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.
Coast Guard Captain Jeff Yarosh's love for his country runs deep, a value instilled in him by his dad. "My dad raised us with the central belief that nothing is more important than God, family and country." Jeff recognizes this same set of values in his favorite artist, Dierks Bentley (especially with headlines such as themilitary reunion meet and greet).So when the opportunity to possibly sing with Dierks came up for Jeff in 2014, he was all in.
Jeff was nominated by his boss, Rory Souther, to be the Coast Guard finalist in the ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops. Dierks was featured in the eventwith artists such as Carrie Underwood and Florida Georgia Line. One member from each military branch was selected to perform with the artist of their choice at the concert.
Jeff ultimately wasn't selected, but his submission video seen here is still bringing smiles (a video he filmed with his daughter, Evelyn, who shares her name with Dierks' oldest daughter):
At the What The Hell Tour concert last month in Bristow, Va., Jeff's wife, Caren, had the opportunity to share her husband's story with Dierks at a meet and greet. After, Dierks told Caren he needed to look this video up online.
"He asked her for my name, and since he had nothing else to write on or with, he used the Sharpie he was using for autographs to write my name on his forearm," Jeff says. "A lot of people can say they got an autograph from Dierks, but I get to claim that he wrote MY name on him!"
To top it off, Jeff adds "Dierks [did] me the honor of accepting the gift my wife gave him: a t-shirt from the ship I just had command of--the best Band of Brothers I've ever been a part of."
Caren Yarosh w/ Dierks Bentley at the June 9 Bristow, Va., What The Hell Tour meet and greet.
The Yarosh's story, no doubt, resonated with Dierks, given
1. Wish It Would Break is a song he wished would have been his first single
2. He genuinely appreciates his fans
3. Patriotism and support of our service men and women are foundational for Dierks
"To see Dierks giving back and supporting the troops and our veterans, I think it's why we can all agree that Dierks is one of the good guys," Jeff says. "Home is a reminder that we shouldn't take the idea for granted that freedom is something which needs to be cultivated and protected." Dierks understood how big that anthem could be.
Red, white and blue clearly run strong in Dierks' veins. Just as strong is his love for his fans.
"I sat near the exit and watched each of [the meet and greet winners] as they came out," Jeff says. "The smiles they had on their faces were as wide as the Grand Canyon. Such a little thing, but it clearly meant a lot to those people. He should be proud of that."
After all, he's the one who taught us, "To the things I believe in, my faith, your love, our freedom." Jessica Borrelli DB Congress Rep, WA @AllTheWayToMe
Prepare to be deeply moved by fellow DB Congress rep, Nancy Eaton (Maine), as she tells her brave and inspirational story.
My Journey to the Boston Marathon
by Nancy Eaton
Nancy Eaton crosses the finish line of the 2016 Boston Marathon
I started running at the age of 47. I had just gone through a difficult divorce and my life consisted of working 50-60 hours a week in Boston as a nurse in Labor and Delivery and raising my six kids. There needed to be some sort of stress-reducer in my life. So I started running. The more I ran, the more I loved it. Running took me away from the stress of my life and helped me find inner peace. It took me out of my head for the hours I was able to squeeze into my week.
A couple of years after taking up running, a new nurse came to work on my unit. Her name was Amanda Turner Russell and we hit it off immediately. We both loved Disney, traveling, music, reading and nursing. She was a ray of sunshine on our unit, always smiling. She was one of the most incredible nurses I have ever met, always up for a challenge, caring for the most difficult of patients. She was also very very funny, always making us laugh over various situations. We bonded over our running and we started running Disney races together. She was all about the costumes and the characters, I was all about my finish time.
Amanda and Nancy
Amanda loved taking pictures of sunrises, we worked the night shift. Every morning she would go to the roof of our building and snap a picture of the sunrise. If I was on vacation or off that night, I would awaken to the sunrise picture of the day on my Facebook page! I loved that she was always trying to make me smile even when we weren’t together.
Pushin' comes to shove, and hey I'm a fighter...
We also bonded over our love of music. I fell in love with Dierks Bentley’s music the first time I heard him sing "Home" at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. My daughter is a midshipman there and she asked me to come to the concert. The respect he showed to all the midshipmen was something I will never forget. I started downloading all of his music and running to it. Right now I have about 20 miles of his songs on my iPod. If I feel like I can’t finish my run I put on Riser. It reminds me that I can do anything I set my mind to.
I went to my first real concert in the summer of 2015. My daughter and I drove to Virginia Beach from Maine and stood in the pit for hours waiting for Dierks to perform. Amanda loved and supported my musical obsession, patiently waiting for me to access the Ticketmaster app on my phone when we were in Disney so I could get tickets to another Dierks concert.
Nancy, Dierks Bentley, Nancy's daughter
In the Fall of 2015, Amanda decided to run the Boston Marathon for our Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center hospital team, hoping to raise $7,000 for our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). When she asked me to join her I told her I was trying to qualify for Boston so I would pass, but that I would donate to her cause.
