Congratulations to the winner for the Dierks Bentley "Gone" T-shirt from the Round Five random drawing, @GinaVerst!
Voting will begin tomorrow on Twitter for the Championship Round! When the votes are all in, and the Champion Dierks Bentley Song is declared, we will draw a random winner from all those who voted, retweeted with #DBCBracket and follow @dbcongress on Twitter.
SPECIAL CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIZE: No, it's not a T-shirt! The random drawing winner will receive a personalized video from the man himself--Dierks Bentley--via email!
So get ready to vote, follow and retweet! And tell all your friends! We're looking for at least 100 votes in this final DBC Bracket poll!
The 2019 ACM Awards had definite "light" moments for Dierks Bentley, including a performance that's being talked about across the country.
The night kicked off in the most perfect of ways, with the ACM social media pages announcing an early win for Dierks and Brothers Osborne. They walked into the event having already won the Music Event of the Year for their "Burning Man" collaboration.
While this doesn't come with an official acceptance speech, Dierks and the guys were quite grateful for the win, and sent out a tweet to say thank you!
(This win is extra sweet after Dierks' earlier interview where he noted his kids always remind him he never wins anything. Not tonight!)
Speaking of the red carpet, Dierks and his wife, Cassidy, looked absolutely stunning (thank you to CMT for this wonderful photo of the Bentleys (right) with Catherine Shepherd and Brandi Carlile (left))!
While Brandi is a Grammy award winning singer, songwriter and producer, many might not have known there were ties between her and Dierks. For those of us who have had The Mountain on repeat for the better part of the last year, her voice is a familiar one gracing our speakers. And DB Congress members were elated to have the chance to see their duet "Travelin' Light" live at the awards show, which Billboard said, in the most positive of ways, that it was "almost as if they were having fun at a karaoke session with friends--just with all-star vocals!"
Brandi's newest collaboration, Highwomen (a play on the 80s and 90s supergroup Highwaymen which includes Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna), even gave a Twitter invite to Dierks as an honorary member!
They sound so good together ❤️ @DierksBentley you wanna be a Highwoman?
Based on the banter between Dierks and Brandi before the show, it was clear the two love to perform together and they embrace a live show audience. In another interview, they discussed the evening itself was light. As Dierks noted, "There isn't a lot of heaviness to this show. It's just a fun place to be. It's Vegas. It's springtime. It feels pretty good."
As Brandi said of "Travelin' Light" and of Dierks, "I wanted to sing it because I felt [the song] and I felt Dierks' voice so much. I'm a big fan of his humanity, the kind of dad he is, the guy he is, the kind of husband he is. He's just somebody I want to spend a lot more time with."
Perhaps Brandi will "lay it down" again on a future Dierks album? We're ready!
Bonus: This "light" photo was captured at the event, and our DB Congress friends across the pond had a little fun, seeking captions. How would you caption this photo?
Can you believe it's already the end of another year (the 15th year of Dierks Bentley’s career!)? This was a powerhouse year for our DB Congress President. A new album, number one songs, tours, music videos, even his own clothing line and music festival—2018 brought what some would call the year the general public got to know the man behind the music (the Dierks we all know and love).
Every mile(stone) was a memory in 2018! Here are the highlights:
January 10
Dierks started the year in epic fashion. After two months of silence on his social media channels, clues finally started to be leaked, resulting in what we’ve all been waiting for: a new album! This social media campaign revealed the title, logo, preorder information (including the beloved keys!), a live interview, and the announcement of the first single off the album: “Woman, Amen.”
January 17 “Woman, Amen” was officially released as the first single off the anticipated album The Mountain. Throughout the year, the song made it to number one in just a few months!
January 18
Dierks and the guys had the opportunity to perform "Woman, Amen" on Ellen, where she introduced him as "one of the biggest names in country music."
January 23 The Mountain High Tour was announced in a very unique way, pulling in tour mates Brothers Osborne and LANCO. The tour kicked off in Columbia, Md., on May 18 and stopped at more than 30 cities, including the sold out Madison Square Garden in September.
