Dierks Bentley Guest Blogs for CNN, Remembers His Friend George Jones

Remembering George Jones. WSM's Eddie Stubbs is hosting a special tribute to George Jones tonight until midnight. Go to wsmonline.com to listen live right now! 

Also, if you cannot be there in person, tune in at 10 AM/CT tomorrow,Thursday, May 2 to hear the George Jones service live on 650 AM and WSMOnline.com from The Grand Ole Opry.

In a special guest blog for CNN, Dierks reflects on the life and loss of his dear friend, George Jones. Read his heartfelt message below: 
 
"Damn it, I knew I needed to get in touch with George when I'd heard he was ill, that he had been admitted to the hospital for respiratory ailments. How did I let this happen?"
 
Those where my initial thoughts sitting on the tarmac at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport reading the texts and e-mails about George Jones's death Friday morning.
 
George was a friend, a country music legend, an influence to me and to countless other musicians.
 
If you aren't able to fully hear and appreciate George Jones' voice, you really can't fully appreciate country music. His voice opens up country music's depth and power. You feel it or you don't. It helps to have done some living and to have had your heart broken, like George did. And it really helps if you can hang around one of its greatest singers, which I was fortunate enough to do over the years.
 
During a show at the Ryman Auditorium in the mid-'90s, I heard the great bluegrass singer Peter Rowan say that if you have a musical hero, you should do anything you can to be near that person. For him that meant driving Bill Monroe's tour bus. For me, it meant hanging around Terry Eldredge, my hero when I moved to Nashville, and the lead singer of a band called "The Sidemen," which played Tuesdays at the Station Inn.
 
Terry idolized George Jones. It was through him that i began to "hear" George, not just listen to him. There is a big difference between listening and hearing. I had listened to George growing up with my dad, a big country fan. I had listened to him in high school again, when I discovered Hank Williams Jr. and found out Hank also loved George. But it wasn't until I was in Nashville and hanging out with Terry that I finally heard George Jones. I finally got it. The tone and the ache of his voice clicked. I heard how every word George sang was first filtered through a broken heart.
 
We became friends eventually. From time spent together backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, visits at the home of George and his wife, Nancy, dinner at his favorite O'Charley's or Logan's Roadhouse, I cherished every moment in his presence, getting to hear firsthand accounts of stories I had read, the jokes and the laughter, the love between him and Nancy.
 
Having the opportunity to sing to George from the Opry stage for his 75th birthday in 2006 and to record in the studio together are unforgettable highlights of this crazy honky tonk dream.
 
People will always say that "He Stopped Loving Her Today" was George's best song and perhaps the greatest country song of all time. I certainly wouldn't disagree. But do yourself a favor and dig a little deeper. One of those nights when you are feeling down or lonesome, instead of going to the usual modern day distractions, grab some whiskey and listen to "A Picture of Me (Without You)," "The Cold Hard Truth," "A Good Year For The Roses," or my favorite, "The Door." Put your heart in George's hands and trust that he will take care of it.
 
That is what great country music (at least my favorite kind) and great country singers do; that is what country is all about: consoling the lonely, letting you know someone else has been there and has felt the way you do. It's about walking you through the hard times.
 
My dad was a member of this country's greatest generation. He grew up in The Depression and fought in WWII. There aren't many left. George is a member of country music's greatest generation. And there are only a handful of those men and women left. Go to their shows, talk to them if you can. Let them know how much you appreciate their music and if you are lucky enough, their friendship. Let them know the impact their singing or songwriting has had on your life. But don't do it for their sake, do it for your own.
 

So that when they are no longer with us, you might feel just a little less sad."



 

Dierks Bentley 'Tempted' By The David Mayfield Parade

Dierks Bentley may be busy writing and recording songs for his own upcoming album due this fall, but that doesn't stop him from making time to record his veracious vocals for other artist albums as well.

Track 7 of "Good Man Down," the upcoming album by The David Mayfield Parade (due April 1), features Dierks singing the second verse of Marty Stuart's single, "Tempted," from the 1991 album of the same name.  Bentley's vocal doesn't stop there, but goes on to be the lead in the chorus, and intermittent lines throughout the song. Sweet!