On December 23, 2015, Amanda was on a training run when she was hit by a car driven by an impaired driver. She sustained severe head injuries and was declared brain dead 5 days later. Her organs were harvested and she passed away on Dec 29th at the age of 32. She left a young son, her family, and hundreds of friends devastated. At her bedside Amanda’s Mom asked me to run the marathon in her place. After breaking my foot twice in 2015 I was unsure if I could complete a full marathon so soon, but I knew I had to try. I felt as though I had to do this one last thing for my friend.
Brave, gotta call it brave...
So I began training, increasing my miles every week, getting ready for the Boston Marathon. In an attempt to bring me inspiration during my run I started collecting signatures of country singers on my running shirt. Dierks was the first person to sign my shirt! Amanda would have loved that! It has been an emotional couple of months. Running for her has brought me great joy, brought the nurses on my unit closer together, but it has also made me miss her even more. Every long run I would think about how it should have been her who was running, not me.
After weeks of training, Monday April 18th finally arrived! This was my 8th marathon and I have to say that it was definitely my hardest. It was hot, started later in the day, and we ended up running into the wind for the last 9 miles or so. I wore a Disney sparkle skirt in memory of Amanda. The race course was covered with friends, family, coworkers cheering me on. It was like running a Disney race, stopping for pictures along the way. The love I felt while running was incredible.
At mile 25 my daughter helped me me put on the wings that Amanda had made for me when we ran the Dopey challenge at Disney, 4 races in 4 days--it was the January after the Boston Marathon bombing. They truly carried me to the finish line on April 18, 2016. Not sure my legs and feet were working anymore!
I was also greeted with a sign that I should run faster because Dierks Bentley was at the finish line. Between the wings and the Dierks music in my ears, I was able to complete this race, receiving a hug from two more of my kids who were waiting right at the finish line.
Amanda’s Mom, sister and Godmother were at the finish line as well. As soon as possible I gave them Amanda’s bib and medal! In her life she touched so many people and continues to do so after her death. Her fundraising page has raised more than $26,000 for the NICU, her heart, lungs and kidney are giving life to others, and her beautiful soul is present in every sunrise.
Thank you, Nancy, for sharing your incredible story! I had the pleasure of meeting Amanda briefly in November when she and you had just finished your Disney 4 races in 4 days. Just as Amanda was in inspiration to you, you are an inspiration to your fellow DB Congress reps! We're so proud to have you on our team representing and promoting Dierks daily!
Dierks Bentley celebrated his ten year anniversary of being a Grand Ole Opry member (October 1, 2005) by performing the Tuesday night Opry on September 29, 2015. Some DB Congress were there in person and some were listening online and captured the 30-minute closing segment on audio, transcribed below.
Bill Cody introduced the special 30 minute closing segment.
"This is a special night for him,we're gonna recognize that along the way, 10 years of Opry membership for a fellow who, and I'll share more of his story, the backstory to what I'm about to tell you, an incredible award winning singer and songwriter, 3 consecutive #1's off the critically acclaimed album, Riser, I Hold On, Drunk On A Plane and Say You Do, his 6 previous studio albums sold more than 5 million copies, he's notched 13 #1 singles, 12 Grammy nominations, countless CMA, ACM and CMT nominations...Would you welcome, Dierks Bentley, would ya? On his 10th Anniversary!"
Song #1: What Was I Thinkin': "I was thinkin' tonight's the 10 year anniversary of me being a Grand Ole Opry member and I was thinkin' that's pretty cool!"
Dierks: 10 years y'all...this is crazy! I'm not used to doing that song first, usually save that one for later in the set, but tonight we're doing everything backwards going back and doing songs off all the albums I've had...taking a trip down memory lane, That was off my debut album, gonna do one off my album Modern Day Driffer...driffer? What's a driffer? Modern Day DRIFTER. Let's do a little....
Song #2 Settle For A Slowdown (Video by DBC Rep Jessica Martin, on our Facebook page).
Song #3: Free And Easy (Down The Road I Go)
Bill Cody: Hey Dierks, (Hey Bill), Let's celebrate 90 years, and your 10th anniversary, you've been here, except for the first 80, you've been here for all of them! (Dierks laughs). If you'd make your way over to the podium I have something for Dierks tonight...in celebration of the Opry's 90 years and his 10 years of membership, a piece of art we had commissioned for special milestones for all of our Opry members. It will hang backstage and we have one for him to take one home...there will be a whole wall of those backstage eventually.
Dierks: Thanks, Bill. Love this guy, love listening him in the mornings...one of the best things about being in Nashville having 650 WSM...such a great way to start the morning. This means a lot to me. I don't have any gold plaques at my house, I don't want my kids around all that stuff, but I do have my Opry microphone that's always there in the kitchen. My kids know what the Grand Ole Opry is, and this is gonna be up in my house, too. The Opry is my home, I've been on the road the last 12 years but this is home here and this means the world to me. Thanks, Bill.