February 5
As stated on The Boot, "Dierks Bentley received the 2018 CRS Artist Humanitarian Award in a special ceremony. The award was given in recognition of Bentley's substantial charitable work, including his Miles & Music for Kids concert and motorcycle ride, which occurred annually over the span of 10 years and raised over $4 million to benefit children's hospitals across the country, and the Country Cares concert he organized and hosted in support of those affected by wildfires in his home state, Arizona." Watch his full acceptance speech here.
February 10
As if we didn’t already feel like we were shouting from the top of a mountain with the excitement of the year so far, Dierks announced he has partnered up with Flag & Anthem to create a new clothing line, Desert Son. Fit for a son of the Arizona desert, this “authentic” clothing line is truly a representation of the desert son himself.
April 5
Dierks revealed the Seven Peaks Music Festival would be held over Labor Day weekend in Buena Vista, Colo. Guest artists already announced included Miranda Lambert, Brothers Osborne, LANCO, Elle King, Del McCoury, Sam Bush and The Cadillac Three, with more announced in the coming months.
April 10
In the style of his “Riser” music video, Dierks used this medium to share a real story of a mother-daughter super duo with the hope of inspiring others to action in "Woman, Amen" music video.
April 12
We finally received a release date for The Mountain! The album will be released June 8. This announcement included a downloadable track and the entire track list of the album. Dierks wrote 10 of the 13 new tracks “that are unified by themes of presence and positivity, and range in style from textured rock to acoustic folk, feeling both rooted and expansive at the same time.”
April 15
Dierks’ “Black” music video was nominated for Video of the Year at the ACM Awards where he had the opportunity to perform “Woman, Amen." This performance earned solid airtime through various platforms because of the kiss he gave his wife, Cassidy, at the end! This was also the evening where #WomanAmenACM submissions were featured during the performance (and those same photos have been used on tour ever since!).
April/May
Dierks created four "Mountain" music videos, sharing stories of people overcoming their personal mountains. Teaming up with Apple Music, these videos highlight “fans’ stories of resilience, perseverance and hope set to picturesque performance footage shot in Colorado.” Songs include "Woman, Amen," (see April 10) “The Mountain,” “Living,” and “You Can’t Bring Me Down.”
May 20
The Mountain High Tour kicks off in Columbia, Md., with many DBCers in attendance! It was clear Dierks hadn’t been on the road for a while--he was so excited, he didn’t even stop to talk until he was nine songs into the night! With tight transitions and a stellar setlist, it was the perfect opener for the six-month tour!
June 7
In the hours leading up to the long-awaited album release of midnight on June 8, Dierks and the guys performed the entire album top to bottom at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. He also included a couple extra recent hits along with older country covers.
June 8 The album has arrived! “The Mountain just might be Dierks at his strongest—this just might be the summit of the mountain of a career he’s been climbing. … [It’s] inherently Dierks. It’s rugged and rock-tinged, but still undeniably country. It has a heart.”
June/July
The law enforcement lip sync battle that took over the country has gone, well, country. A chance to show these men and women in uniform are real people, they took the opportunity to lip sync to whatever songs inspired them … and Dierks’ “5-1-5-0” naturally was a perfect fit for many.
July 2
A personal message from Dierks arrived exclusively for the DB Congress. “I cannot even think of where to start when it comes to thanking you guys for, man, all the support all you guys do, all your enthusiasm … especially with the new album release, and just playing new songs and knowing that you guys are gonna be down front supporting us means so much to me and the guys in the band.”
August 22
As stated in Rolling Stone, Dierks received "the ACM Merle Haggard Spirit Award in recognition of a career that has spanned eight albums and blazed a unique trail with his artistry, just as the award’s namesake did during his lifetime."
August 31 - September 2
Dierks hosted his first-ever music festival, Seven Peaks! Drawing thousands to Buena Vista, Colo. (including many DBCers), Dierks took the time to walk through the camp to ensure he had the chance to meet everyone in attendance. Save the date for next year-there's no way he'd miss doing this again!
October 14
The “Burning Man” music video, featuring Brothers Osborne, was released, and it’s pure fire! Though a few team members actually experienced a heat stroke from the literal heat when filming, the result was perfection. “Dierks’ heart, passion, contemplation, and joy radiate throughout the video, continuing the 2018 trend we’ve seen from Dierks in his introspective year.”