Marty Stuart, Dierks Bentley, Opry Induction 10-1-05

It's fitting that Dierks sings this particular song, since Marty Stuart was the one who asked him to "marry" The Grand Ole Opry in 2005.




Growing up in Kent, Ohio, David Mayfield was surrounded by Bluegrass music. At the age of twelve he was playing bass for the family band, traveling from festival to festival, along with his younger sister, noted songstress, Jessica Lea Mayfield, singing and absorbing the stories and lessons taught by road hard veterans, all the while picking up tips on how to play a lick on guitar or mandolin. By the time he was a teenager, Mayfield had won several national awards for his guitar and mandolin playing and his reputation was being forged in the world of Bluegrass as a player to watch out for.

Well no wonder Dierks was tempted to work with him!  We're thinking you had him at 'Bluegrass', David!

Recorded at the legendary, Music Row landmark Historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, by engineer Luke Gilfeather, Mayfield says 'Good Man Down' is, "kind of like the last album, where there’s a parade of musicians -- that’s where the title came from -- and the band. There’s people who tour with me live that play on the new record. There’s also Seth Avett from the Avett Brothers on there. Dierks Bentley, a country musician." Doyle Lawson [from Quicksilver], his sister Jessica Lea Mayfield, and Bob Cesare, the drummer from the last record, (Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys) are all featured on the newest Parade album.

"It’s a wide mix. I like doing that in the studio just because there are so many ideas that come with these different musicians. I produce these records myself, and I can only hear things the way I hear them. If I had one band, I think, the same people on every song, it would rely a lot more on my vision, which I don’t always trust, you know? There are better ways to do it than what I come up with, so it’s really cool to bring people that I really respect and trust and see what they come up with." [Source]

Historic RCA Studio B is one of the world's most important and successful recording studios. More than 35,000 songs were brought to life by the Studio B magic, including more than 1,000 American hits (i.e., "I Will Always Love You," by Dolly Parton), 40 million-selling singles, and over 200 Elvis Presley recordings (by far more than any other studio), including "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"

Owned by Mike Curb (Curb Records), and leased jointly by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Belmont University for $1 a year, Studio B will be adding the Dierks track (Tempted) to their personally guided tour (departing from the CMHOF daily), so they will play it and talk about Dierks to hundreds of thousands of people! Keith Wright, National Tourism Sales manager for the CMHOF, believes "Dierks will be a great addition to the more modern history of Studio B."

You can listen to the full album stream, including Dierks' track, and Q&A with Mayfield HERE from American Songwriter.

~Ronna Clark
DB Congress Chair (FL)

Happy July 4th from DB Congress!

Happy birthday, America!  We hope everyone enjoys all their freedoms today in a safe and fun way! About 6 years ago, Dierks performed on The White House lawn on Independence Day and it was broadcast on PBS!

Here's our DB Congress president, Dierks Bentley, singing his patriotic #1 hit, "Home," from The Grand Ole Opry stage!



"God Bless the USA...God bless The Grand Ole Opry...and all you country fans."

 Leave a comment and let us know how you'll be celebrating today!

Dierks: Reflections From The Circle

In case you missed Eddie Stubbs' interview with Dierks Bentley last fall, here is the full candid video below from the famed "circle" of The Grand Ole Opry.

For all you hard core fans, there are a few nuggets of knowledge you may not have known about our DB Congress president.  Dierks talks about where his first name came from, the fans, the history of the legends, and how he felt and lessons he learned just starting out in his career in Nashville.

Post a comment and tell us one thing you learned that you didn't know before this interview!

  

Powerful Last Name Becomes A First Name That Stuck

Dierks DVR Reminder! See a video preview here and set a reminder to watch @OfficialRFDTV Sunday, 11/20, at 7/6c for Reflections From The Circle with @DierksBentley, featuring an interview with Country Music DJ Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Stubbs from the Grand Ole Opry stage. Visit www.opry.com to find out more!