Bill: He's got more! Dierks has invited some special guests to join him on stage:
Dierks: These guys' (Dailey and Vincent) 90th time playing the show, for me to have the two kinds of music I love, bluegrass--I'll forever be a fan and a student, and to have these guys represent, and to have my friends, The Cadillac Three representing that rockin' country style kinda completes the circle for me. A couple years ago I decided to leave the country music treadmill and I made a bluegrass record...nice slow song for you guys...just kidding. This is about as fast as you can play a song, this is a song from my Up On The Ridge record.
Song #4: Rovin' Gambler
Dierks: Dailey and Vincent, y'all! One of the greats in bluegrass and music in general!
The number 10's big for me right now...my 10th anniversary here at the Opry, we'e been married 10 years this year, but this guy right here, he was here 10 years ago, I was driving away from my house today and I was like you know Jake was here 10 years ago and I gotta bring him back out, so ,...he's 15 years old but he's still here,...he can't hear ya...he can probably see you clapping, he appreciates that...Jake, Jake, JAKE, JAKE?...Trust me, 3 kids under 6 it's a blessing he doesn't hear...he's the only one in the house sleeping...special night to have him here with me, place we all call home here at the opry not just us humans, but us dogs, too. One more time for Jake and for you guys for making this our home.
Dierks and Jake 2005; Dierks and Jake 2015
Speaking of getting married, the most special thing happened before that, back in 2005 Pete Fisher and everyone at the Opry was nice enough to let me come out here and surprise my wife...it was on a Thursday, and Cassidy said 'why are we going to the Opry on a Thursday?' well there's a special show going on I want you to see... I had her totally fooled and we got out here and they had a little table set up right on the circle of the stage in this old wood where everyone stood and had dinner a couple nights before I was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, so this place will always have special meaning for me and just to be part of this great club of the Opry means so much to me.
So we're going to do a song off the record after my UOTR album...Home kinda speaks about...my dad was a WW2 veteran and all the guys that fought for us and sacrificed for us and to make this home what it is. I started writing this song...it's really hard to write a patriotic song in 3 and a half minutes, but it just always finds new meaning for me and I hope you all can find something out of this song you can take home with ya.
Song #5: Home
Thank you guys for making us feel so at home tonight!
Bill Cody: Hey Dierks' we got more to help you celebrate your 10th anniversary. I wanna recognize Dierks for the work he does for this community--The 10th annual Miles and Music for Kids event sold out within 30 minutes....that's an ongoing part of his life. And what you may not know...he's one of the few members who was actually banned from being backstage at the opry. During his early days here in Nashville, Dierks had a job as a researcher for The Nashville Network--you guys remember TNN? And he reported for work just across the way from the Opry house and of course he was in town to be a singer and he had a habit of showing up backstage and gaining access by using his employee badge, flashing his pass and gettin' in and making himself at home. Until the Opry Vice President and General Manager of who he spoke so highly of earlier, Pete Fisher, limited his backstage access--would that be a kind way of saying it? What did he tell you?
Dierks: Uh...he sent an email back over to TNN saying 'hey we really like Dierks--nice guy, appreciate his enthusiasm for the Opry, but he just can't show up every Friday and Saturday night and hang out backstage...maybe once a month.'
Bill: October 1, 2005, Dierks was welcomed as an official member of the Opry family. We celebrate that tonight. Now he has the ultimate backstage pass, doesn't he? And a fellow who has had one of those for 54 years, he's in the Country Music Hall of Fame...Whisperin' Bill Anderson has something for ya, Dierks, on your 10th anniversary...
Dierks: I love this guy right here, ya'll. Bill Anderson.
Bill: I love you pal and congratulations on ten years...you're gaining on me I've only been here 54. You'll catch me one of these days.
Dierks: If I could keep writing songs like this guy---every decade he's had a hit --we all look up to you as songwriters."
Bill: Thank you, that's very kind of you, but we're not here to talk about that.
It's really a milestone for somebody to have spent 10 years as a part of our family and this is a family...a very special family...and you told me backstage that you're taking some time off the road this fall...I hope that means we're gonna see even more of you out here on the circle...
You came here Dierks at a great time... to get to know some of the great legends. Unfortunately a lot of them have passed away including this man...Dierks, this is a picture of you and Little Jimmy Dickens on the stage and he's got on headphones and you look like you're not wanting to listen, that is a classic picture. What can you tell me about when that was taken and where?
Dierks: That was back stage here at the Opry, we were goofing around, we did all sorts of little skits, we had a car were driving around in and on this one we were pretending we were cranking up some music...probably had some Hank Williams on there.
Like all the great Opry members he's a guy who could entertain the crowd. We all aspire to be like him and I miss him. It's tough to be out here without him...I'm taking this home with me.
Bill: Take this home to your kids and let them know their dad hung out with Little Jimmy Dickens, one of the true greats.
Our Opry General Manager Mr. Pete Fisher is in LA, I guess since I was the senior Opry member here tonight, they asked me to do this, and what a great honor it is. Dierks, we're proud of you, this is a plaque that says:
"The Grand Ole Opry congratulates Dierks Bentley celebrating 10 years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, Tennessee."