October 22
Though we do not yet know the title or even the air date, we do know Dierks is slated to produce a new comedy show on Fox along with his manager, Mary Hilliard Harrington. This dynamic duo has teamed up with Jack Burditt, best known as the creator of the hit shows Last Man Standing and Modern Family. “The untitled series is set in a Nashville bar, where singers and songwriters go to chase their dreams, or maybe just to fall in love if only for a night.”
October 26
The Burning Man Tour will be hitting cities in the U.S. and Canada in 2019! This time, Dierks will welcome back Jon Pardi, and is adding Tenille Townes to the team (with the Hot Country Knights kicking it all off for each show!). Tickets are on sale now (if you haven't snagged them already!).
Those Hot Country Knights ...
November 14
Dierks performed “Burning Man” live on Good Morning America ahead of the CMA Awards later that evening. From where did he perform? His own Whiskey Row in Nashville, naturally! That evening, he was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (The Mountain), and Musical Event of the Year ("Burning Man" with Brothers Osborne).
Also November 14
It was announced that Dierks stepped down from the Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board of Directors, citing work being more time consuming than he anticipated, resulting in him not contributing as much as he would have liked. He was appointed in April 2017.
November-December
Those visiting Dierks' Whiskey Row in Nashville (along with other Lower Broadway restaurants) between Thanksgiving and Christmas had the opportunity to purchase items off the menu with a percentage benefitting Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital in Vanderbilt. For WR, if you purchased their legendary mac and cheese, some of the proceeds would have been donated on your behalf. A win-win!
December
Through the month of December--well, 12 days of it--DB Congress held a unique Twitter campaign: The 12 Days of Dierksmas Giveaways! For those who retweeted the 12 daily tweets (well, there were actually 13 because we were quite excited!), their name was entered to win the item of the day, ranging anywhere from beer koozies to meet and greets! Special thanks to BubbleUp, Dierks.com, Red Light Management, and Flag & Anthem for providing the giveaways!
December 1
This day saw gifts aplenty for Dierks and DBCers! In the last show of 2018, Dierks brought 10-year-old daughter, Evie, on stage to perform “My Religion” together. This was a priceless moment that many will remember for years to come! Also, before the show, Dierks had the chance to open his belated birthday gift from dozens of DB Congress reps, which included a customized guitar strap, giant fold-out birthday card, and a donation made to Jumbled Dreams on his behalf … to which he replied, “Best fans ever!”
December 5
In true Dierks fashion, he took the time to handwrite notes to his team, giving personal thank yous to the band and crew.
December 10
A favorite tradition for Dierks and Cassidy, the couple attended the Safe Haven Family Shelter annual fundraiser and joined a team to match 100 percent of all proceeds. With their contributions, the event raised more than $56,000 for the shelter—one very near and dear to the Bentley family.
December 18
Dierks had the opportunity to perform on the season 15 finale of The Voice, bringing “country to L.A. with a rendition of his hit, Burning Man.” Everyone agrees, it was an incredible performance! Even his family got to attend.
Dierks Bentley has a heart full of grateful and he's letting his DB Congress know just how much we mean to him in this exclusive, special video message!
For our hearing impaired reps, here is the full transcript:
DB Congress!
What is goin' on guys? I cannot even think of where to start when it comes to thanking you guys for, man, all the support all you guys do, all your enthusiasm, all the stories you guys have shared with me and my team, my band, my crew, everyone back in Nashville over this last album campaign, especially the "Woman, Amen" stuff. Just all the support for this project--it’s been such an enjoyable ride for me.
You know, the journey itself has been the reward. It was so fun making this record, so fun writing it, recording it, working together with my team and working together with you guys to get the news out there to spread the news of the new album being released.
Looking back on it, it was such a frenzied, kind of 18 days of album release week. But really just a much longer campaign, starting all the way back to when I first started writing this record. Kind of laying the groundwork. And to see you guys embrace the work, embrace the music and see your faces out there at these shows now, especially when we’re doing the new songs—it means the world to me.
Especially with the new album release, and just playing new songs and knowing that you guys are gonna be down front supporting us means so much to me and the guys in the band.
