Dierks Bentley: A Day in the Life

This "Day in the Life" video of Dierks Bentley is from 2010, but totally worth watching again! See if you can name two things he pulls out of his truck and where he goes to "get a haircut." Post your answers on dbcongress.com under the blog and you'll be entered to win a prize!

"Take a peak at a typical day in the life of Dierks Bentley, from hosting a radio show, to guest appearing in GAC television station and preparing for a show at Grande Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee."

Dierks Bentley: Radio Host

Dierks Bentley hosts his own hour-long radio show, "The Thread" every Monday on WSM. CMA Closeup published this article: "Switching Hats: Country Artists Connect As Radio Hosts," By Vernell Hackett.

© 2010 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

For as long as there’s been radio, there have been on-air personalities whose talents centered on keeping listeners tuned in long enough to connect with artists and advertisers. For performers seeking to build their fan base, this formula has worked for decades, especially when encouraged by radio tours, to visit with DJs in as many markets as possible and encourage them to play their new single.

But with media, roles, options and other elements in the business shifting around so quickly, some artists are looking to expand their choices for exposure. And one trend involves artists moving to the other side of the microphone, as hosts of their own radio programs.

In years past, it wasn’t unusual for a singer to hold down a gig at a local radio station before moving to Nashville. Tom T. Hall, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Charlie Walker did it — but Holly Dunn reversed the formula in 1997. Already a recording artist with a string of hits that included “Are You Ever Gonna Love Me” and “Daddy’s Hands,” she accepted a job that year as morning DJ at WWWW/Detroit. Dunn, who had majored in broadcasting at Abilene Christian University, averaged more than 300,000 listeners per day for a year before returning to Nashville.

Today, Kix Brooks is heard nationally as host of “American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks” over Citadel Media. Kenny Chesney has overseen his own online show, “No Shoes Radio,” since August 2009. And in March, three artists — Dierks Bentley, Jim Lauderdale and Pam Tillis — have launched their own weekly, hour-long shows on 650 WSM-AM/Nashville, each one beginning at 2 PM/CT. The shows can also be heard online at www.WSMonline.com or as podcasts via iTunes.

The idea was conceived by Joe Limardi, Operations Manager, WSM Radio. “We have so many artists in as guests,” he explained. “Some are so good and have such good stories to tell and a love for music that’s not their own, I thought, ‘Why not let them be creative on air and offer them the opportunity to do their own show?’”

The first person Limardi asked was Bentley. “When I was approached about doing the show, I jumped on it,” the singer recalled. “I love WSM, I love its history and I love the idea of having my voice broadcast on those airwaves.”

Bentley came up with the name for his show, which airs every Monday. It’s called “The Thread” because it embraces all of the music that has influenced Bentley. He spent a lot of time at the Station Inn after his arrival in Nashville; today, performances from that famous acoustic/bluegrass venue are often featured on his broadcasts. Other hours are dedicated to themes reflected in their titles, which include “Ray Price: Priceless” and “The Thing About Don Williams.” Every now and then something unexpected adds to the mix, including a visit by WSM DJ Eddie Stubbs one day as he was in the midst of taping his show.

“He is a hero of mine and I try to imitate him,” admitted Bentley, who added that while it was challenging to come up with a focus for each show and material to fit that focus, the process has become easier with time.

After “The Thread” started airing, Tillis got in touch with Limardi and expressed interest in doing a show as well. “Pam came up with the name ‘Lettin’ My Roots Show,’ and if you listen to it (on Tuesdays), the show does go back to her roots in music and the relationships she’s built in Nashville,” said Limardi. “She has a genuine appreciation for all styles of music.”

Having grown up in Country Music, Tillis enjoys sharing memories and stories from her childhood in Nashville and on the road with her father, Country Music Hall of Fame member Mel Tillis. Each of her shows also centers on one theme, ranging from Native American music to political Country and The Beatles’ impact on Country Music.

“My first reaction about doing the radio show was that it sounds like fun but I don’t know how I could fit one more thing into my life,” Tillis said. “It would have been easier to just randomly pull songs, but I really like the idea of themes, which is harder to do and takes more effort.”