That makes it official, congratulations, Dierks!
Dierks: That really means a lot ya'll may have to break my ban of hanging stuff on the walls cause that's gotta go up somewhere in my house that's really cool....the guys in the band they share this with me."
Then Dierks introduced his band: Brian Layson, Dan Hochhalter, Cassady Feasby, Steve Misamore, Tim Sergent. "They all share in this."
Bill: On your 10th anniversary ,we can't let you get away without one more song. Congrats and I hope someday you can stand here and do this for somebody celebrating 10 years when you've been here for 54! Thank you, pal!
Dierks: What do you get at 50 years, Bill? Do I get like a new car or something?
Alright, well this is off the new record, Riser. This is our new single and probably my favorite song I've ever recorded and I send it out to all the folks who have gone through tough times, are going through tough times...country music fans are the most resilient fans I've ever met in my life and the stories I hear on the road and every town, every show we play I'm always inspired by our fans...and I send this out to some I see out in the front row who traveled a long ways to get here and come to a lot of shows so, it's called, Riser--check it out.
Song #6: Riser
That was for you, Dalton. God bless you, buddy. Thank you Grand Ole Opry appreciate you guys so much. Looking forward to working on year number 11.
Bill Cody: On his 10th anniversary, and 90 years of the Opry. What a night to be here. He is a Riser. Yes he is. He's Dierks Bentley, everybody! Grand Ole Opry member on a Tuesday night. To a standing ovation as you listen to us around the world. The Opry House is full and they're all on their feet as the big red curtain comes down.
Long before DB Congress had a presence on facebook and Twitter, dbcongress.com launched six years ago today! Happy anniversary to us!
On February 1, 2009, our welcome post proclaimed our mission: to actively campaign to make and keep Dierks Bentley #1! That remains our daily Dierks duty today, now with 802 DBC representatives in all 50 states and 12 countries, 1,112 facebook Likes and 4,349 Twitter followers!
With nearly half a million page views, dbcongress.com continues to spotlight not only all things Dierks, but special interviews with his band, songwriters and dedicated fans.
Six years ago, Feel That Fire was sitting at #4 and a week later Dierks released his Feel That Fire album, which debuted at #1. Since then he's released a Grammy-nominated Bluegrass album-Up On The Ridge, CMA-nominated Home, and the biggest album of his career so far--Grammy, CMA and ACM nominated Riser, a total of 12 #1 singles, 2 Platinum singles (I Hold On and Drunk On A Plane) and a CMA Video of the Year win for Drunk On A Plane.
Let's not forget all the sold out shows in 2014 for the Riser Tour!
And today, Dierks is performing the pre-game show in his hometown at the University of Phoenix Stadium before Super Bowl XLIX, part of which will be televised live as part of NBC's pregame show.
Each of you played an important part in that success, by promoting him daily, so keep up the great work! Remember, we "wierk" for FREE, Dierks makes it EASY!
It is my pleasure to serve as your Chair person! Together we 'hold on' and continue to promote our president to make and keep him #1!
On this Father's Day, let's take a look at Dierks Bentley's perspective from both spectrums - having a dad and being a dad.
The Riser album oozes images of having a dad and being a dad. In "I Hold On," Dierks references his dad throughout the song.
Dierks shared some funny memories about his dad Leon who died June 2012, with Y108 in Pittsburgh. Remember the "old beat up truck" that Dierks and his dad drove to Tennessee? Dierks "holds on" to that truck as the song says, because of all the special memories he and his dad created in that truck. And to come full circle, now Dierks has three of his own kids riding in the back of the 200k mile truck making new memories. No amount of "jangle in his pocket" could make him trade up.
In his live show, when Dierks performs "Home," (from the Home album) it is one of the more moving moments of the night. Especially when he inserts his dad into the lyrics and points to him on the big screen. "Think. Wonder what he'd think. If my dad could see me now". He'd be proud, Dierks!
Photo credit: Carrie Srebro, Tampa, FL, 9/20/13
In "Damn These Dreams," Dierks is torn between his two true loves - family and performing on the road.
"It was all fun and games 'til the little ones came/ 'Cause it makes my hear bleed/ When I gotta drive away and listen to 'em say/ Hey daddy, why you gotta go, please don't leave."
Being on the road a lot and being a dad to three kids of his own, Evie-5, Jordan-3, and Knox 9 months, it's easy to believe Dierks has never been alone with all three. He told The Dr. Don Show about his fear:
“My wife was like, ‘Yeah, I might step out and go do something real quick. Are you cool?’ I was like, ‘With three? No, I’m not. Like, there’s just no . . . It’s physically impossible. It’s not safe. I mean, no, you can’t go anywhere.’ It definitely requires all hands on deck. I think back to the earlier days where I used to think I was tired, you know, and you go catch a nap in your bunk or something like that. It’s a whole different level of reserves these days you just dive into but you know kids and their lack of self-consciousness, they’re so fun to be around. They kind of provide energy in a weird way. Whatever they don’t, alcohol makes up for the rest.”