Dierks DVR Alert: "Reflections From The Circle" - Nov. 20th

Dierks Bentley will be a featured artist on a new show, "Reflections From The Circle," premiering on RFD-TV on Sunday nights at 7 pm Eastern.  Tonight (November 6) the first episode will feature Vince Gill.  Dierks, who is scheduled for November 20 (his birthday!), and other artists such as Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels, Kellie Pickler and Josh Turner will be reflecting on their personal lives and careers during interviews from the famed "circle" of wood on the stage of The Grand Ole Opry.  WSM's award winning personality, Eddie Stubbs will conduct the interviews.

Dierks is seen "kissing" the circle here

For more information, click here.  To find out what channel RFD-TV airs in your area, click here.

See Dierks on the Opry: Buy One Get One Free!

The Grand Ole Opry has a special BUY ONE GET ONE FREE sale now through Friday, July 1 for shows through September 3. Dierks Bentley will perform July 19 so here's the perfect chance for you and a friend to go for the price of one!


48-HOUR SUMMER KICK-OFF SALE!

In honor of 4th of July and the beginning of summer, we have a special offer for you! From now through Friday, BUY ONE ticket to the Opry, GET ONE FREE for shows through Sept. 3! See the Oak Ridge Boys, Ronnie Milsap, Dierks Bentley, Loretta Lynn, and more! Use code SMR48 when you order tickets at opry.com or at (800) SEE OPRY. See the full schedule of upcoming shows.

Dierks Bentley to Perform at Play On, Nashville - May 3 at the Opry House

You can’t keep a good show (or city, for that matter,) down. The Grand Ole Opry will mark the first anniversary of the flood that devastated much of Nashville (including Dierks Bentley's basement, photo left) and temporarily displaced the Opry from the Grand Ole Opry House with a star-packed show celebrating Music City’s heart and resilience.

The show, Play On, Nashville!, is set for Tues., May 3 at the Opry House. Among those scheduled to perform are CMA Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Charlie Daniels Band, and more.

The Grand Ole Opry House was Nashville’s most famous icon affected by the May 2010 flood. Four feet of water engulfed country music’s most famous stage, and the show temporarily moved to several other Nashville venues throughout the summer before returning to the Opry House following an around-the-clock six-month recovery and restoration.

Nashville charitable organizations including Hands On Nashville, the American Red Cross, and United Way of Metropolitan Nashville will provide promotion codes to their supporters such that $10 from every ticket purchased using the codes will be returned to the charity. Additionally, proceeds from Play On, Nashville! commemorative prints available exclusively at the Opry House that night will go to Hands On Nashville, the volunteer resource center responsible for connecting over 125,000 volunteers to flood-related projects.

“The May 2010 flood devastated homes, businesses, and lives, but it also showcased the unsinkable spirit of our city and its citizens in ways we are still learning about a year later,” said Pete Fisher, Opry vice president and general manager. “We want to celebrate that the Opry’s hometown is stronger than ever the best way we know how— with a one-of-a-kind night of great music.”

“It's hard to believe that it's been a year since the flood,” said Opry member Dierks Bentley. “The city of Nashville, the Opry, and the country music community were so resilient and came together to rebuild so quickly after the devastation. I've never been more proud to be an Opry member, and I'm looking forward to celebrating that sense of community again on Tuesday.”

Purchase tickets online for the historic May 3 show here.

Dierks and Scruggs--What a Week!

Dierks and Scruggs. Is that like Dailey and Vincent, the dynamic bluegrass duo who just won the IBMA Entertainer of the Year Award for the third time? No. It's like Dierks Bentley playing "fan in awe of greatness" when he had the chance to spend time with the legendary Earl Scruggs. Take a look at the Twitter exchange below as our DB Congress president shared his experience with us!

@DierksBentley: one from last night. backstge w thman responsible for the saxjtype of banjo playing heard on all modern country records...Earl Scruggs... career highlight sharing the stage w scruggs fam last night


@dbcongress: @DierksBentley Great pic of you & Mr. Scruggs! Red shirt & Jacket-too cool! How many career highlights can you have in one week? Congrats

@DierksBentley: @dbcongress indeed! been a good week. 5th anniversary of Opry induction tonight. thx for all the help with MAP


@dbcongress: @DierksBentley You are very welcome! That's what we do! And thx for the reply/pic--you know that's going on the dbcongress.com blog! haha

And there you have it. Wow! What a week for our dude! Opry Comes Home on Tuesday, International Bluegrass Music Association Awards on Wednesday, Opry 5-year celebration performance on Friday, and hosting an online backstage tour of the opry tomorrow on Opry's Facebook page! Whew! Even I'm tired just typing it all!