Though she does most of this work, Tillis credits her radio producer, Shannon McCombs, for helping her pull it together. “Sometimes Shannon will go, ‘Please just let me run with it,’” she said. “But I’m real hands-on with everything I do. I get manic about it, but it’s been worth it to me.”

One of the singer’s favorite shows was about her family. Her brother Mel Jr., known as Sonny, and sister Carrie April had never been on radio before being featured on “Lettin’ My Roots Show.” “My brother wrote ‘When I Think About Angels,’” Tillis said, referring to the Jamie O’Neal No. 1 single that he wrote with O’Neal and Roxie Dean. “So I played some of his songs. And my baby sister is an amazing singer, so I played some of her work. I even found something with her and me in Branson. And I ran across this old audio clip of dad and me, when I was 17 and I was on ‘The Mike Douglas Show’ with him. I was sitting at the computer, programming this for my show, and I was crying because things like that are fun to share.”

Having established the model with Bentley and Tillis, WSM didn’t have to go too far when it decided to look for an artist to host an Americana show. “Jim Lauderdale hosts our weekly roots show (‘Music City Roots: Live from the Loveless Café’), and we thought he would be perfect for an Americana show,” Limardi said. “He has such eclectic taste in music, which you can hear on his show.”

Lauderdale had some background as a radio host as he launched “The Jim Lauderdale Show,” which airs every Wednesday. Along with that experience at a college radio station in South Carolina, he brings a selection of CDs from home for each show that he tapes, which he supplements by going through the WSM library.

“I have a general idea of what I might play, and Shannon (McCombs) is a big help with organizing and suggesting,” Lauderdale said. “I love WSM, and what I try to do on the show is play about two-thirds traditional Country and some bluegrass and then throw in some singer/songwriter stuff. I don’t want to get too way out. The music has to flow with the rest of the songs that day on the station.”

After the Nashville flood in May, Lauderdale tried something a little unusual on his show. “I had the urge to do the show live, which is something I really enjoy doing and will do again as my schedule allows,” he said. “The WSM studio out by Opryland was under water, so we had to go out to Brentwood, south of Nashville, to the studio at the big tower, which is just off of Interstate 65 South. My slot is right after Joe Limardi’s show, so he runs things for me technically. Shannon was there too, and we really had a great time. I hope that comes across on the air.”

Once he had these three artists in place, Limardi needed to fill the 2 PM slot on Thursday. As a result, Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show comes in the third Thursday of every month to play music from his personal collection of recordings from the 1920s and 1930s. The remaining Thursdays feature a rotating list of hosts, which have included Mark Chesnutt, Dailey & Vincent, Billy Dean, Jack Ingram, Jewel, Sammy Kershaw, Lorrie Morgan and Dana Williams of Diamond Rio.

“The coolest part of it all is that it started with the idea of one artist and snowballed, with all these great artists who come in and say they’d like to do a show,” Limardi said.

While all of these artists enjoy dabbling in radio, none is ready to trade the stage for the studio as their top professional priority.

“I enjoy this but what I love is performing and touring and writing songs and making records,” Bentley insisted. "That occupies a lot of my time.”

“I love finding out the history of the music, turning up things I didn’t know,” Tillis said. “I’m learning, and I hope the audience is enjoying learning with me. I’ll come up with an idea and think, ‘How am I gonna do a show around this?’ And somehow I find it. I did a cowgirl show — who would think you could do that, but I did!”

On the Web: http://www.wsmonline.com/

Photo credit: Tyne Whitten

A Day in the Life of Dierks Bentley, by theboot.com

Lucky Lorie Hollabaugh of theboot.com had the great fortune to follow Dierks Bentley around for an entire day on July 20, 2010! Read her article, "Dierks Bentley--A Day in the Life" and see fabulous photos and a well-done video capturing all the moments of the day from his time in the GAC Studio as he recorded his WSM radio show, The Thread, to an interview on the GAC Top 20 video show to an historic night at The Ryman...all with his dogs George and Jake in tow.

This story is one of the best written and most interesting this year! I have always wanted to spend a day with Dierks and write about all the backstage preparation that goes into everything he does on stage. This is possibly the closest I'll ever get to that dream!

I still say "a day in the life" would make a killer contest for DB Congress reps! What do you say, Mr. president?

Watch more AOL Music videos on AOL Video

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair

Dierks Can't Tell The Truth on 'The Thread'

Dierks Bentley's focus this week is highlighting the lying songs of country music. His weekly radio show, The Thread on The Legend, 650 AM WSM, originally aired on Monday, August 16, 2010 titled, "Can't Tell The Truth." Listen here.

Partial Play List:

~Blame It On Your Heart - Patty Loveless



~Your Lyin' Eyes - The Eagles
~I'd Lie To You For Your Love - The Bellamy Brothers
~I Lied - Trisha Yearwood
~A Tender Lie - Restless Heart

"Doesn't matter what age you are, or what generation you're from or what kind of country music you sing, everyone's got a song about not being able to tell the truth," Dierks tells his listeners.

~Beautiful Lie - Jean Shepard (The song is from 1955, the same year Jean was inducted into The Grand Ole Opry--50 years before Bentley would become a Member, October 1, 2005. If that's not a 'thread' connecting past to present, how about the fact that Jean's birthday--November 21 is one day after Dierks', November 20.

~White Liar - Miranda Lambert
~It's Lying Time Again - Mel Tillis

"What a great stretch of songs...Jean Shepard, Miranda Lambert, Mel Tillis...really running the guantlet of country music stars and history. Mel's a funny guy...his true stories are funnier than any joke he could make up to stretch or lie about...his life in general the stories he's made just being out there on the road make for some of the funniest stories I've ever heard."

~Lying In Love With You - Jim Ed Brown
~Baby I Lied - Deborah Allen
~You Lied - Reba McIntire

"Doesn't it seem like in country music somebody's always lying?" asked Dierks.

"There's been some great songwriters in country music, but Bill Anderson is one of the greatest, has had hits in so many different decades now...and continues to be such a powerful force...and the reason for that is he knows what country music is all about, he just records the truth and writes a simple lyric that says so much. I think he does that in this song":

~The Truth Is, I Lied - Bill Anderson

Listen to Dierks every Monday at 2 pm central on WSM 650 AM or online at wsmonline.com.

Road Songs Take Over "The Thread", Dierks Bentley's Radio Show

George and Jake join Dierks again this week in the studio of "The Thread," his WSM radio show. As he runs down the road songs. "Jake and George have been with me out there on the road, they know what the road is like and they have a good time being out there and this week the songs are all about the road--"Highways and Byways." Dierks' canine friends are country music fans, too!

Dierks kicked off the show with the "King" of the road song--Roger Miller--"King Of The Road." More songs on the play list include:

Give Me The Highway (Vince Gil and Del McCoury)

Route 66 (Asleep At The Wheel)
Dierks mentioned how this song means a lot to him since he's from Arizona and Route 66 runs right through it, and that he'd been on that famous road many times on the 25-hour ride to and from Phoenix, AZ and Nashville, TN in his Truck with over 200,000 miles on the odometer.

Last Highway (Steve Wariner) Dierks said he just LOVES hearing that song!

Highway 40 Blues (Ricky Skaggs) "One of my favorite bluegrassy country songs about the road--we used to play this song down at a little bar called Market Street on 2nd Avenue..."

Lost Highway (Hank Williams) "No song speaks more about the road."

18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses (Kathy Mattea) "That song just really strikes a chord with me...such a powerfully written song...Gene Nelson and Paul Nelson wrote that song."

Callin' Baton Rouge (New Grass Revival) Later recorded by Garth Brooks. Garth brought in Same Bush and others to play on this track because he couldn't get it the way he wanted it to sound.

Drivin' My Life Away (Eddie Rabbit)

Readin' Writin', Route 23 (Dwight Yoakam) - Class of '89; Dwight had a huge influence on Dierks.

On The Road Again (Willie Nelson) "The road song of my generation. Willie recently cut off his hair - I've have had some experience with cutting off my hair and getting a similar reaction - pretty unfavorable."


The Outlaw Story Song: Highway 17 (Rodney Crowell) "This song gives me goose bumps...it is so mesmerizing - really showcases Rodney as a story teller."

Red Dirt Road (Brooks and Dunn) "Me and my band have been known to do a bluegrass version of that song!"

"Looking at this sheet of songs Shannon [McCombs, Producer] has prepared for me, and I'm up next!"

Free and Easy Down The Road I Go (Dierks Bentley!)

Listen to the entire August 9 Episode here.

Next Monday on The Thread, Dierks will go through the lying songs of country. Don't miss "Can’t Tell The Truth" on Monday, August 16 at 2 pm Central time! You can listen online at wsmonline.com.

Dierks Says Wynn Songs Stay on His Mind

Dierks Bentley and Producer Shannon McCombs put together "The Thread" radio show that aired Monday, August 2 on WSM 650 am to honor legendary singer/songwriter Wynn Stewart. Wynn, a big influence on Dierks, charted over 30 hits beginning in 1956, until his death in 1985.

Songs on the one hour show (2-3 pm central every Monday) included Keeper of the Keys, It's A Beautiful Day from 1970, Waltz of the Angels, Love's Gonna Happen To Me, Big, Big Love sang by K.D. Lang, Wishful Thinkin', and many others.

"If you like Buck Owens...Merle Haggard...Dwight Yoakum," Dierks tells us, "he [Wynn] is the reason why those guys are around. He was the pioneer of the Bakersfield sound. What a great artist he was. He was a also great songwriter, who co-wrote, "You Took Him Off My Hands" for Patsy Cline, with Harlin Howard."

Stewart's only #1 song was from 1967--"It's Such a Pretty World Today." "That's not a fair way of judging Wynn's career--he had hits from 1956 to 1985," declares Dierks. "It's one of my favorite songs of his and was sort of the entry way for me into Wynn's music. It made me start digging a little deeper into his catalog and discovering some more music." George and Jake, Bentley's dogs, could be heard in the background "jingling." According to Dierks, "that's their way of applauding."

About halfway through the podcast, you'll hear Dierks' very own, "Up On The Ridge."

While Merle Haggard was playing bass for Wynn Stewart's band in 1962-63 in Las Vegas, he heard Wynn singing "Sing A Sad Song" and asked if he could record it. Wynn agreed and it became one of Merle's biggest hits.

Dierks said he loved hearing how good the stuff sounded that "we based our entire country music business upon. You can hear Wynn's influence all over country music." Artists like Merle Haggard and Dwight Yoakam, who sang the Wynn Stewart-penned, "Playboy."

Dierks admits, "I've never recorded any Wynn Stewart songs but I sure played enough of them down on Lower Broadway."

This show was supposed to air July 26 and I asked Shannon what happened. "They flipped the shows because they had a hard time finding some of the recordings I added to the show," she told me. "Some of those old songs can't be found on itunes!"

Listen to the whole show here.

I've got a free Up On The Ridge CD for one lucky winner who can tell me the last song that aired on 'The Thread's' broadcast of August 2! Emails only: Ronna@dbcongress.com. You must also leave a comment about this blog--but don't post the answer! I will draw a name on Tuesday out of all the entries!

~Ronna

THE THREAD FEATURES THE RIDGE

Dierks's Bentley said his radio show, 'The Thread' was special this week, "since I'm gonna be talking about ME--the whole hour! So if you don't like "me" you might want to tune out."

The radio show is called the thread and this album is called up on the ridge but it might as well be called the thread too because this album really goes back and connects me with the roots of my education in Nashville and the music that really got me excited about being in Nashville and that would be bluegrass acoustic and country music and that's what this record's is all about.

Dierks kicked off the show with the produce of the Up On The Ridge - Jon Randall Stewart. Some know him as Randy or Whispers. One of Dierks' best friends, "nobody knows more about bluegrass music, country music or whiskey and he's one of the great singers and songwriters in this town," Dierks says matter-of-factly.

The first song of the show, "Are You Teasing Me, featured Jon Randall and Patty Loveless.

I'm humbled to have my songs played this entire hour. I hope you hear something you like. He played all the songs from Up On The Ridge in the order they were recorded on the album. Dierks invited listeners to call in if they had any suggestions.

~Up On The Ridge - this song has gotten some airplay - means a lot to me, to hear Sam Bush's slide mandolin and Stuart Duncan's fiddle on the radio

~Fallin' For You - Gave it all I had to try and keep up with Chris Stapleton's powerful voice

~Senor' - I'm a Bob Dylan fan because of Tim O'Brien, and sang it with him at Telluride and recorded with Chris Thile and The Punch Brothers (along with the next song 'Rovin' Gambler'); I think we found a way to make it our own

~Draw Me A Map - one of my 12 favorite songs on this album, Alison Krauss in the background

~Bad Angel - Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson helped me on this Verlon Thompson Suzi Ragsdale tune

~Fiddlin' Around - written by Shawn Camp

~You're Dead To Me - really wanted to have a chance to write with Tim O'Brien on this record - it's a good murder ballad theme

~Pride - special song for me by U2 - only did it once live at The Ryman - hard to replicate live - picking cover songs is hard - bold and brave to take on but bringing in the musicianship of The Punch brothers and Del's voice - so much fun. Del nailed it! I'm really proud of that song.

~Love Grows Wild - One of my favorite singer/songwriters is Buddy Miller - I cut one of his songs on my first album, My Love Will Follow You; I wanted to get back to cut one of his on this album.

~Bottle To The Bottom - I am always amazed I had a chance to sing with Kris Kristofferson; hearing him sing some lines on his own song is one of the coolest thing that ever happened in my career. The song won a Grammy in 1970.

~Down In The Mine - If you're driving your car, you might want to pull over. This is a sad song. Special folks, amazing lifestyle, brave people - we'll send this song out to anyone who's lost a loved one down in the mine tragedies recently.

The podcast is available at wsmonline.com.

NEW DIERKS 'THREADS' ON WSM RADIO!

Four new Dierks Bentley radio show podcasts of "The Thread" on WSM 650 am are available now!

1-Mowing the Bluegrass - Ricky Skaggs. Episode originally aired on Monday, June 14, 2010.


2-The Women of Country - Loretta Lynn,Patsy Cline, and Brenda Lee. Episode originally aired on Monday, June 21, 2010.


3-Songs of the 60's. Episode originally aired on Monday, June 28, 2010. Dierks kicked off the show with newly inducted Country Music Hall of Famer Ferlin Husky's On The Wings Of A Dove.

4-Johnny Paycheck. Episode originally aired on Monday, July 19, 2010. Dierks titled this episode "A-11" for the JP popular song, followed by The Only Hell My Mamma Raised."

DIERKS RECORDS A TRIO OF THREADS

The Nashville flood at the beginning of May caused the WSM studio, where Dierks Bentley's "The Thread" radio show is broadcast from, to have to broadcast from a make shift studio. Before the storm, they were using 2 locations--the office/production studio (where they record the shows.) That building was under water. It is located near the front entrance of the Opry House. Their other location was the "live" studio inside the Opryland Hotel. Though it was not under water- a lot of the hotel was - so it was evacuated.

Ever since, repeats of The Thread have been running on Mondays at 2 p.m. central. But Shannon McCombs, Dierks' producer, told me he recorded three more shows yesterday. "One I titled Mowing the Bluegrass, it's a Ricky Skaggs show. The other two are #1 songs of the 60's, plus a show that features Loretta, Patsy, and Brenda Lee. Dierks recorded these three shows at the GAC studio, they were kind enough to offer after the flood. So many great people in this town."

Here's a post flood photo of the WSM studio that they normally used. The Mic to the far right, in front of the muddy computer monitor is where Dierks would sit and record The Thread. (Photo credit wsmonline.com)


No word on when these three shows might air, but as soon as we know we will post! Stay tuned!

DIERKS BENTLEY'S 7th RADIO SHOW SPOTLIGHTS KEITH WHITLEY

In a few weeks, Dierks Bentley and the rest of the country music community will be remembering a special day--MAY 9, 1989--as the day Keith Whitley passed away.

Although they never met, Dierks dedicated an hour of his radio show today to Keith and told us how much he appreciates his music, and wondered what kind of music he'd be playing today.

Dierks' told the story of his steel player, Tim Sergent, who had gotten a Keith Whitley gig back in 1989, to be Keith's steel guitar player and was driving down from Kentucky when he got the call that morning that Keith had passed away.

"Some great music was left behind," reflects Dierks. "

"I don't want this to be a sad show, I want it to be happy, to be celebrating the great music that Keith Whitley made, and the huge influence he's had on so many young country singers and continues to have on them. A lot of people try to sing like Keith but no one has done it since then. He had his own sound, his own way with words...he sure was somethin'."

Dierks used to work at TNN and one of his most treasured possessions is a VHS tape of Keith singing Miami, My Amy on the Opry.

Keith Whitley started in the bluegrass world with Ricky Scaggs, when they were discovered at the age of 15 by the Stanley Brothers. He went from bluegrass to JD Crow, and Keith's tenture with JD had a huge influence on Keith becoming a country star.

"His records are so a part of my weekly listening...a big part of 'the thread' of country music," admits Dierks. I remember a few years ago reading one of D's journals on dierks.com...it was late one night, he was on his tour bus and listening to Keith on his ipod and writing a journal to us--his fan club--to let us know how much Keith Whitley's music means to him. I sure wish we still had those dierks.com journal archives, and we really miss those personal journals that seem to be a thing of the past.

"Some songs you just don't cover...I'd get requests for this song but I consider it sacriligeous, so I leave it alone. Don't touch it. 'Don't Close Your Eyes.' "I love hearing the original."

Partial Play List:
~It Ain't Nothin'
~Miami, My Amy (1986)
~Pick Me Up On Your Way Down (written by Harland Howard)
~Sad Songs and Waltzes
~When You Say Nothing At All (*heart melting!)
~Somewhere Between Your Heart And Mine
~Don't Close Your Eyes
~Homecoming '63
~Til A Tear Becomes A Rose (Duet with Lori Morgan; CMA Award for Best Vocal Collaboration)
~I'm Over You

"I used to write over at Sony/Tree where Keith wrote and a there's a bunch of little demos that got passed around from time to time...some really cool things that he did, that hopefully one day may see the light of day."

The last song that was released while he was alive--great guitar part almost impossible to do live - No Stranger To The Rain---January 1989.

It was apparent Dierks didn't want the show to end today. He has so much reverence, respect and appreciation for Keith Whitley and his music, we can't help but feel the same!

Best THREAD yet! Thanks, D!

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair

COUNTRY WEEKLY'S GOT A LOT OF LOVE FOR DIERKS

You may recall Dierks Bentley made the cover of Country Weekly twice in 2009--April 13 and September 21. So far in 2010, no such luck, but CW showed lots of love for DB nonetheless in the last three issues alone:

April 19
Page 11 - Twitter Talk: 'jake says howdy. he is apparently going on some sort of trip...didn't invite me.' -Dierks Bentley, referring to his dog, Jake.

Page 52 - Reviews: The Infamous Stringdusters, Things That Fly CD..."the band waxes humorous on '17 Cents,' on which guest Dierks Bentley throws in his own two cents' worth."

Page 56 - Stars Up Close: OK, it's not Dierks, but our very own Alacia Satterfield, DBC rep from Utah is pictured with Miranda Lambert in the smoking gun pose!

Page 58 - Flashback: El Paso/Marty Robbins; OK, again, doesn't mention Dierks, but hey, Bentley's radio show, The Thread was all about this Grammy winner on 4/19, so it's relevant!

April 26
Page 7: Editor's Letter-Lisa Konicki urges readers to go behind the scenes with Dierks to look at what it takes to make a radio show happen.

Page 12: The Hot List-Dierks was scheduled to perform at...Dow Live Earth Run for Water on April 18...(but had to cancel to perform on the ACM Awards show).

Page 38-40: Golden Threads-Dierks Bentley ties together his love of bluegrass, country and folk music with a radio show, a tour and a new album; major DB love here! Learned at least on thing I didn't know...that this radio gig is only for a year. Favorite quote:

"A lot of times I'll be on stage at a concert and I'll get off on some tangent and the guys in my band will be like, 'Dude, just sing the song. Stop talking and start singing.' They give me grief."

Be sure to pick up this issue and read the article to find out who Dierks is planning to have on his radio show for future episodes.

Page 56: Stars Up Close-Delighted by Dierks Laura Rayer, Dexter MI, is a member of the fan club and shares her Battle Creek, Michigan Meet and Greet picture with Dierks.

May 3
Page 9: Dierks Previews Ridge Album- Read what he saw out the window when he was recording his bluegrass version of U2's "Pride."

Page 52: What I'm Listening To-Check out the diverse lists of artists our DB Congress president likes!

Page 57: countryweekly.com ad-OK not a story, but DB's pic is at the top!

So there you have it, folks! Lots of DB love from Country Weekly! Now, it's our turn to show the love to CW. Email them with lots of thank you from DB Congress love! Oh, and don't forget, subscription service is back!

THE THREAD TIES MARTY ROBBINS TO DIERKS

Marty Robbins was born in Maricopa County, Arizona, only a few miles from where Dierks Bentley is from. It was only natural for Dierks to dedicate an hour of music on April 19, 2010, to and about another home town boy that successfully made his county music journey to Nashville.

Marty had a TV show on KPHO in Phoenix where he and Little Jimmy Dickens became friends which led to Marty's record deal. Dierks shared that his mom played "Devil Woman" a lot in his house growing up.

"The fact that Marty was from Arizona always made me feel a close connection to him."

Marty was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was well known for his performances at the Opry, especially his habit of walking over and manually moving the clock back to 11:45, when they were supposed to be off the stage by midnight. He was a real renegade.

According to Eddie Stubbs, Marty would go out in front of the Grand Ole Opry House and sign autographs. Marty was also a NASCAR driver. He always tried to get on early for the Opry so he could run out to the track and race the same night.

Marty had a wide range of music and styles, and especially the western sound (as in El Paso). "For me being from the west, once it's in your bones it's kinda hard to get that out of it," Dierks said.

Partial Play List:
-Devil Woman
-I'll Go On, (First hit in 1952; a little Hank Williams sounding)
-White Sport Coat (and a pink carnation)
-Big Iron
-Cowboy in a Continental Suit
-Ruby Ann
-El Paso (#1 in 1960)
-El Paso City
-Singing The Blues (Dierks' fav!)
-Knee Deep In The Blues (An Elvis-type delivery)
-Don't Worry (#1 in '61; session guitar player Grady Martin created the fuzz affect by accident from this song)
-The Girl With Gardenias In Her Hair
-My Woman, My Woman, My Life (he won a Grammy for this one, dedicated to his wife of 22 years!)



Two of Marty's greatest accomplishments include becoming a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982 and being named Artist of the Decade by the Academey of Country Music.

Log on to dierksfans.com and go to the Audio section of the message board for instructions to get a link to the audio copy of The Thread radio show.

================

Coming up this Monday 4/26/10, on The Thread: Keith Whitley has been a huge influence on Dierks and his music. Listen in to hear Dierks pick select Keith Whitley songs and talk about Keith's life in song.

Dierks Bentley hosts The Thread on 650 AM WSM radio every Monday at 2pm CST. You can listen online at wsmonline.com.

UPCOMING TOPICS ON DIERKS BENTLEY'S RADIO SHOW: THE THREAD

Imagine my surprise at getting a Facebook friend request from Dierks Bentley's radio show producer, Shannon McCombs. So, being the friendly person that I am, I accepted and sent a quick email in response:

"I heard/saw you on CMT Insider today! I'm sure you know from my profile that I am a HUGE DB supporter. I love his radio show and post a blog every week about it on dbcongress.com! I know it's pre-recorded, but sure wish there was a way to let fans call in! Thanks for helping make the show great!"

Never dreamed I'd get a reply, but sure enough:

"Thank you, Ronna. At some point if time permits, we want to do some "live shows", if that happens, you can bet the phones will be wide open! You do a really nice job with the blog and thank you for the mention, very sweet of you. With this new cd coming up - you are going to hear it on this show...definitely.

I am so impressed with Dierks. I've known him for years and anytime I've interviewed him, we would always talk about the legends of country music. He has a great knowledge of country music and truely loves it. He's inspiring to work with. (and you can quote me on that!)"

I believe I just did!

Shannon went on to tell me that she gives a description of the upcoming show to dierks.com every week, and wsmonline.com also posts what's coming up in future weeks. So I checked it out! Coming up this Monday, 4/19 is Marty Robbins, and the following week is one of my favorites, Keith Whitley!
Be sure to listen every Monday to Dierks' radio show, The Thread on WSM 650.

DIERKS' THIRD 'THREAD' IS 'PRICELESS'

This week, Dierks Bentley's WSM radio show was "Priceless," as in legendary Country Music Hall of Famer Ray Price. "We're gonna do a whole show on Ray Price's music and his influence on me and a lot of my contemporaries." Dierks says.

The Thread is stringing us along, from DB's Station Inn roots, to his Lower Broadway antics and now the third show in the series demonstrates how the history of country music legends are all connected.

Although Lot of Leavin' Left To Do began the hour, it was the only Bentley-penned song played. Instead, Dierks took us for a ride in Ray's old buick, showcasing a lot of the songwriters that had hits with Ray Price, from 1956 forward. Like Crazy Arms, You Done Me Wrong (George Jones and Ray Price co-wrote), and a Bill Anderson penned tune--City Lights.

Bentley played Invitation To The Blues written by Roger Miller, matter -of-factly letting us know the song peaked at #3, but it just goes to show you don't need a #1 hit to have a big hit.

A natural story teller, he goes on to outline Ray Price's 1953 band - The Cherokee Cowboys. Who knew Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Paycheck were all in one band! What a treat for the 1950's audiences!

Dierks reminded us that even though we're all used to hearing Crazy sang by Patsy Cline, (a big hit in 1962 for her), that Ray Price recut it in 1967; his version only went to #73 but the cool piece of trivia is that Willie Nelson wrote it.

One of Bentley's favorite singer/songwriter's of all time, Kris Kristofferson wrote, For The Good Times, and it won Price a Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performance. The song went #1 in 1970.

Next on the Price play list is The Lonesomest Lonesome, written by Mac Davis. "I love the word lonesome," Dierks admits. For those of us who are lucky enough to own his 2001 independent album, "Don't Leave Me In Love," that word - lonesome - is laced between every other lyric on the CD!

Ray Price has had 109 charting singles in his career and might have a few more in him! He's one of our true icons, still singing on the Opry stage! Dierks obviously has a lot of respect for the great Ray Price.

This week's episode of THE THREAD, presented by Dierks Bentley, is now available for download from the audio archive on the Dierks Fans Message board. You will need to be registered to access this free audio. The show has been edited to remove advertising and lasts 48 minutes.

DIERKS BENTLEY RADIO SHOW #2

Dierks Bentley continued his one hour Monday radio show, The Thread, on WSM AM 650 today, starting out his second week with "Country Road," his rockin' version of the Barbara Mandrell classic. The theme this week is Lower Broadway (Nashville, Tennessee) and BR549, circa 1995-1997, when Dierks first moved to town.

"I was wandering around Lower Broadway at 19, and hearing all these guys truly influenced me. BR549...one of the great bands...got their start on Lower Broadway like so many of us did, I was in the crowd myself, absorbing all that great music."

Partial play list:

~BR549, The Honky Tonk Song
~Merle Haggard, Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down
~Faron Young, Live Fast, Love Hard, Die Young
~Ray Price, Heartaches By The Numbers
~Hank Snow, I'm Moving On
~Hank William, Honky Tonk Blues
~Johnny Paycheck, A-11
~George Jones, White Lightning
~Jamie Hartford, Somebody Gonna Pay
~Webb Pierce, There Stands The Glass
~Gene Watson, Fourteen Carat Mind

Dierks says he's "having a blast hosting this show, on the air castle of the south," and weaved in some terrific trivia about the great singers that influenced him during the mid 90's on Lower Broadway.

~The Louvin Brothers, Cash on the Barrelhead. "Loved that song...sang it a bunch of times when I put together my own band," remembers Dierks. "They're one of my favorite bands."

~Marty Robbins, Singing The Blues. Dierks told us Marty was from Arizona (same as Dierks), and knowing a guy had made it in Nashville who also came from Arizona gave him faith.

"Reminiscing helps me move forward in the music that I'm making...been in the studio a bunch recently working on a new country/bluegrassy kind of thing I think you guys are gonna dig and we'll get that out to you as soon as possible, maybe even play a few tracks on our new show here."

You can hear and download The Thread from the Audio/Video section on dierksfans.com.

Be sure to tune in again next Monday, to hear Dierks and part two to the whole Lower Broadway discussion.

DIERKS AUDIO PREVIEW: 'THE THREAD'

Wanna hear a preview of what Dierks' new radio show titled, 'The Thread' on WSM might sound like? Click on this link and listen as Dierks 'ties it all together' with a feature from his old stomping grounds at The Station Inn.


*Thanks Meg for a great find!