Perhaps the most poignant page in the book of Dierks having or being a dad is when he sings about the legacy of a family name in "My Last Name." We leave you with a passionate acoustic performance from The Grand Ole Opry in tribute to his dad.
In Loving memory of Leon Bentley:
Happy Father's Day to you, Dierks and all the guys in your band and crew, and to all our DB Congress family!
Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham. Dierks Bentley, Chase Rice, Jon Pardi, Chris Young Raleigh, NC, May 10, 2014, Riser Tour Opening Weekend
We had this date marked on the calendar forever. We'd take that Dierks Bentley headlining Riser Tour opening weekend DRT (Dierks Road Trip) together!
DB Congress reps gathered in Charlotte, NC Riser Tour Eve on May 8, 2014 to kick off our president's opening weekend of his first ever amphitheater headlining tour in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. During dinner, we shared our favorite memories of Dierks and captured the moment with a photo including our newest little member, Clara!
Not content to wait for the next day's memories to begin, we took a ride to the PNC Music Pavilion to search for and replicate the same photo our prez had tweeted earlier in the day. When we got there, we could see the new stage lighting from a distance and hear sound check. Of course we couldn't help but sing along and laugh at the ad libs.
Dierks is always trying to push the envelope. He brings a certain energy and passion to his show, and makes a concerted effort to connect with each person in the audience in some way. So much so that I'm convinced he co-wrote the book Fish!, the blueprint book for corporate America. The premise: Choose Your Attitude, Play, Make Their Day, and Be Present.
Dierks Bentley personifies the Fish model perfectly, always displaying a positive attitude, with a
unique country-rock-bluegrass, grab you from the get-go live stage show production that makes you
feel it all the way down to the depths of your heart and soul.
Such was the case throughout the entire weekend.
Opening with an explosive "5-1-5-0" in Charlotte, May 9, one by one the band emerged from below "The Wave Wall" a huge video and lighting apparatus brought in special for the Riser Tour. Dierks asked the crowd, "Y'all ready to lose your minds?"
By now you've seen the video for Drunk On A Plane, but we got a sneak preview during the opening weekend. Dierks decided to play and sang, "we're getting drunk on a 'snake' plane."
He and the guys 'gave it all they've got to give' with Up On The Ridge, that melded into One Republic's "Counting Stars" and Avicii's "Hey Brother" all the while Dierks and band made their way out to the stage way out by the lawn seats (make their day).
Closing with Home, Dierks told the crowd: "Let me tell you something Charlotte, if home is the place that you come from and this is the first day of our headlining tour, then this is our home. Thank you guys for making us feel welcome--it's awesome!"
Then, Dierks gave a red guitar to a birthday girl in the audience. Talk about making her day!
Of course we might be biased, being hard core Dierks
fans, many of us for ten plus years. But there's a reason we 'hold on.' Actually there are many reasons.
Dierks is always present. It's more than just
showing up. When he's with you, he truly is with you. Even if just for a few
seconds, a few minutes in a meet and greet, (or street and greet), he looks you in the eye and isn't distracted by his watch (doesn't
wear one), or others around. No. You're the only one for that short time. It's
like talking with a friend.
He's the same way on stage. He doesn't just stand in one place and look out into space. He walks, runs, jumps, sits and sometimes lays on every square inch of the stage, cat walk and new to the Riser Tour--second stage. He makes eye contact with individuals in the crowd. He's present with that person for those few seconds--and it makes them feel special.
Charlotte - I Hold On Intro
"I went to my first country concert when I was 13 and when I was 19 I drove across the country in a 1994 Chevy truck with my dad we drove from Phoenix, AZ to Nashville TN to start this dream right here--its' only taken 20 years...I still drive that same truck....I don't want a new guitar...I hold on to things that I love and there's nothing more that I love than my fans... you guys... thank you for giving us this chance. I'm holding on to you guys...and I'm never letting go!"
A few minutes before the Raleigh show, Dierks sent us a message on Twitter and made our day!
Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham. Chris Stapleton, Chase Rice, Chris Young, Dierks Bentley in Raleigh, NC, May 10, 2014, Riser Tour Opening Weekend
In Raleigh, Dierks got very emotional before singing Every Mile A Memory and that emotion carried in his voice throughout the night. He's a Riser and he powered through.
After the Ridge/Counting Stars/Hey Brother medley, Dierks segued into Settle For A Slowdown and Come a Little Closer, as he made his way back to the stage via a little crowd surfing. Some lady got a little out of hand with the touching to which Dierks responded when he was back on the main stage to sing the third verse. "Oh, I almost got stripped down out there!"
The most electrifying segment of the evening unfolded when he launched into What Was I Thinking, pulling up nearly every little white tank top wearing girl he could find onto the stage with him, including several DBC reps!
Raleigh - What Was I Thinkin/Sideways, Little White Tanks Tops On The Stage and Dierks Does a Stage Dive
Since this is the Riser Tour, Dierks sang four songs from the album - Drunk On A Plane, Bourbon In Kentucky, I Hold On and Riser. We were hoping for more, like Sounds of Summer, Say You Do, Pretty Girls, or Five. With Chris Stapleton opening the Raleigh show, there might have been a chance for Hurt Somebody since he sings background vocals on the record, but disappointingly it wasn't added.
