Bentley's Back! Thanks Fans for Support After Dad's Passing

Only a week after his dad's death, Dierks Bentley is right back where he is the most at home--on stage.

Photo Courtesy of the CMA

Saturday, June 9 in Detroit at the annual Hoedown, Dierks dedicated "My Last Name" to his dad.  I don't know how he held it together to get through it, but he did! When he finished, he said, "thank you, that was for my dad...thanks dad (as he appeared to wipe tears away) ...and this next one's for Detroit (Line No. 7)":




CBS Local, Kurt Wolff, had this to say:

"It was the sound of letting go–the powerful feeling of a human being who has felt loss, yet was now ready to step back into the world and cut loose. Dierks Bentley, who lost his father only a week ago, chose Detroit’s WYCD Downtown Hoedown as his moment to return to the public eye, and the stage–and to turn all that emotion into something positive.

And what the fans got last night was a truly rousing performance from one of country music’s most engaging performers.

Low-key in person, and even during interviews (he spoke with WYCD’s Steve Grunwald backstage before his performance), it’s a surprise to see how engaging and fiery a performer Dierks can be when he gets in front of a rowdy crowd."

Read the rest of what he said about Dierks here.

Dierks thanked his fans after the show in Detroit on Twitter: “good to be back. thank you detroit… much needed. thanks for bringing it tonight.”

After Detroit, it was back to his home state of Tennessee, to perform at the CMA Music Fest LP Field stage in Nashville on Sunday, followed by The Grand Ole Opry on Tuesday night--a fill in at the last minute for Charlie Daniels.

What goes around comes around.  Big and Rich filled in for Dierks after the Washington Nationals game June 2 so Dierks could be with his family at this sad time in his life.

It's just like Dierks to show appreciation to his fans, During CMA Fest, he said:

"It was really something I was looking forward to. Good medicine. It's what I needed. The second I got out there, I felt great... All these people I don’t know reaching out in so many great ways."

And his fans have shown their love and appreciation for him.  I have personally witnessed dozens of fans send donations to Hospice, who cared for Leon Bentley in his final days, in support of their favorite artist.  For more info on how to donate click here, or send condolence cards to Dierks at:

Dierks Bentley, c/o The Green Room PR 

PO Box 331474, Nashville, TN, 37203

When we're all alone, or in a crowd, in a quiet place or where music's loud...that's how you know we're thinking of you!  We're always thinking of you, Dierks!

Welcome back, Mr. President!

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair (FL)

Canada DBC Rep Meets DB in Windsor

Tania Pomerleau joined the Dierks Bentley Congress (fan club) a little over a year ago and immediately requested to be a DBC rep and Lobbyist for Ontario, Canada. It was difficult to find Dierks CDs in the stores in the Great White North, so a couple of other DBC members sent her a few CDs to help complete her DB collection.

Tania had never been to any concert and she wanted Dierks to be her first. She had never met Dierks either, but here she was promoting him daily through the DBC! Her luck was yet again challenged when the DB Tour date was announced for October 22 in Windsor, Ontario. Tania had issues with logging in to dierks.com and her fan club membership to request a Meet and Greet. Another fan-clubber came to her rescue and she was finally able to login and apply.

Her luck was about to change. She won her first Meet and Greet!

"I had a great first concert experience last night. My friend and I got there and waited to get into the meet and greet. I almost lost my M&G pass just before going in, but I found it stuck to my Dierks Bentley poster, thank God!

I had made a special T-shirt to wear for the night since I hadn't received my DBC shirt yet. He said he really liked it, and I got him to sign it for me as well as the special 18 x 24 inch poster I had made. The poster was done on the back of another poster because I didn't have poster board, so Dierks asked who the other band was.

Dierks was a sweetheart, I'm so glad I was able to meet him! Dierks played my favorite song, 'Free & Easy.' This song has been my theme song for the last five years helping me through hard times. I loved watching him play on that stage--he was so much fun! I've now caught the concert bug! I had a smile on my face the whole night. So glad Dierks' concert was my first!"

Another DBC rep, Stacy Baker from Michigan, also had a M&G with Dierks that night--her second time meeting him. "It was such a great concert. I had front row so I was at the stage the whole time. I'm having Dierks 'let down' now since I don't know when my next concert will be! My husband's friend took pictures for the local radio station at the concert. We were standing by him, so you can see we had an excellent view."

The photographer Stacy refers to is Steve Wiseman from one of our favorite radio stations: CBS Radio 99.5 WYCD in Detroit, Michigan! They are huge Dierks and DB Congress supporters! Below is just one sample of his work.

Steve shared his link to the all the photos he took that night at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor here.

DIERKS TALKS WITH WYCD

Dierks was in Detroit recently for the Downtown Hoedown and took a few minutes before the show to talk with Edwards & Lee! Listen in as he chats about shrinkage, his family and the recent flooding in Nashville.