So, I can’t say enough. Man, it’s been a great number of years. This last 18 months have been so special for me. Just having the time of our lives out here on the tour now because you know we did all the work, made the record, and now we get a chance just to enjoy summertime and the shows and this Mountain High Tour with Brothers Osborne and LANCO.
So we’ll see you all out here! Me and the guys refer to it not so much as a tour as a celebration of the music and we’re having a great time celebrating every night.
Thank you guys so much!
-------------------------------------------------
Thank you, Dierks! This means the world to us!
Ronna Clark, DB Congress Chair (FL)
Hey, congress! Leave a comment here under this blog of what Dierks and "The Mountain" mean to you and you will be entered to win a Hatch Show Print from The Mountain album release show at The Ryman! Most original comment wins! Deadline July 6, 2018.
I’ve sat down to finish this review several times over the
past week, and I keep coming up with little to say – which, if you know me, is
quite the feat.
As a Dierks fan since 2004, I’ve always thought his
music stood apart from the mainstream just enough to make him unique. His love
for bluegrass and rootsy, acoustic instruments was something that I always loved
about him. No surprise, then, that my favorite album is Up on the Ridge. As a fan, too, I’ve been there for the ups and
downs. I’ve attended the concerts he’s referenced lately where he was trying too
hard to play the big arenas. I’ve wondered why he wasn’t recognized by the
awards shows. I’ve seen him play the mainstream game a bit. I’ve watched his
popularity climb through recent years, fueled by hits like “Drunk on a Plane”
and “Somewhere on a Beach.” And while I do enjoy and appreciate Black as an album and thought it would
be what finally took him all the way – looking back, I can see how it didn’t
get the job done.
The Mountain just might
be Dierks at his strongest – this just might be the summit of the mountain of a
career he’s been climbing. I thought Riser
was a standout album, and it is, but with the release of The Mountain I can see that Riser
was not quite a fully cohesive album.
The Mountain is
inherently Dierks. It’s rugged and rock-tinged, but still undeniably country.
It has a heart, and it has lyrics that I challenge anyone to say they can’t
relate to in some way. It tells stories, it evokes feeling, it creates landscapes,
it makes you think. It does all the things that great music should do – and
this is definitely great music.
Opening with second single “Burning Man” featuring Vocal
Duo of the Year Brothers Osborne sets the tone for the record. It honestly took
me a couple of listens to warm up to this entirely, and I had to listen to it
in the context of the album for it to finally click, but now I think it’s one
of the best songs on the album. I just love the juxtaposition of Dierks’ more
rugged vocals and TJ Osborne’s smooth baritone – goes down like a fine wine. Or
a shot of whisky! And even though the lyrics to the song are specific to a MAN,
as a mother and a friend, I can tell you that I, too, am still a little bit
holy water, and a little bit burning man.
I loved “The Mountain” upon first listen. The music itself
evokes that kind of “keep moving” mentality. This song soars. I relate to these
lyrics so much – I know everybody can. This song is inspiring down to its very
core. My favorite line is “it just took a couple steps, a right then a left,
then a couple million more who’s counting?” LIFE PEOPLE. THIS IS LIFE.
Which, quite perfectly, brings us to “Living.” And this is
another one that rocked me upon first listen because the lyrics are just so
true. I don’t have much to say about
this track other than it’s fantastic and I hope it’s a single because I really
think it’s a message that everyone needs to be exposed to.
Next up is lead single and #1 hit “Woman, Amen” which I won’t
spend much time on because it’s all been said before. After that is the wonderful
“You Can’t Bring Me Down” which Dierks has said is a bit of a response to some
gossip in Nashville, and I think it’s just such a great attitude. It’s also something
I know people struggle with ALL THE TIME. This song is a refreshing message
that everyone should hear – and has some fantastic instrumentation to boot.
Things get a bit sultrier on “Nothing on But the Stars”
which shifts the gears of the album a bit – less about living life to the
fullest and gratitude, and more about love, both lost and found. I like the
dark feeling of “Stars” – it seems almost stormy, even though the lyrics
mention the stars and constellations. A good friend described this song well – “Black”
meets “Come a Little Closer” and I couldn’t agree more!
When I first heard “Goodbye in Telluride” I was a little
disappointed. It didn’t seem to fit the mood of the album, seemed too polished
and mainstream. The fast-talking verses remind me of Sam Hunt and while I know that
he’s like THE BIG DEAL in country music right now, he isn’t my cup of tea, and
I was uncomfortable with Dierks emulating that style on his own. But now that I’ve
listened to the album in full, on repeat, probably a solid 50 times in the past
week, I can say that this song fits in just fine on the album. Again, the music
itself may sound like the Music Row Machine, but the lyrics paint a picture,
and they feel clever and even a little hopeful, which settles in nicely with
the themes of the album.
“My Religion” is a pretty, piano-led ballad, which is a
sound we don’t often hear from Dierks. His vocals really soar on this song. I
love the contemplative tone of the song, and I really love the sincerity and
gratitude you can hear in his vocals on this song. If there’s one thing Dierks
has learned to do in his career, it’s be an emotive vocalist!
“One Way” feels like your favorite pair of broken-in jeans.
This song is one of the highlights for me – the instrumentation here is some of
my favorite since Up on the Ridge, and
I just love how breezy it sounds. The steel guitar makes it sound both mournful
and wistful at the same time. This song takes me back to Dierks’ earlier albums
and sounds like it would fit right in on Long
Trip Alone just fine, but it doesn’t sound dated in the slightest.
Another album highlight is “Son of the Sun.” I grew up in
Arizona myself and I can say that there’s a cactus flower somewhere out there
that knows my deepest thoughts, too. This song reminds me of my dad – although he
grew up in Ohio, once we moved to Arizona when I was 5, he was truly home. As
an artist, he is constantly inspired by the gorgeous landscapes there, and this
song really speaks to “home” for me. (Makes me a little homesick, too, but in a
good way.)
I love how the album switches here to a reflective tone,
sometimes evoking feelings of nostalgia, but otherwise just reflecting on the past
but still focusing on the here and now. “Stranger to Myself” is something
everybody can relate to. “Big hair and drunk smiles” can bring on some cringe-inducing
but no less important memories in the building blocks that make up each of us. There’s
a lot of gratitude in this song, too, which is clearly one of the album’s central
themes.
“Travelin’ Light” featuring Brandi Carlile is nothing short
of stellar. Again, the theme here is reflection and gratitude, focusing on the
present day, and speaks to the importance of moving on from the past and not
letting mistakes or previous ‘baggage’ weigh you down. Dierks and Brandi’s vocals
sound great here, as does the mandolin-led rootsy instrumentation. This song
has been a standout on almost every review I’ve read about the album, and this
review is no different!
Which brings us to “How I’m Going Out” which can be a hard
one to listen to because I don’t want to think about Dierks leaving us just
yet! But, I can appreciate the honesty of this song, about not wanting to
overstay your welcome once it’s time to move on. It can be a hard thing to soul
search to really figure out if what you’re doing in life isn’t serving you, and
this song really speaks to that.
One thing I love most about Dierks, and therefore, about
this album, is that he’s not afraid to leave Nashville to do what he needs to
do. Just like with Up on the Ridge he
felt like he needed to get away to make the music he wanted to make. And I
truly feel that this time, it’s paid off in spades. This album is a gem. It’s
everything I love about Dierks and then some. It’s given me new things to
appreciate about him as not only an artist, but as a human (and he was already
a pretty great human to begin with). With The
Mountain, Dierks makes it clear that he is the absolute best possible
recipient of the ACM Honors’ Merle Haggard Award. He has certainly blazed his
own trail in country music, forged his own path, and made an incredible album
start-to-finish in the process.
Though the promotion and hype of Dierks Bentley's ninth studio album, The Mountain, has focused on a literal mountain setting, the meaning is much bigger. Instead, it is a metaphor for life's challenges, focusing on the struggle and the moments of overcoming.
What inspired this picturesque metaphor?
“The people I meet on the road who are climbing their own personal mountains unknowingly inspired this album,” Dierks said. “Their stories are powerful and raw, but there is always a sense of resilience and hope. Those feelings are the foundation of this album to me.”