Riser was one of the highlights of both nights, with the visual affects subtly and progressively enhancing the emotion in his vocal.
Photo Credit: Takara. Dierks Bentley singing Riser May 10, 2014, Raleigh, NC, Riser Tour
The set list was the same both nights, but the experience was totally different.
Photo Credit: Takara. Steve Misamore, Cassady Feasby, Brian Layson, Dierks, Tim Sergent, Dan Hochhalter; May 9, 2014, Charlotte, NC Final Bow, Riser Tour
Still on our Dierks high, sadly, we said goodbye to our DB Congress friends and while some stayed in their home state of NC, others traveled back to Missouri, Florida, South Carolina, Indiana, Georgia, and Tennessee. But not before talk of our next DRT!
Thank you Dierks, Cassady, Tim, Steve, Dan and Brian, Chris, Tom, Mel, Jay and Pugs for a being playful and present. You made our weekend one wildly memorable opening Riser Tour! We are proud fans for life!
Thursday night, Dierks Bentley and OneRepublic took the stage at Rocketown in Nashville for a CMT Crossroads taping in front of a live audience. DB Congress reps Amanda, Randy and Kelsey and other DBC members had the good fortune to be there in person!
Can't wait for CMT to air this episode mid March? Read the highlights below and watch the video that won't be on the show.
Amanda (MS):
Dierks and OneRepublic were a great pairing for CMT Crossroads. I loved how they all were having as much fun as the crowd! They joked with each other and told stories between taping. It was the best Crossroads I've attended! They did a mash up of songs at the end that was just for fun and won't be included on the show.
They sang Free And Easy, I Hold On, Up On The Ridge, and Home from Dierks' catalog. Of OneRepublic's they did Counting Stars, Stop and Stare and Apologize. The mash-up even had some Justin Timberlake! Randy (TN)
The bonus performance of Dierks Bentley and Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic:
Dierks recalled times about playing the bars in downtown Nashville like Robert's. Ryan from OneRepublic talked about how he used to live in Franklin, TN and one of his favorite places to go was Waffle House. He started his musical journey in the early days of his career when he lived in Nashville, it was a big influence on him. Dierks was so pumped to play with OneRepublic, he would take time to say, "I just sang 'Apologize' with One Republic!" during breaks and yell at the floor in excitement.
Dierks' energy was through the roof last night, jumping around on the stage and having a blast. He even jumped into the crowd towards the end of the show.
The last song that Dierks and Ryan sang was "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" a U2 cover.
The two superstars recalled their first concert they ever went to. Dierks had a connection with the drummer from OneRepublic in that the drummer went to the U2 concert that was in Arizona (Dierks' home state). Dierks' sister was planning to take him but instead took a friend of hers so Dierks did not get to go. Dierks' first major concert he ever attended was a Bon Jovi show. He recalled there being a girl next to him at that first show in a black leather top. He made the joke it was more like just a piece of leather but that he couldn't stop looking at her. When Dierks got the chance to open for Bon Jovi he recalled that at that first show all he did was watch that girl for most of the show. Bon Jovi told Dierks that it must have been a great show then to have women like that show up.
Then we got to hang out with the man himself! Look for us on TV on March 21st for CMT Crossroads. We were front and center with the spotlight on us the whole time.
Kelsey (TN)
The other song OneRepublic sang was "Good Life." I have never seen Dierks so hyped up before, it was awesome because it made us even more hyped. Dierks said it was surreal from running on the treadmill listening to these guys to jamming with them live. It was obvious Dierks was a true fan--kind of fangirling! Dierks crowd-surfed right on top of us. The two had great chemistry and it was a night I'll never forget!
Dierks Bentley loves to go fast. Whether he's touring non-stop for days or in one of his many motor vehicles--he's got a truck, a car, jeep, a motorcycle, a boat, a bus, an ATV and even a plane --everything but a train--could his next ride be a NASCAR stock car? Check out thisarticle/interview from nascar.com.
"I just took a lap in the pace car and I wish I could have taken it for a spin. I think I could do all right. I had go-karts as a kid and I raced them, so I think it be comparable (laughs). No, even just being in the pace car, sitting shotgun, going into the corners, going whatever speed we were going. I think in the backstretch we were going 140 and under 100 in the corners. Even that, you could feel the “G’s” and feel the pull and I could see how it would be pretty exhausting after doing that for real, three times the speed with other cars around you all day long..."
A week before the last race of the season, Dierks popped up on the schedule as the opening show before the Homestead Miami Speedway race on November 17. Living in Florida, I couldn't pass it up! So I drove 10 hours round trip, picked up Sherrie on the way, and ran in to Dierks in - of all places -- the fan zone. How appropriate. He saw us first-before we saw him-and took time to take a picture, thank us for coming and comment on our attire, before walking in to the media center-probably to do that interview. I was reppin' the Miles and Music Shirt and Sherrie donned a little white tank top. So we're thinkin' this last part could be about us!