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair

Happy 5 Year Opry Anniversary, Dierks!

Five years ago today, Dierks Bentley was inducted into The Grand Ole Opry! What a historical moment for him--and we all know how historical things make Dierks sing! In fact, he's performing the Opry tonight (October 1) to commemorate the occaision!

Not only that, but Dierks is hosting his very own Opry House backstage tour on Saturday morning, October 2. Tune in to the Opry's Facebook page at 10 a.m. for the video tour for fans around the world.

Want to know which of the newly-themed dressing rooms is his favorite? You’ll have to watch to find out! (Hint: the person who inspired this room would no doubt have flirted madly with him if she had caught him in her dressing room)

The special event is honoring "Spirt of Nashville Day," where the Opry will celebrate Nashville's spirit and resilience since the flood by inviting its hometown to get an up-close look at the newly renovated Opry House during a full day of free tours five months to the day following the flood.

There will be much to see, including a new artist entrance area, 18 uniquely-themed dressing rooms, and more, including the famed circle of wood center stage. The Nashville celebration will spill into the Opry Plaza with free music throughout the day, including a performance by hit-making new group The Band Perry.

Happy Opry Anniversary, Dierks! We hope to be celebrating in person at your 20th Opry anniverary!

Watch and Listen to Dierks Interviews

Dierks Bentley proudly gave several interviews this week leading up to the grand re-opening of the Opry after the floods, and was asked about the history of the longest running radio show, his bluegrass project, and being a GOO Member. Listen and watch...

A 26-second blood transfusion?

In this next video, Dierks talks about the Opry's past, present and future together...how it's modern and fresh, but still keeps tradition...




We saved the best for last! Marriage or abduction? Either way, Dierks says it's a life-long thing...what's he talking about? Watch and find out...

From FoxNewsChannel:

Watch Dierks, The Opry To Stream Online!

Wanna watch Dierks on the Opry tomorrow night but you don't have tickets, and you don't have GACTV? No worries, tomorrow night's show will also be streamed live online. You can watch it at opry.com at 8 p.m. CST.

You can also follow Dierks and other artists tomorrow via “Home Tweet Home,” an all-day live Twitter feed from the Opry House. Dierks Bentley and Brad Paisley will be among the artists providing updates from backstage at the Opry's first show at the Opry House since the Nashville flooding in May. Get in on the conversation. They will be giving away commemorative posters! Tag your tweets with #opry and @opry and they'll draw winners!

Dierks paid a visit a day early and posted this photo and caption:

I wiped her down pretty good before I kissed her. good to be home!

Dierks DVR Alert: Opry on GACTV 9/28/10

Dierks Bentley may not have a video on GACTV's Top Twenty Video Countdown right now, but you can see him on GACTV Tuesday night, Sept. 28 on "Country Comes Home: An Opry Live Celebration."

Country music's most famous show is coming home. The Grand Ole Opry, displaced from its permanent home due to May's historic Nashville flood, returns to the Grand Ole Opry House with a star-packed 2-hour concert special.

Among the stars scheduled to appear are Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Charlie Daniels, Little Jimmy Dickens, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Josh Turner and Keith Urban.

Viewers will also get an exclusive look at the fully refurbished Opry House and beloved Opry stage where 46 inches of water stood following the May flood. No doubt plenty of attention will be focused on the Opry House’s signature element, a six foot circle of oak taken from the stage of the Ryman Auditorium, the Opry’s former home. The circle was removed from the Opry House stage, painstakingly refurbished and returned to its rightful spot center stage.

Air Times:
September 28, 2010 9:00 PM ET
September 29, 2010 1:00 AM ET
September 29, 2010 10:00 AM ET
September 29, 2010 4:00 PM ET
October 02, 2010 2:00 PM ET

Watch a sneak peek here.

Opry's Video Challenge Features Dierks!

Play Opry.com's Country Music Video Challenge! Opry.com has launched a new interactive game and not only is it fun, but it’s also for a good cause! The Country Music Video Challenge features video clips of Opry performances – including Dierks Bentley – followed by questions about those clips and the artists featured in them. Plus, Opry Presenting Sponsor Humana® has pledged to pay $1 for each of the first 25,000 fans who play the game.

In addition to showing off your country music trivia mettle and assisting with continuing flood relief efforts, by playing the game you will also be entered to win one-of-a-kind Challenge prizes, including an autographed Gibson guitar, $500 cash, and a trip to Nashville including VIP tickets to the Opry! Just for being a fan, you can receive extra entries to the sweeps. All you have to do is log in at oprychallenge.com, click to earn extra entries, and enter the secret word to receive 5 BONUS ENTRIES!

Your Secret Word is: Dierks

Go to oprychallenge.com to check the game out for yourself. Be warned … it can be addictive!

DIERKS ON THE OPRY TONIGHT, 7/20

Dierks Bentley is set to perform the Tuesday night Opry tonight, July 20, 2010 in The Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, Tennessee! If you can't be there in person, you can listen online at wsmonline.com.

But wait, there's more! Dierks fans will be chatting online at dierksfans.com (click on "chat room") while we listen on WSM! It all begins at 7:00 pm central (8:00 pm eastern).

Dierks is the feature story on the home page of The Grand Ole Opry's website:

Dierks Bentley surveys the view from UP ON THE RIDGE
Seven summers ago, Dierks Bentley hit the country music airwaves with his debut hit "What Was I Thinkin'," and did for sales of little white tank tops what Catherine Bach did some twenty-plus years earlier for short-short cut-off jeans. This summer, the Opry star has made what the Washington Post called "a supremely gutsy move" and beaten a new path with a rootsy new record, UP ON THE RIDGE. Turns out the view from up on the ridge is a good one for Bentley, with the project generating critical acclaim and a hit title track single, not to mention personal fulfillment. Opry.com caught up with Bentley the day before his July 20 Opry appearance for more on the record and his musical journey since that little white tank top summer of 2003.



This album, of course, has a different sound. Did you do anything different in preparing to record it?

Pretty much everything about writing and recording this album was different. It's something I've been thinking about for a long time...but even so it took a lot of great twists and turns that I wasn't expecting.



Tell us about the first time you remember hearing the kind of music that inspired UP ON THE RIDGE.

I walked into the Station Inn (world famous bluegrass bar) when I was 19 and it changed my life, literally. I felt like I had found the true source of authentic real country music...other than the Opry, of course!



If you had to describe the work of Jon Randall as producer in just a couple of words, what would you say?

Can I say "genius"?! Great ideas, great ears and worked 24/7 on the album.



You're most certainly introducing some mainstream country fans to the music of artists like Sam Bush, who appears on the record and has made a number of recent TV appearances with you. But have you found that some of the fans of the kind of music they do have also recently discovered you and your work?

It's been great hearing "Up On The Ridge" on country radio and knowing that millions of country fans are listening to Sam Bush on slide mandolin! That makes Jon Randall and me really proud. My friendship with the Del McCoury Band, The Grascals and lots of other folks in bluegrass music has led to opportunities to get in front of their fans, but certainly this record has really facilitated that a lot more.



If you could have dinner with any of the artists covered in songs on UP ON THE RIDGE, who would it be?

We covered a U2 song on this album, those guys have worked with Cowboy Jack Clement on their RATTLE AND HUM album, they've recorded with Johnny Cash and they have spent time in the Station Inn! There would be some great conversation over a couple pint glasses.



Is there another instrument you'd like to learn to play?

I took some mandolin lessons from the late Butch Baldasarri. I was 24 and I remember thinking "by the time I'm any good at this ill be in my late 20's." I quit. Wish I hadn't.



There are some great bluegrass band names out there. Have you kicked around any fun names for a Dierks bluegrass band?

Chris Thile and his new band The Punch Brothers I think were originally called "The Tensions Mountain Boys"... say that a couple times fast and you'll get it. Tough to beat that!


Tell us about the last night of the UP ON THE RIDGE TOUR at the Ryman Auditorium. How did it feel to sell out Nashville's most beloved venue?

