting “Miles & Music.” All proceeds from both events will benefit Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, a Children's Miracle Network Hospital. For more ticket info, visit www.dierks.com.

Need flocking protection? Flock insurance protects your yard from being flocked!

About Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt:
 Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, a freestanding hospital dedicated to serving only children, is nationally recognized as a leading provider of pediatric health care services. Experts treat and work to prevent all health issues ranging from common childhood conditions to serious, advanced diseases. Featuring Centers of Excellence for the treatment of diabetes and congenital heart disorders, Children's Hospital also operates the region's only level 1 pediatric trauma unit and a neonatal intensive care unit with the highest designated level of care. In addition, Children's Hospital is a top-level teaching and research facility. No child is denied care on basis of limited ability to pay.

Dierks Partners with Mountain Dew for RISER Tour: A Dynamic "Dew-o"

Today, Mountain Dew® welcomes Grammy-nominated country artist Dierks Bentley to the DEW family, creating a dynamic new partnership that pairs the iconic brand’s one-of-a-kind flavor and heritage as a cultural instigator with Bentley’s trailblazer attitude and authentic sound. 

The partnership names Mountain Dew as a tour sponsor, helping Bentley take the personal and genre-bending tunes featured on his seventh studio album, “RISER,” across the nation this summer for his headlining tour. The tour will also feature special guests Chris Young, Chase Rice and Jon Pardi. “Fans know that they are getting something real when they listen to Dierks Bentley – he expresses who he is through his music and that’s a trait that vibes really well with the Mountain Dew brand,” said Greg Lyons, Vice President of Marketing, Mountain Dew.

“We’re so excited to welcome him into the DEW family, and know that DEW Nation will be a big supporter of his.”

“I’m fired up about the tour this summer and happy to have Mountain Dew and the DEW Nation joining us out on the road,” said Bentley. “Dew is a brand that encourages individuality and doing things your own way, and that’s something I can definitely identify with and get behind.”

Join the conversation about Bentley and DEW @mtn_dew #DierksJoinsDEW. A list of RISER tour dates and cities is available at www.dierks.com. The Riser album is available beginning February 25, 2014.

Response on Twitter was amped up:

Select Dierks Bentley RISER Tour Dates For Sale Via Megaticket

Dierks Bentley's RISER Tour was revealed last week, and thanks to The 2014 Country Megaticket we now have a few more dates and venues to match up to the cities announced.

May 9     Charlotte, NC (PNC Music Pavillion)

May 10     Raleigh, NC (Walnut Creek Amphitheatre)

May 16     Virginia Beach, VA (Farm Bureau Live)  

May 17     Bristow, VA (Jiffy Lube Live)

July 26     Phoenix, AZ (Ak-Chin Pavilion)

July 27     San Diego, CA (Sleep Train Amphitheatre)

July 31     Mountain View, CA (Shoreline Amphitheatre)

September 27  Indianapolis, IN (Klipsch Music Center)

The 2014 Country Megaticket is on sales to the General Public Friday, January 24 at 10 am.  But, if you're just interested in the Dierks, Chase Rice, Chris Young and Jon Pardi shows, stay tuned to dierks.com for all the fan club (DB Congress) pre-sale ticket and Meet and Greet information.

Plus, don't forget, Dierks will also perform two shows with Luke Bryan on his "That's My Kind of Night 2014 Tour." The first show is in Pittsburgh, PA on June 21 at Heinz Field.  The second show is August 31 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL! Ticket sale details coming soon on dierks.com!

We know many of you are already planning your "DRT" (Dierks Road Trip) schedule!  Hope to see you out there on the road!

If you hear of any more dates, let us know!

Dierks Bentley Uniquely Clues in Fans Via CMT's Twitter to Announce First Leg of 2014 Riser Tour

 

Dierks Bentley was 'up all night', thinking of his favorite color, 'neon' and how to get his new tour ready and set to roll.  So he walked in to CMT this morning and hi-jacked their Twitter account to announce his RISER tour, named for his upcoming album, due February 25.

Tweeting hints of the supporting acts and even covering their songs, Dierks found a unique way to engage the Twitter world, plucking us along like a banjo string to want more.

The first leg of the RISER Tour starts May 9 in Charlotte, NC, featuring Jon Pardi (Up All Night), Chase Rice (Ready, Set, Let's Roll) and Chris Young (Neon) as the opening acts.

We are beyond excited he will headline the 2014 RISER TOUR. Fans can purchase tickets beginning Jan. 24 for select cities as part of tour promoter Live Nation’s Country Megaticket at www.Megaticket.com and additional ticket information will be available in the coming weeks at www.dierks.com.

“This tour is the culmination of everything I've been working on for the past two years, both out on the road and in the studio recording RISER,” said Bentley. "I know what my fans want: a kick ass show, an affordable ticket and a good parking lot scene to get the pre-gaming going! The guys opening the show and getting the party started all know how to put on a great live show, and when it comes time for my set, I can promise that we are going big! I have never been more excited about a tour.”

 After his hack job at CMT headquarters, he "took the rest of the day off."  Time to fly!

 

Until May 9, we hold on!

 

~Ronna

DBC Chair, FL

 

First leg cities for 2014 RISER Tour:

 

Charlotte, NC
Raleigh, NC*
Virginia Beach, VA
Washington, DC
Holmdel, NJ
Bossier City, LA*
Robinsville, MS*
Detroit, MI
Philadelphia, PA
Scranton, PA
Hunter Mountain, NY*
Thornville, OH*
Craven, SK*
Eau Claire, WI* 
St. Louis, MO 
Morrison, CO 
Los Angeles, CA 
Phoenix, AZ 
San Diego, CA 
Mt. View, CA 
Las Vegas, NV 
Sixes, OR* 
Havelock, ON* 
Cincinnati, OH
Cleveland, OH
Indianapolis, IN
*Opening acts may vary, check concert listings for more details.

See more at dierks.com.

DB Congress To Meet During Dierks' Miles & Music For Kids Weekend

"Living life like a Sunday stroll...free and easy down the road I go!"  Dierks Bentley's 7th annual Nashville Miles and Music For Kids celebrity motorcycle ride and concert follows that mantra, and they are gearing up for a great event on Sunday, October 14, 2012.

Two weeks from today, Dierks and about 1,500 friends will ride from Ricky Kelley's (@TheHarleyGuy) Harley Davidson of Columbia to the Riverfront Park stage downtown Nashville, Tennessee, where Kix Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Chris Young, Brantley Gilbert, The Cadillac Black, Craig Campbell and, according to their website, Southern Drawl Band, will perform.  

It's all to raise money for the Monroe Carell Jr.'s Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

DB Congress has an annual tradition of meeting with fellow fan clubbers and Dierks fans the night before to sign get well cards for the kids.  This year we will meet at Joe's Crab Shack on Saturday, October 13 at 7 p.m.  Get all the details and RSVP to join the fun HERE!

We'll need close to 300 cards, so while you're out and about this weekend, stop by the dollar store and pick up a couple packs of children's get well cards!  If you cannot be there in person, and you want to donate cards, please email me at Ronna@dbcongress.com to arrange to mail them to me.

Here are a few photos from the 2010 MM4K Nashville event.

We look forward to a special 2012 MM4K weekend!

Check out our stories from previous MM4K events HERE.  For tickets, click HERE.

Miles & Music For Kids - Oct. 14, 2012: Fan Club Pre-sale Wed. 8/15/12

Two of Dierks Bentley's favorite things to do are play music and riding motorcycles. He combines both loves  into one special event for his seventh annual “Miles & Music for Kids” celebrity motorcycle ride and concert in Nashville, TN on Sunday, October 14, 2012.

The charity event has occurred on 12 occasions in seven US cities to raise over $2 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country.

Tickets going on sale this Fri., Aug.17 at 10:00A CT through TicketMaster. But DB Congress (fan club members) will be able to buy tickets during the pre-sale that begins Wed., Aug. 15 at 10:00 a.m. CT through dierks.com.  Be sure to be logged in with your fan club login before the pre-sale begins.

There will NOT be a Meet and Greet offered for this event.

The event begins at Harley-Davidson of Columbia (1616 Harley Davidson Blvd., Columbia, TN) for a scenic hour-long motorcycle ride ending at downtown Nashville’s Riverfront Park. Following the ride, Bentley will host a family-friendly jam-style concert with special guests Sheryl Crow, Chris Young, Brantley Gilbert, The Cadillac Black and Craig Campbell all joining him on the ACM Lifting Lives main stage. More artist announcements will be made in the upcoming weeks.

"I really want to blow Miles & Music out this year and make it bigger than ever," said Dierks. "We've had the chance to help a lot of communities across the country, but the heart and soul of this event is in downtown Nashville with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and the artists and friends who come out and help us raise money. It's my favorite thing we do all year."

Fans can purchase tickets for the ride, concert and commemorative T-shirt for $50, or those looking to attend the concert only can purchase tickets for $20. Special VIP packages are also available. All proceeds from the event will benefit Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. 

From TicketMaster:
$300 Ticket includes: A Ride in the Pack with the Artists and VIP Concert ticket with access to VIP Concert Tent with food & beverages & T-Shirt.

$150 Ticket includes: VIP Concert ticket with access to the VIP Concert Tent with food & beverages.

$80 Duo (Combo) Ticket: Good for 2 regular Concert tickets and Duo Riders and 2 T-Shirts ( 1 Bike with 2 Riders).

$50 Ticket: Good for Regular Concert ticket and Ride and T-Shirt ( 1 Rider only ).

$20 Ticket: Good for Regular Concert ticket only.

This is not only Dierks' favorite thing, its a "must do" for DBC reps! Check out some of the cool DB Congress experiences from previous Miles & Music Events:

Columbus, OH - May 2011
Nashville, TN - October 2010
Seattle, WA - September 2010
Dallas, TX - April 2010

DB Congress members always have an annual get together the Saturday night before Sunday MM4K, Nashville.  We meet at Joe's Crab Shack and have dinner, catch up with old friends, meet new ones, and most importantly, we all bring get well cards for the kids and pass them around the table for everyone to sign!

Stay tuned for details for our Oct. 13th  DB Congress Session!

DIERKS, CHRIS YOUNG SING ALL MY EX'S

Watch as Dierks Bentley and Chris Young team up at BamaJam June 3, 2010 and got audience participation on George Strait's, "All My Ex's Live In Texas: