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

Dierks Bentley Honors Dad's U.S. Service

Dierks & Dad (from Country Weekly)

It's no secret how Dierks Bentley's dad has positively influenced his life. That's clearly evident in songs like "My Last Name."  As we approach Memorial Day, here's what Dierks had to say about his dad's service to our country:

“My dad was a second lieutenant in the army. My dad’s older then most dads. My dad had me when he was 51 … or helped have me when he was 51. It’s amazing … he served in WW2. He was in Japan, and he doesn’t tell me too many stories about it, but I know for him, he really enjoyed his time in the army. He grew up in a town of 1,200 people, [so] to join the army [was] a chance to go overseas and see some of the world. He really enjoyed the men in his company and lost some friends over there. He doesn’t talk too much about that aspect of it, but he has nothing but good memories of being able to serve and be part of that. What a feeling that must be that I will never know, to put on that uniform — American flag patch on your shoulder — and you’re out there literally fighting for the flag … fighting with your brothers next to you and for everyone back home. So it’s just something that we can never really honestly have a sense of how that feels, but certainly we can honor them.”

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."  

Happy Memorial Day

Does the Memorial Day holiday signifiy the start of Summer or remembering our US Military who died protecting us ordinary people? You decide.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. Service Members who died while in the military service. First enacted by an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War. It was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.

Grandpa took it off to europe to fight the germans in the war
It came back on some dog tags nobody wears no more
It's written on a headstone in the field where he was slain
It's my last name

-Dierks Bentley

Memorial Day often marks the start of the summer vacation season, and Labor Day its end.

Begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indianapolis 500 auto race, held since 1911 on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.[3]

The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from "Decoration Day" to "Memorial Day", which was first used in 1882. It did not become more common until after World War II, and was not declared the official name by Federal law until 1967. On June 28, 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) advocate returning to the original date, although the significance of the date is tenuous. The VFW stated in a 2002 Memorial Day Address:


Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed a lot to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day.[7]

Many people observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time. Another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at National Cemeteries.


Scource: Wikipedia

What do you think, congrass?

REMEMBERING OUR HEROS ON MEMORIAL DAY

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Today, on Memorial Day, let us remember the sacrifices made by men and women in the U.S. Military for the country of America.

Here are some inspiring Memorial Day quotes:

"And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me." — Lee Greenwood

“It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.” — Norman Schwarzkopf

"Grandpa took it off to Europe to fight the Germans in the war
It came back on some dog tags nobody wears no more
It's written on a headstone in the field where he was slain
It's my last name." - Dierks Bentley