It was a career highlight on so many different levels. I still remember going to an Opry show at the Ryman for the first time... I also remember going to many, many Bluegrass Nights that were held there. It's the Mother Church of Country Music...and to have sold it out during our Up On The Ridge Tour...to end the tour there...all of these factors made it just the night of a lifetime for me.


After playing this style of music on the record and in shows all spring, do you still like to just go hang and watch it being performed at a place like the "Station Inn"?

A perfect Tuesday night in Nashville for me is to be able to play the Opry and then head over to the Station Inn and be a fan and sit in the back and listen.



Hanging out backstage at the Opry, it seems like some of the best stories and biggest characters come from the world of bluegrass. Who are some of the "characters" you have most enjoyed meeting?

As Pete Fisher can attest to, I enjoyed hanging out backstage at the Opry house a little too much...he limited my backstage access for a little while! But, that was back before I had a record deal and obviously before I got the ultimate backstage pass: Grand Ole Opry membership!

Backstage is the best...overhearing a joke from the late Porter Wagoner, talking to Eddie Stubbs side-stage, having someone like Jim Ed Brown pass along some kind words of wisdom or seeing the newest acts walk out and play for the first time...it's always a good night.



President Obama quoted you last summer, saying country music is "the best shrink $15 can buy." Do you have an equally quotable definition for bluegrass?

Ha! What's an Opry ticket going for these days? I'd say that's the best shrink any fan of country music can buy. If that doesn't work, head over to Lower Broadway and try Roberts and an old Bud Light...works for me.



You're hosting a show called "The Thread" each week on 650 WSM and wsmonline.com. What's the best part of that gig?

Knowing my voice is broadcasting on 650 AM WSM! That station and its history means a lot to me.

...The most challenging part?

I have a great producer, Shannon McCombs. She makes it easy.



So does it feel like seven years since you spent the summer watching "What Was I Thinkin'?" climb to the top of the charts?

It doesn't. I've never gotten tired of singing that song, still look forward to it every night.



Is it still pretty cool to hear someone like Eddie Stubbs say, "please welcome Grand Ole Opry star Dierks Bentley"?

It never gets old, to be honest. It means a little more with every visit to the Opry. Not sure why that is (and it's the same thing with the nervousness), the Opry is the one stage that you never lose that little bit of pre-show nerves.

DIERKS ON THE OPRY FRIDAY 2/19/10

Going to see Dierks Bentley live at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee Friday, February 19? If not, the next best thing to experiencing the Sideways singer in person is to join your fellow DB Congress reps for an online chat and listen to DB as he performs the Opry via WSM Online.

Here's the line up and the links:

Dierksfans Chat (Click "Chat" at the top right)

WSM Online Opry (Click "Listen Live Online")

Grand Ole Opry - Feb 19, 2010 - 7:00 to 9:15 p.m. (Central time)
7:00 – 7:30
Diamond Rio
Riders In The Sky
Del McCoury Band

7:30 – 8:00
John Conlee
Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press
Craig Morgan

8:00 – 8:15
INTERMISSION

8:15 – 8:45
Bill Anderson
Charlie Louvin
Montgomery Gentry

8:45 – 9:15
Mike Snider
Jim Ed Brown
Dierks Bentley

Hope to chat with you all tomorrow night!

DIERKS SINGS HOUSE OF GOLD TONIGHT 2/6

Tune in to GACTV tonight to see Dierks Bentley perform on the re-airing of the Opry Concert Special: How Great Thou Art, Saturday, February 6 at 10:00pm ET.

From songs of heartache to songs of hope, country and gospel music have shared a historic kinship on country´s most famous stage, the Grand Ole Opry. That legacy is celebrated in a 90-minute GAC television special "How Great Thou Art," based on a CD of the same title, featuring classic gospel performances by many of country music´s biggest stars. Watch a sneak peak here.

And, get a glimpse of Dierks at 2:05, getting ready to sing Hank Williams, "A House of Gold."



How Great Thou Art is available at itunes by the CD or individual song. This is a must have for all Dierks fans!

DISCOUNT TO SEE DIERKS AT THE OPRY

This was posted yesterday on dierks.com: Mark your calendars and join Dierks on February 19th at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN! He’ll be there along with Craig Morgan, Diamond Rio, Del McCoury Band, Riders In The Sky, Bobby Osbourne & The Rocky Top X-Press and many more. You can order your tickets online at opry.com or call 1-800-SEE-OPRY. Plus, as a visitor to Dierks.com, you can take advantage of a $3 off discount! Just mention code WEBFAN when ordering your tickets.

I took this photo at the December 1, 2009 Opry performance. Either Robbie is napping standing up or really feelin' the moment!


For those who can't be there in person on February 19, we'll be chatting online at dierksfans.com and listening to Dierks on the Opry at wsmonline.com simultaneously! It's a lot of fun! Join us!

~Ronna

GRAND OLE OPRY MEMBER DIERKS BENTLEY TO PERFORM FEB. 19TH

An Opry member since October 1, 2005, Dierks Bentely will perform Friday, February 19 along with Craig Morgan, Diamond Rio, and the Del McCoury Band. The Grand Ole Opry returns to the Grand Ole Opry House in February, after spending most of the winter at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

The Opry is one of my all time favorite places to see DB! Although he typically only gets 2-3 songs, it's well worth it to me! I'll probably listen and chat online with fellow DB fans this time, but I hope to see Dierks live and in person at the Opry some other time in 2010!

Here's a little of the DB's Opry history:

Because Dierks is touring non-stop all year, the Opry decided to take the invitation "on the road" to him. Opry member Marty Stuart briefly interrupted Dierks' performance in Los Angeles at the House of Blues to issue the welcome invitation. Dierks had no idea Stuart or the Opry officials were in the house. Stuart walked onto the stage an hour into Bentley's set and said, "Will you do it...will you marry the Grand Ole Opry? "Hell yeah!," Dierks replied. On Stuart's command the Opry microphone stand was positioned at center stage.

After the invitation, Bentley was left speechless and had a hard time getting through his next song. “This is the greatest night of my life. Thanks you guys for sharing this with me,” he stated to the packed house. “I had no idea what was going on.”

On October 1, 2005, Dierks was officially inducted as a member of the Opry.

From his early days in Nashville as a researcher at TNN, Dierks has had incredible admiration for the Opry and its members. In fact, he was such a fan in those days that the Opry's General Manager Pete Fisher had to go as far as limiting his backstage access making Dierks’ induction this week as the youngest member of the Opry a true benchmark in his career. “It’s like having a home off the road and a place you can always go to play music in town,” Dierks says about his new status as ‘Opry member.’ “The Opry is such a huge part of American history. It’s bigger than just country music. It’s a big reflection of our country.”

“Hopefully I can be a really great asset to the Opry, and I’m looking forward to proving that over years to come.”

DIERKS AT THE RYMAN-JUST ANOTHER SUNSET

Whether it's a performance at The Grand Ole Opry House or the historic Ryman Auditorium, The Grand Ole Opry holds a special place in my heart. I've enjoyed dozens of memorable experiences at the Opry, but never from the front row, until December 1, 2009.

When I found out Dierks Bentley was playing the Opry at the Ryman, I knew it would be my last chance to see him in 2009, so I started checking for tickets. I could not believe my luck that Section 3, Row AA, Seat 1 came up! At first, I thought, that's probably row 27 after "Z," but after confirming I quickly entered my credit card and sealed the deal!

Now to secure a flight. Not so lucky. I love flying Southwest--direct to Music City, but it was not to be. $489--I don't think so! So I had to settle for a slowdown (stopover) in Charlotte before making my way to my final destination--Nashville, Tennessee--to get an affordable price.


Since it was a long trip alone and just a short piece of time--less than 36 hours start to finish, I declined the car rental and took taxis to and fro. The Best Western Music Row was just the right price and less than 2 miles from downtown. DBC rep Camille came by to say hi and give me a card to give Dierks. I then had some time to kill so I decided to take a taxi downtown and check out the infamous "Rippy's"--they had live entertainment and awesome chicken fingers!

Then off to the alley--the famous alley--between the back door artist entrance to the Ryman and the back doors to honky-tonk row--The Stage, Tootsie's, Legends, Roberts...all the historic greats! It was a little too cold for this Florida girl - in the 40's, but thanks to my friend and DBC rep Heather who lives 5 blocks from there for hanging out with me even though she didn't have a ticket to the show. I also met Tawny Tucker, aka Country Music Tattle Tale blogger and DBC rep from TN! We all waited in the bone-chilling weather in hopes of an impromptu Meet & Greet with Dierks, Jimmy, or Jason--but mostly Dierks! By five minutes til show time--there still was no sign of them.

The show started at 7, so I went in to get warm. When the usher walked me to my seat I could not believe it! I expected to be in the first row pew (The Ryman is an old historic church complete with original pew/benches), but there were about 5 rows of folding chairs in front of the first row pews! I was in the first seat in the first row--one foot from the stage! I had to scoot my chair back a foot just to see everyone on the stage!

I had barely sat down when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was DBC rep, Larissa from Kentucky! She gave me a belated b-day card to give to Dierks, and I had one of my own. I had no hope of getting backstage and was planning to brave the cold again after the show to wait it out in the alley again.

Weaved between legends like Jimmy C. Newman, Whispering Bill Anderson, The Whites, and Dailey & Vincent were Jason Michael Carroll, Jimmy Wayne, and Dierks Bentley!

Jason sang Hurry Home, Where I'm From and another song from his new album. Wow--what a voice!
Jimmy sang Sara Smile, I Love You This Much, and Trespassin'.



After JW, Little Jimmy Dickens was scheduled, but I had heard a guard say he was still ill and wouldn't be there, so I knew Dierks was next. And there he was...waiting in the wings!



I started snapping a few pics and he looked out and saw me in the front row and waved--I waved back. The lady sitting next to me was like, "Do you KNOW him?" (Yeah), how do you know him? (I'm in the fan club)...have you met him before? (yes many times)...so he knows you? (yes)...She had no clue who he was but she was impressed.


I got a few pics of Tim and Robbie as they were waiting while Eddie Stubbs was spouting off a killer intro for Dierks.

Dierks came center stage and never left. The Opry is not like a regular live show where Dierks is all over the stage running and jumping and sliding like Bo Duke. No siree. center stage and a few bars with Robbie, a few with Rod then center mic again. Free and Easy...Opry's rockin' on the radio...he intro'd Beautiful World by saying he had been watching tv earlier seeing how more troops were being deployed and he dedicated BW to the troops and their families. Then I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes, and ended with Lotta Leavin' Left To Do.



They were done singing, but finishing the guitar parts, and the curtain started closing! The look on his face was like, what? So he had no chance to walk along the front row like he sometimes does, for hand slaps or autographs. And the ushers came rushing up to ward off any stage jumpers. And I am sooooooooooo not a bold person, but Dierks inspires me, so I grabbed the 3 cards, took one giant leap forward and ducked my head under the curtain. The floor of the stage was higher than my waist, but I saw Dierks walking and called out to him. He came over and said thanks for coming sweetie and I gave him the cards, told him he sounded awesome and he said he had to go do an interview. Normally we would hug but the stage was too high so he kissed his hand and reached down to transfer it to my cheek. There he goes again...always finding a way to make a girl feel special! And just like that he was gone.


I wandered out back to the alley, hoping to get a real hug but he never came out. The guards said he went out another door. But I did run in to Tim and Rod and Jimmy. I told JW how much I love the new album and especially "Just Look At You" and he said a lot of people love that song, and get this...he started singing a few bars! What?! Right there in the alley of the Ryman Awesome! What a phenomenal voice.

So back to the hotel and off to the airport the next morning, where my cabi is really friendly, talkative, interesting, an aspiring songwriter, AND he knows who Dierks is--automatically he's my friend! I highly recommend him.

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• Roundtrip USAIR - Tampa to Charlotte to Nashville -$359
• Opry at the Ryman Section 3, AA, seat 1 - $57
• Taxis to/from airport, hotel, downtown -$80
• Best chicken fingers ever at Rippy's - $10
• Best Western Music Row $85
• Just another sunset, one more kiss from my baby, a smile from a friend...PRICELESS!

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair