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 To Debut "Home" On WSM

Waiting not-so-patiently to hear every song in it's entirety on Dierks Bentley's new "Home" CD, instead of the mere 90 second preview on iTunes? Can't wait for the CD release date of February 7? Then tune in to 650am WSM radio on Thursday, February 2 at 2 pm central time!

You may recall that Dierks did a radio show last year on WSM called, "The Thread," produced by Shannon McCombs.  Shannon posted on facebook that she was editing a Dierks radio show--a special that our DB Congress president is hosting--where he will showcase his next CD (Home).

I know many of us DBC-ers will be in Nashville on that day to see DB that night at The Ryman, so be sure to tune in!  If you want to listen online, go to wsmonline.com!

Enjoy!

*The photo was found on facebook taken at the Country Music Hall of Fame about ten years ago.

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

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."

RANDY KOHRS TO DB CONGRESS: "CONSIDER ME ONE OF THE FOLD"

Three tracks on Dierks Bentley's new CD--Draw Me A Map, Bad Angel and Down In The Mine all have one thing in common. Any guesses? Yes, they are three of my favorites on the Up On The Ridge album, but they also all boast one common musician--singer, songwriter, musician, producer Randy Kohrs!

We've written about Randy before (remember when they had their instruments stolen?), but this time is different. He actually stumbled upon dbcongress.com and sent us an email!

"I was tracking chart positions and gathering reviews on my new CD and stumbled upon the site. Consider me one of the fold! I am proud to be on several of Dierks' CDs including the new bluegrass one too."

Wait--what? Randy Kohrs is emailing me? The same Randy Kohrs that plays the killer Tricone Dobro on Draw Me A Map, and the meticulous Metal Body Dobro on Bad Angel? And the same Randy Kohrs who has released six albums of his own!

"I am very lucky to have 6 CD’s out. My latest being “Quicksand.” In acoustic music the fanbase is much smaller so we sell thousands instead of millions on CD’s. It is easy to get lost in the sea of press from major artists."

His new CD, “Quicksand” was the most played CD on Sirius/XM last month (acoustic) and is steadily doing well. At week two of its release, it was on 5 different genre’s charts ranging from Bluegrass, Country, Blues, Americana and Gospel.

As if recording his own albums and gigging as a studio musician on many of Dierks's albums isn't enough, Randy Kohrs says his recording studio keeps him busy throughout the week. "I produce other artists like Jim Lauderdale and recently Blue Moon Rising, more than I travel anymore," he told me, although he did make two appearances at the CMA Music Fest.

Randy says he and Dierks have been good friends and played together at least once week way before Dierks ever signed a publishing deal and that he's glad to see Dierks doing well.

You can check out The Randy Kohrs Band on The Grand Ole Opry Friday night, June 25 (Randy's birthday!) Listen on line at wsmonline.com or 650 AM. Song samples are available on randykohrs.com. I can't wait to hear the entire Quicksand CD!

Oh, and next time you listen to Down In The Mine, think of Randy when you hear the sweet sound of the Weissenborn! That's him!

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!

BENTLEY ON THE RADIO MAY 3: LOWER BROADWAY PART 2 ON "THE THREAD"

Tune in Monday, May 3 for the second "The Thread" show dedicated to Lower Broadway in Nashville! Lower Broadway is its own history book, and Dierks has his own page! Dierks tells the story of when he and other now-famous artists started performing there. He will play some of the songs you'll hear blaring from honky tonks as you venture down the legendary street. Listen online at wsmonline.com.

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.

DIERKS BENTLEY'S BLUEBIRD CAFE MEMORIES

Now four weeks into his new radio show on WSM 650 AM, Dierks Bentley spent the hour yesterday recalling his ground zero experience. Calling the cafe 'hallowed ground', Bentley let his audience get to know the songwriters, artists and musicians who put The Bluebird Cafe on the map in Nashville, Tennessee.

The photo above is from the 25th anniversary at The Bluebird Cafe in 2007 with Dierks and his What Was I Thinkin' co-writer, Deric Ruttan.

After his own "My Last Name" played as a pre-show starter, DB put on Kathy Mattea's, "Goin' Gone" from in 1987, reminding us it became her first number one. After she got a record deal, 'the bird' became the place to play.

The Bluebird Cafe has launched several musical careers and become a hotspot for songwriters to hone and display their craft. Owner Amy Kurland lists the first Women in the Round show--whom Dierks raves about during the show--as one of the most memorable nights in the cafe's 25-year history.

The Bluebird Cafe's Original Women in the Round--Ashley Cleveland, Tricia Walker and Karen Staley became a part of Music City history when they performed in the first Women in the Round show at the world-famous Bluebird Cafe almost 20 years ago. The three singer/songwriters, who were joined by Pam Tillis for that Feb. 4, 1988, performance.

"Part of the first gang at the BB, Don Schlitz - wrote songs that changed the landscape," Dierks tells us. Like The Gambler by Kenny Rogers, that won CMA's Song of the Year in 1980, an ACM and a Grammy.

Thom Schuyler wrote over 200 cuts, and one of his biggest was Lacy J. Dalton's, 16th Avenue (god bless the boys who make the noise on 16th avenue).

Forever and Ever, Amen. "There's a song that had a huge influence on me. If you did not recognize that voice as Randy Travis, you're listening to the wrong radio station," jokes Dierks.

You Can't Stop Love -written by SKO in 1986; SKO = Tom Schulyer + Fred Knoblock + Paul Overstreet.

Dierks admits he drank about a thousand beers to this Hal Ketchum song, Small Town Saturday Night, written by Pat Alger. Pat also wrote many a song for Garth Brooks, like the classic and timelessThe Dance, written by Tony Arrada. "You can't talk about the Bluebird Cafe without talking about Garth," says Dierks. "Garth's first time walked in the door for an audition at the BB was June 6, 1987 and he passed his audition, performed, and was signed the next day by Capitol Records."

"I can remember waiting in a long line to try to get a showcase there, then you had to wait for this one particular date, then you waited about three hours to get on stage, then you sang and then they sent you a letter a couple weeks later to let you know if you passed your audition and set up a later date to come down there and perform for a lot of the folks on Music Row. It was kind of like 'Bluebird Idol.'" I passed my audition--of course I didn't go on to take over the rest of the world like Garth did, but I did have some success [laughs] stemmed from there myself."

Dierks picked out another particular Garth song that he says might have influenced his own, "What Was I Thinking," -- Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Down.

After spending the bulk of the show on the songwriters (my favorite part!) Dierks became modest as he remembered the artists to come out of 'The Bird.' "Not to talk about myself in the same category as Garth, but my first time playing the Bluebird was November 16, 1998. I was so nervous...I said I'd play before I turned 24--my birtday's on the 24th (it's actually the 20th, right?) - and I forced by self to go down there--4 days before. I was at least better than half the folks in there, so it gave me alot of confidence."

Dierks has a natural sense of humor, but got serious in a hurry when joking about a certain 13-year-old who hadn't sold many records after playing the Bluebird a few years back. So he offered to go and buy her album to help her out. All kidding aside, he's quick to point out that Taylor Swift has taken over the musical planet, before launching into "Tim McGraw," co-written by a fellow 'Bluebirder', Liz Rose.

After the songs, Dierks calls Taylor "the eighth wonder of the world."

I wanted to dedicate this show to the Bluebird and all the great folks that work down there, the history of that building and all the artists, songwriters and musicians.

Mentioning myriad musicians, Dierks ends the show with a feature of Jelly Roll Johnson's harmonica playing on Turn It Loose, by The judds.

This show has been my favorite so far! Nashville is one of my favorite cities and although I have visited Music City 100+ times, I have yet to set foot in the infamous Bluebird Cafe! Now I'm on a mission! This is the year!

Download the show from the audio archives on dierksfans.com!

I can't wait until next Monday at 2 pm central, to hear another country music history lesson, narrated by Dierks Bentley via, "The Thread!"

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 BENTLEY'S NEW 'THREAD' TIES ALL TYPES OF MUSIC TOGETHER

Dierks Bentley started a new venture today! The Legend 650 AM - WSM radio gave him his own show! For an hour every Monday, Dierks picks and grins (at least I could hear it in his voice!) and spins the songs and stories that deeply rooted him in the Nashville, Tennessee scene about 15 years ago.

"I'm so excited! I can't believe they let me take over the airwaves! Thanks for letting me take up an hour of your air time! I cannot believe they turned the controls over to me!"

If Bluegrass music makes your heart strings happy, then you won't want to miss this first show. Dierks talks proudly of his early days at The Station Inn (his favorite bar), where so many legendary Bluegrass musicians took him under their wing and taught him to love the genre. People like his favorite band, The Sidemen, a staple at The Station Inn. And Jason Carter. "Jason got me up to speed pretty quick on blugrass."

Yes, the experience every Tuesday night is where he got his daily dose of education and it left an indelible mark on his soul. So much so, that Dierks is now releasing a Bluegrass album this summer to pay homage.

You'll hear Dierks tell some trivia about Gene Wooten, "...a great friend in the Bluegrass community who's no longer with us." Dierks bought his first lawn mower from him for about $20. "He took me under his wing and taught me a lot about Bluegrass."

Dierks features The Grascals, Ronnie McCoury, Rob McCoury, Mike Bubb, Mike Compton, Flatt and Scruggs, Jimmy Campbell, Terry Eldgridge, Jimmy Martin, and George Jones - the greatest country singer of all time as far as Dierks is concerned - singing "Why Baby, Why."

The reason for calling the show The Thread, Dierks says, is to play all types of music each week -- Texas, Oklahoma, Americana, Country, and Bluegrass, showing us the common points between all these types of music. You can take a Bluegrass band with the fiddle, dobros, mandolins, banjos and still play 'Country' music.

The show ended with the father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe.

Ring the bell! Ring the bell! I'm ringing the virtual bell for Bentley! (Listen to show and you'll know what that means!)

Thanks to Nid and dierksfans.com for the audio archive.

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!

DJ DIERKS TO HOST WEEKLY WSM RADIO SHOW!

Dierks Bentley will host a one-hour weekly radio show for 650 WSM AM beginning March 15. Every Monday at 2 pm central, Dierks will kick off a series of new midday shows hosted by award-winning artists. The three weekly one-hour shows hosted by Dierks, Pam Tillis and Jim Lauderdale will air Monday through Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT. The shows can also be heard online at www.wsmonline.com or as podcasts via iTunes.

CMA award-winner Bentley leads off on Mondays with his show "The Thread." Here's what Dierks had to say about his new DJ responsibilities:

"650 AM WSM is a country music institution...I can't believe they are turning the controls over to me for an hour every week...it's the most fun I've had in a long time. Putting this radio show together is the most fun I’ve had in a long long time. I named it ‘The Thread' because it's my chance to go back to all the music that influenced me...it’s the artists and songs that tie us all together as a genre. I get to pick the music, tell stories and do just about whatever I want with that hour...it’s anything goes."

"We look forward to having these diverse artists as part of the station line-up," WSM Operations Manager Joe Limardi said. "It'll be exciting to listen to them taking their turn on the other side of the microphone, stepping into the shoes of renowned station DJs that have filled the airwaves for 85 years. WSM continues to be on the cutting edge of programming like no other radio station in the country through digital media and an expanded playlist to encompass 'all things country.'"

650 AM WSM's first official broadcast day was October 5, 1925. The station is the radio home of the Grand Ole Opry, which has been broadcast live over the airwaves since its inception. WSM can be picked up in 38 states on 650 AM and worldwide on www.wsmonline.com.

DIERKS ON TUES. NIGHT OPRY

Mark your calendars! Dierks will be performing on the Tuesday Night Opry July 7 and July 21.


Check out opry.com for all The Grand Ole Opry news, and enter to win a trip to Nashville! Enter daily through August 7.


Can't make it to the show? There's more than one way to experience the Opry!

Television - Opry Live
Watch Opry Live each week on Great American Country (GAC) to see performances from your favorite country artists! Click here to see what's on Opry Live this week.


Radio & Online Webcast - 650 AM WSM
Tune your radio dial to 650 AM WSM to hear full, unedited broadcasts of every Opry show. WSM has broadcast the Opry since its inception and today can be heard in more than 30 states, as well as parts of Canada. Visit wsmonline.com to listen to a live online stream, and never miss another amazing moment at the Grand Ole Opry. Find out more about WSM 650 AM by clicking here.

Syndicated Radio Show - America's Opry Weekend
Tune into America's Opry Weekend on your local radio station and hear the hits from today's hottest stars, including incredible performances recorded live on the Opry stage. Click here to find out more about America's Opry Weekend.

SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio - Grand Ole Opry on SIRIUS XM
SIRIUS XM Radio is the exclusive satellite radio home of the Grand Ole Opry, featuring weekly broadcasts, performance archives, and more! Enjoy the Grand Ole Opry on The Roadhouse – SIRIUS channel 62 and XM channel 10 every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday night.
Plus, LIVE Opry broadcasts air each week on Nashville! – XM channel 11! For more information and to sign up for a FREE 3-DAY TRIAL listen, click here.


Internet Video - Opry Live on YouTube
Check out Opry features on YouTube! Check out Opry performances, interviews, and special moments from country legends and hot new artists. Visit the Opry Live YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/oprylive.

DIERKS MAKES A NIGHT OF IT

The next best thing to being there in person, is listening to The Grand Ole Opry live via wsmonline.com. The longest running radio broadcast (since 1925), the Opry morphed into an iconic live entertainment experience, dedicated to honoring country music’s rich history and dynamic present.

It's even sweeter when GOO Member Dierks Bentley is on the line up! Tuesday night Opry was such a night, and a few of us DB Congress reps were listening online and chatting on dierks.com when the one and only Eddie Stubbs, an announcer on WSM’s Grand Ole Opry, and evening DJ on 650 AM WSM, introduced our prez: "It's a treat to have this young man with us tonight...he wanted to be a part of the Opry family so bad he could taste it!"

Dierks began his set with Free and Easy 1,2,3,4! And it was obvious the feeling was mutual, because Dierks plugged in "Eddie Stubbs is rockin' on the radio" in place of the normal lyric. ...someday I know it's gonna take me home...I could just picture him pointing to the sky! Love that banjo, Tim!

Next up, Feel That Fire. Perfect! So Steph, David, Debbie and I tried to guess what the third song would be (hoping there would be a third song), Sideways, Better Believer, Beautiful World....nope! He launched into Lot of Leavin' Left To Do, right after introducing the guys. I was really impressed that this time he actually said their names slow and clear enough to understand.

Right before LLLTD, Dierks told a story of staying out late after the Brad concert and coming home, having to kick in the doggie door. Really funny.

And then at the end of the Opry show, Eddie said Dierks was gonna join him in a few minutes in the WSM studio (next door to the Opry House in the Gaylord Opryland hotel). So we stayed online and cotinued to listen, and Dierks came in! He was there with Eddie for over two hours talking and playing most of the songs from the new CD! (Little Heartwrecker, I Can't Forget Her, You Hold Me Together, Better Believer, Last Call, Feel That Fire, I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes and Beautiful World).

Dierks talked about each song, and said FTF was written as a heads up to all the guys to know what makes a girl want to feel that fire.

When they played Beautiful World, Dierks said if there was just one song he would want to be known/remembered for, that would be it. So they asked listeners to call in and comment on the song. David called in to tell them he loved BW! They said they would pass it on to Dierks, and they actually said on the air, "this guy called from Louisville, KY, couldn't even wait for the song to be over to let you know how much he loves the song." So then I called and it rang again and again and again and again and again (sorry, I type in Dierks lyrical rhythm), then they picked up and I said "I'm calling to comment on Beautiful World," ok, hold on--click. So I'm on hold forever--really thought about hanging up, when they came back on the line.

ME: Hi, This is Ronna, from Tampa, Florida.

DB: Hey, this is Dierks!

ME: You're kidding?! They've got you on the phones?

DB: Yeah, so how ya doin?

ME: Great! We just listened to you on the Opry, you guys sounded great! We are so proud of you!

DB: Thanks! So what do you think of Beautiful World?

ME: You know I love that song...

DB: So do you think between 'close your eyes' and BW, which one should be the next single?

ME: I love both, but I think close your eyes has a better chance of making it to #1 on radio.

DB: I know, that's the cold hard truth (*he said disappointedly).
(*I felt bad, cos he had just said on the air that he wanted to be remembered for that song).

ME: I was at the March 14 Nashville/Brad concert--but up in the stands...you know I am used to being down on the floor by the stage.

DB: So how did we sound up there?

ME: Awesome!

DB: Well I gotta get back on the air, tell everyone I said Hi!

ME: I will!

OK, so after that, I did not wanna close my eyes! Was I dreaming?
ME: Honey, I just talked to Dierks on the phone!
Hubby: I know, I heard you. I told you he was a good guy!

And still tonight as I write this--nearly 24 hours later, Eddie Stubbs continues to show so much admiration for Dierks on his radio show: "We are so blessed to have artists like Dierks come by and spend their time with us...he was here for 2 hours last night...talking about his new album, and to get somebody of his stature in this day in time to give up his time...with wife and 6-month old daughter waiting at home, that speaks volumes."

Yes it does!