On what it's like to learn from someone the impact a song has had on them: You meet those fans and that’s what fuels you. Bumped into a couple out here that were wearing my stuff and they come out here and they are sweating, they’re sunburned, but they’re excited to be here and you use that little extra boost, not that you even need it. What we do does matter and these songs get woven into the thread of people’s lives. VIDEO - HOME
VIDEO - I HOLD ON VIDEO - TIP IT ON BACK - STAGE DIVE
In case you're wondering about Dierks' other rides, here is some history:
His Truck -Big White - has over 200,000 miles and is the subject of the first verse of "I Hold On."
His Car - a 1967 Camero - caught fire one night and Charles Kelley from Lady A was there.
His Jeep -a 1977 CJ7 - is often spotted with Dierks driving through parking lots of venues, saying hi to fans
His Motorcycle - a Harley - leads the pack every year at his Miles and Music For Kids Charity event
Happy Independence Day! July 4, 2013 will go down in Dierks Bentley history as the day he opened his first bar and grill in his home state of Arizona. But "Home" means a whole more to our DB Congress president. His number one single, "Home" talks about our nation's history in a patriotic, yet non-precocious way.
brave, gotta call it brave, to chase that dream across the sea
names, then they signed their names, for something they believed
DB Congress rep from Louisiana, Sylvia Sylva, captured this moment above when Dierks sang Home during theParagon Casino, Marksville, LA show on Friday, June 21, 2013. "It was my favorite patriotic concert moment of my year," she posted on Twitter.
The song resonates well on a day like today - as we celebrate the independence of America. GAC included Dierks' "Home" video in their Top 20 Patriotic Songs:
Dierks is drawn to another patriotic anthem, written by Lee Greenwood nearly 30 years ago. “God Bless the U.S.A.,” sure to be heard at many Fourth of July events all over the U.S.
“That song comes on the radio, and my immediate reaction is to immediately, like, turn the channel ’cause I’ve heard it so many times. By the time my hand goes from the steering wheel to the radio dial, like, I’ve already, instead of switching it, I’m turning it up, ’cause it sucks you right in.”
“Getting a chance to travel across the country on a tour bus, stepping up on
stages whether it be county fairs, state fairs, arenas, rock bars, the Opry
stage, anywhere across the country and looking out at that crowd and seeing
people,” Dierks said. “The people, to me, are what America’s all about.”
Dierks, the son of a veteran, shows his patriotism every day, not just on the
Fourth of July. “I love this country, and I love the history of this country,”
he said. “I read books on this country. I spend my time on the road traveling
physically throughout the country. The soldiers and their families are
constantly on my mind. We work closely with the Wounded Warriors Project. We
think about this stuff all the time."
“My favorite is the table taps where you can just have the waitress or waiter swipe your credit card on your table and there’s three taps of beer at your table. So, PBR, Bud Light, Blue Moon—I’m not sure what they're gonna be,” he said. “And then there’s one of just Fireball [whiskey].
“So, you can sit at your own table, pour your own drinks and watch your money go down on this little thing that shows—a hundred dollars, fifty, watch it go down.”
And Dierks offered a way to saythanks to service men and women, and to salute the 19 firefighters who died in a wildfire in Arizona on Sunday.
"Buy a firefighter or
serviceman a drink this weekend, it's the least we can do for the safety and
services they provide us. R.I.P. brothers."
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
Dierks will perform at Jam in the Valley in Varysburg, New York tomorrow - July 5, along with Scotty McCreery and Chris Cagle.
Happy birthday, DB Congress! Six years ago today, April 21, 2007, the Dierks Bentley Congress formed in "Dierksville" on the old dierks.com site, with just 12 fan club members. Now we're 756 representatives strong and growing every day!
In a November 2006 interview in
DeKalb, IL, Dierks said that his fan club was like his "congress." Here's an
excerpt:
"I try to keep
that connection with the fan club as close as it can be. To me they're like the
congress of the fans. They're the elected officials that actually pay money to
be in your fan club and I really listen to them and I want them to feel like
they're really part of this growth and all this stuff that's
happening..."
In early April 2007, "Long Trip Alone" was hovering
near the top of the CMT Top 20 Video Countdown, and half a dozen of us fan club members were
voting daily on CMT.com. But that was not nearly enough people, and I realized
it was going to take an "act of congress" to get the video to #1. Remembering that interview, I started
the official thread (DB Congress Headquarters) in Dierksville on dierks.com. to rally other fan club members to help. And it worked! LTA spent 3 consecutive weeks as the #1 video!
We are:
We are die-hard and hard core Dierks Bentley Fan Club members who representour state or
country to support and promote Dierks every day in any way we can to make and keep him #1. We are from all 50 United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, England, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Switzerland.
Our mission:
Our mission is to promote Dierks daily, using every form of modern media--Blog, Twitter, Facebook, email, text and word-of-mouth. We call radio and request his songs. We vote for him on various websites. We wear his shirts and go to his concerts every chance we get! Click here for "Current Campaigns.
Our history: When dierks.com was
re-launched in 2009 we lost Dierksville. So, we started our own website, dbcongress.com, on February 1, 2009 as a
way to provide a place to list our reps and campaigns and help everyone keep up
with all things Dierks! I had an opportunity to meet Dierks a few days later when the "Feel That Fire" album launched and he told me he could not believe how one little thing he said three years before had become this big thing (DB Congress). In March 2009, Dierks told us he liked the name so much, he wanted to make it the name of the fan club, and asked our permission! Of course we were honored!
We've even been published in Country Weekly a few times!
It’s an honor to serve as a member of the DB
Congress and to be a Dierks supporter for life -- with no term limits!
With DB as
our President, there’s no tellin' what we might do, no!
"It's been a long hard ride, got a ways to go
but this is still the place that we all call home."
"'cause same, no we're not the same, but that's what makes us strong."
After being chosen as the first girl to move on to the Top 10 a few weeks ago, Janelle Arthur performed "Home" by Dierks Bentley on American Idol Season 12. It's difficult for me to hear that song in any voice but Dierks', let alone a female voice, but she did a good job! The important thing is, it brought attention to Dierks! Janelle Arthur Performs "Home" - AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 12
Janelle is still going strong, surviving last night's elimination to be named in the top three of the remaining 7 contestants. I predict she will be in the final 3, but Kree Harrison will likely take home the win.
They say whatever you're doing on New Year's Day is an indication of what you'll be doing all year long. I sure hope so!
What a great way to start off 2013--with a full hour of Dierks Bentley and his talented band performing before the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Florida (Georgia vs. Nebraska), and two-songs at half time.
The line to the pre-game Fan Fest started at 7:30 a.m., gates opened at 9:00 and Dierks was to start at 10:30, and the game at 1 pm. It was a beautiful 68 degree, blue sky, white cloud, Florida palm trees blowing in the breeze kind of day!
Jill's Cashbox opened at 9:15, a country/rock 6-man band from Orlando, whose songs tell the stories about life in the south. They played a dozen or so songs, every other one an original of their own, with Jason Aldean and Kenny/Tim woven in to ensure the crowd sang along. But they had a few local fans of their own--I saw one guy singing every word to their songs, "Somethin' Bout That" and "What We Do" I really enjoyed their set--very talented.
Jill's Cashbox
Jill's Cashbox
Jill's Cashbox
Dierks opened with Country and Cold Cans and never slowed down until Home, Come A Little Closer and Tip It On Back, and then picked up the tempo again for the rowdy crowd. Since both teams colors were red and white, it was hard to tell them apart, but Dierks made sure to give them both equal attention throughout the hour. A few times he asked, "what time is it? We're used to playing at 10 at night not 10 in the morning!" But they never missed a beat regardless of the early morning hour.
Just going by memory, Dierks and the guys also played Free and Easy, Feel That Fire, Lot of Leavin' Left To Do, Up On The Ridge, Every Mile a Memory, Sideways, 5-1-5-0, Am I The Only One and of course closed the show with his signature, and first number one, What Was I Thinkin'.
True to his character, Dierks spent a lot of time interacting with the entire audience and especially the front row: pointing to our DB Congress shirts and Dierks shirts (in a sea of 98 percent "red" shirts), fist bumping with the guys, and holding hands with the girls.
At one point he gave a pick to a fan and then held out his red guitar for her to play it, so she did. Then he tried to "give" her the guitar but she wouldn't take it! Not sure he really intended to give it away, but it was a fun moment.
The audience really ate up the bluegrass--when the band came out to the end of the catwalk, the entire crowd went wild, and for Sideways they were even louder.
Brian Layson, Dierks, Cassady Feasby in 3-part harmony; Tim Sergent on Banjo
Dierks shows off Tim Sergent's banjo and Fiddlin' Dan Hochhalter's expert skills
Dierks wrote a special third verse to "Am I The Only One?" especially for the Capital One Bowl 'Dawgs and Huskers':
At one point the Direct TV blimp flew overhead and Dierks was distracted and fascinated by that. "Look! We're on TV!"
Ashley Figueroa (@ashfig), DJ on K92 in Orlando tweeted a picture of the crowd. Notice Meredith in the lower left corner with the DB Congress shirt on! I was just to her left (not in the picture).
The mood turned emotional and proudly patriotic when he introduced and sang, "Home."
I don't think Dierks could decide if he wanted to wear his "Stubbs" hat forward or backward:
Steve Misamore (aka Tony) is always hiding behind that symbol!
Dierks tunes his new HD Dierks Bentley Martin Guitar named after him; he used it to play "Home."
And the final bow:
Look Up, Dierks!
Then for the half-time show, they rolled out the stage as soon as the marching bands left the field, Dierks and the guys walked on, and they started singing right away - Am I The Only One and 5-1-5-0 (sorry I ran out of memory). It was over way too soon!
Dierks is performing in Florida again on Sunday, January 6 in Miami.