The first two videos have been released, with the next two coming out before the album release on June 8. These videos and stories will certainly get you thinking about life's mountains and will, no doubt, tug on your heart.
The Mountain
The first video features Daniel Foley, Boston Marathon runner and 2013 bombing survivor. Daniel's family was near the finish line when the bomb went off; they all witnessed the horror that took place that day. They decided to overcome the mountain together. "My wife and I decided we were going to focus on all the good, that we can come back from a terrorist attack and we can run the next year and not be afraid." Here's their story:
Living
The second video features Jennifer Fry, a photographer who was born with low-tone hearing loss in both ears. Despite others telling her she wouldn't be able to have a normal life, she opted to prove them wrong. "I'm not really sure if I'm going to lose my hearing completely. I'm just going to keep going and hear the birds singing and water splashing, just everything. I want to take it in as much as I can." Here's her story:
UPDATE: You Can't Bring Me Down
The third video features McKenzi Loid, who passed away from a car accident while leaving a Dierks concert on April 24, 2017. Her mom (Robin Loid) and sister (Emily Wilkins) created the non-profit Cultivate Kindness in her honor. Their organization raises money to support Be The Light, an annual special needs prom. "It's wonderful to continue her kindness and her positivity through Cultivate Kindness ... turning that grief and sadness into something wonderful, like this prom, it's incredible to us."
Stay tuned for the final video, which should be available this week.
In the meantime, Dierks' team is still collecting "mountain" stories from those who have recently scaled a mountain of their own. Have a story? You can submit it here. It might be featured during the album release!
Jessica Borrelli
DB Congress Rep, WA
@AllTheWayToMe
On April 12, those who follow Dierks Bentley's social media channels were given some very important news we've all been waiting for: The Mountain album will be released June 8!
That same day, those who pre-ordered The Mountain were notified of an extra special surprise: a downloadable title track!
Oh, it's an amazing week for Dierks fans, isn't it?
After we set up yet another Dierks countdown timer on our phones (54 days, 15 hours, 23 minutes as of the writing of this blog), we can now see what's been hinted at over the last few weeks. All song titles are available (and we have clips of many of them!).
As stated by Dierks' PR team, "Reaching a new creative high, Bentley co-wrote 10 of the 13 new tracks that are unified by themes of presence and positivity, and range in style from textured rock to acoustic folk, feeling both rooted and expansive at the same time."
Can I get a "Woman, Amen!"?
Here's what we know (click on the links for info about the songs):
1. Burning Man (written by Luke Dick and Bobby Pinson)
2. The Mountain (written by Dierks Bentley, Jon Randall, Luke Dick and Natalie Hemby)
3. Living (written by Dierks Bentley, Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, Ashley Gorley)
4. Woman, Amen (written by Dierk Bentley, Ross Copperman, Josh Kear)
6. Nothing On But The Stars (written by Dierks Bentley Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, Jon Randall)
7. Goodbye In Telluride (written by Dierks Bentley, Ross Copperman, Ashley Gorley, Scooter Carusoe)
8. My Religion (written by Jamie Kenney, Ben Burgess, Michael Pollack, Rick Markowitz)
9. One Way (written by Dierks Bentley, Jeff Hyde, Laura Veltz)
10. Son Of The Sun (written by Dierks Bentley, Ross Copperman, Jon Nite, Jon Randall)
11. Stranger To Myself (written by Dierks Bentley, Ross Copperman, Heather Morgan)
12. Travelin' Light (feat. Brandi Carlile) (written by Dierks Bentley, Ashley Gorley, Jon Nite)
13. How I'm Going Out (written by Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall--a fun bit of trivia: Jessi and Jon are married!)
Collaborations on this album include songs with Brothers Osborne, Brandi Carlile, and world-renowned bluegrass musicians Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas and Tim O’Brien.
When reflecting on the tracks of this album, Dierks said, “For me it’s the best of both worlds, and it feels like something new. It’s powerful but also happy, with acoustic sensibility mixed in with the big sounds I like to have for the road. They are the songs I’d play for somebody to say, ‘This is who I am right now.’"
We'll take all the sneak peeks we can get until this album is released.
With "Woman, Amen" climbing the charts and flooding the airwaves, and now "The Mountain" available through major music services (and on repeat on our devices!), our Dierks playlists have gotten that much better, with the promise of mountain-sized talent to come.
Carrie Srebro
DB Congress Chart Reporter
@corbers
Jessica Borrelli
DB Congress Rep, WA
@AllTheWayToMe
The strategy and planning for The Mountain release and Mountain High Tour kick off is pure gold (an indicator of how this album will go on the charts?)!
Let's start with the tour addition announced this morning.
Over the last four days, Dierks Bentley has been teasing something big happening this summer. It all started on Monday with this post:
This Labor Day weekend, Dierks will be hosting his very own festival--the Seven Peaks Music Festival in Buena Vista, Colo. “It’s a dream come true situation for me,” he said. Guest artists already announced include Miranda Lambert, Brothers Osborne, LANCO, Elle King, Del McCoury, Sam Bush and The Cadillac Three, with more acts to be announced in the coming weeks.
“I don’t plan on sleeping,” Bentley told Billboard when talking about Seven Peaks. “I plan on either being on stage or in the campground, high-fiving people, handing out free beers … Anything I’m involved with, I’m involved for a reason. It’s not work. When people look back on this festival the first year, [I want them to say], ‘Gosh, he was everywhere! No one was having more fun at the festival than Dierks was.’”
Tickets for the festival, camping and parking go on sale April 20 at 10 a.m. MT.
In other Dierks news, he recently played three new songs off the upcoming album at a recent event (which we can add to the seven we knew about).
On March 26, Dierks headlined a fundraiser at the City Winery, a 110-person venue in Nashville. Proceeds from the event benefitted WMOT Roots Radio 89.5, a listener-supported National Public Radio station in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
The set list included everything from Dierks' first single, "What Was I Thinkin'," to his most recent, "Woman, Amen," and a few we've all come to love in between.
But there were three on this list that were not familiar to the DB Congress reps in the audience. Thankfully, they had their cameras ready to go. Here's "Can't Bring Me Down," duet "Traveling Light" and "Stranger to Myself." (Dierks also mentioned, but didn't sing, a new song entitled "Son of the Sun" during this set!)
As we all eagerly watch our countdown calendars to the tour launch in May and album release in June, these song teasers and festival announcements are an unexpected, treasured gift. Now ... to get some Dierks Road Trips scheduled ...
Jessica Borrelli
DB Congress Rep, WA
@AllTheWayToMe
While we eagerly await the release of Dierks' upcoming album, The Mountain, he's been teasing us with clips of new songs through social media channels. And while we are so #grateful for the hints, it's making the waiting that much more difficult! Here are the songs we know so far: Woman, Amen
This one doesn't need an introduction. "Woman, Amen" has been on the Billboard Hot Country Music Charts for seven weeks now and reached spot 16 on Mediabase, as well! (If you haven't yet, please call, tweet and message your local stations to request this song.) You'll be able to see Dierks perform this one live at the April 15 ACM awards!
The Mountain
For those who got their key to The Mountain, you can see Dierks' handwritten lyrics to the full song in the enhanced album experience. If this clip below is any indicator of what we can expect from this album, we could be on the verge of experiencing Dierks' best album yet (and that's saying a whole heck of a lot, isn't it, DB Congress?!).
Burning Man.
Heard twice in Vegas last December, this song certainly received Internet buzz when we posted this video and lyrics.Watch Dierks' and the guys' faces in this clip below. Oh, the energy this song carries (it's even more intense hearing it live!).
Unknown Title
"It's gonna be one way this time ...
She could be like a song.
The kind with the time always comes back home.
But something tells me she's gone.
There's no words, there's no rhymes ..."
There are seven songs/clips to keep you going for now!
Dierks "found a personal connection to the songs on The Mountain. 'It's the mountain that we’re all faced with every day, and the struggle to put one foot in front of the other even when things are hard, that we all have in common. Looking back now, I think we were all searching for hope and optimism when we were writing this music.'"
Sources have indicated this album could be available around June.
Am I the only one who has a countdown calendar going? We're ready, Dierks.
Jessica Borrelli
DB Congress Rep, WA
@AllTheWayToMe
