This Monday, every mile will most certainly be a memory for
Cassidy Bentley as she tackles the prestigious Boston Marathon!
Wife to our president, Dierks Bentley, and mom to their
three adorable kids, Cass qualified for Boston for a second year—a winning
feat unto itself. To even enter this event, she needed to run 26.2 miles in
less than 3 hours and 45 minutes. (It’s clear to see why Dierks wrote Feel
That Fire!)
"I've taken a lot of pictures with [Dierks] over the years in full, professional hair and makeup... But when I see pictures of me after races, sweaty and spent and proud and smiling, I feel a wave of recognition of my true self."
As Taste of Country said, she’s absolutely gorgeous, “but
her heart might be the most beautiful thing about her.” She’s not running Boston for the medal (well, not for only the medal); she’s doing it to raise awareness and support for
the Safe Haven Family Shelter in Nashville.
Cassidy (right) and Dierks (center) with the Safe Haven staff. Photo from Nashville Post.
"This year, I wanted to find a way to use my run to connect with people and help others," she said on her fundraising website. "I wanted to give it meaning beyond crossing the finish line or achieving a certain time (although I do want to do that, too!)."
Cass describes Safe Haven as an organization that “keeps families
who are homeless together, provides them with shelter and eventually permanent
housing along with the therapy, support and training needed to gain
self-sufficiency and rebuild their lives.”
Well, that’s a cause all of us can stand behind, even if we
can’t run for it.
So she’s taken to the streets (and the treadmill!) to run in
their honor.
And the donations have been pouring in ever since. In fact, she's raised $18,485 in the last six weeks. A couple familiar donations listed on her page include gifts from Nicole Kidman, Bobble Bones, Sheryl Crow (who performed with Dierks at Legends last week) and, ahem, a rather large gift from Doug Douglason (Dierks' Hot Country Knights alias, anyone?)! You, too, can still donate to Safe Haven for another four days!
The Bentley’s support of Safe Haven is years in the making. Dierks' notable “Riser” music video even featured a family whose life was changed
through the support of this shelter.
“I’ve seen up close the incredibly important, desperately
needed, inspiring work they do,” Cass said. “I’m thrilled to be running in
their honor and in honor of present and future families who need Safe Haven.”
What started 11 years ago as jogging a couple miles to
pass the time while her husband was on the road has turned into a notable
running career that has the power to positively influence countless families.
Dierks and the kids are known for their unwavering support of
Cass while she runs (though their daughter Jordan fully believes her mom should focus on winning). With signs, photos, and cheers to carry her along (and the
thousands of comments she’s received through her Instagram and Facebook pages),
she knows she’s not alone in this run.
The Bentley girls at mile 15 at Cassidy's first Boston Marathon in 2014
“I’m so proud of Cassidy and it’s so fun watching her get ready for this race,” Dierks said in a recent article. “It takes months and months of preparation and determination to pull this off.”
The only question we have now is: Does she listen to Dierks on her running playlist?
Enjoy the journey this Monday, Cass! The DB Congress is running with you!
You can join Cassidy in supporting Safe Haven by clicking here.
Also running Boston again this year is DB Congress member Nancy Eaton! She also has an incredible story full of overcoming tragedy. Read
more about her story here.
Dierks Bentley kicked off the summer of 2015 with a hot start, and we're not just talking about the weather. Fans in the front could literally "feel" that fire, when Dierks turned up the heat with his new Sounds Of Summer Tour in Raleigh, NC Friday night. (Photo credit: Meredith Mauer)
Want an up close and personal experience with Dierks? The VIP option he is offering fans on the Sounds of Summer tour is something special. During check in for the Sounds of Summer VIP Experience Tailgate Party, fans were given guitar pick-shaped VIP lanyards featuring Goldie Bus, a unique poster, a Sounds of Summer cooler and coozie, and a DB beer pong set!
"We were escorted into the venue early by our CID Entertainment hosts Jesse and Dani. They were both great and a lot of fun!" said Meredith Mauer. "The VIP area was set up with everything you need to tailgate, including corn hole, beer pong tables and food in case you got the munchies. The cash bar offered Ole Smokey Moonshine, a huge sponsor of Dierks!
At about 6:45, Dierks came out and entertained the VIP guests with three acoustic songs; I Hold On, Drunk on a Plane, and 5150. Everyone sang along, which Dierks loved! He was having a great time, and joked around with the crowd. After singing, he was kind enough to sign a lot of autographs before he left to prepare for his M&G session."
Showtime!
Changing up the set list, Dierks launched "Sideways" with a bang, sparks flying, followed by "Am I The Only One" and "5-1-5-0" before taking a breath. The energy in the Walnut Creek Amphitheater was electric, fans feeding on all five senses--every sight and sound, the smell of smoke, the taste of cold beer or Strawberrita and feeling the heat from the live flames! Can't you hear it comin' alive?
Ed Morris was the lucky fan who shot-gunned a beer, when Dierks invited him to the stage to be the next challenger for Dierks' undefeated record. Ed left a little in the can and Dierks jokingly told him to "get your ass outta here," a line from George Strait's movie, Pure Country.
Even the intro music to songs had a slightly different sound, keeping us hard core fans guessing at times which song he was about to sing!
The video imagery and lighting were fresh and new, just when we thought the Riser Tour could not be topped! Team Dierks is the most creative and talented crew, and their dedication to excellence was evident! They thought of every little detail. Kudos to Chris Reade, Jay Ballinger, Tom Addison, Carlos and all the crew!
The story behind "I Hold On" always puts a lump in my throat and Friday night was no exception. After telling us about his dad he said "he's watching tonight (from heaven)." He'd be so proud of you, Dierks!
"Tip It On Back" put everyone in the mood to sway and sing to the music and foreshadowed the 'fire' to come later.
So grab the girl you came with And set her world on fire And watch her sway and singing to the music Until it's all alright, yeah
Although many articles before the show stated "Every Mile A Memory" was left out of the set list, we were pleasantly surprised when he started singing it. It has special meaning to all of us who have traveled many miles and experienced dozens of Dierks shows over the past ten years! The video playing behind him as he sang flashed photos of being on tour and his kids. You'll see his 19-month old son, Knox, in the video behind him:
"Feel That Fire" was our signal to put on our fireman hats to match our DB Congress Pyro Patrol Little White Tank Tops. The look on Dierks' face when he saw us was priceless. He actually called the video guy over to film us and we apparently were on the giant video screen. Later, we gave him a hat, too, and he pointed at us and mouthed "pyro patrol" and laughed.
DB Congress Pyro Patrol: David Mattingly, Carrie Srebro, Ronna Clark,
Christy Rahall, Sandra Grubb, Meredith Mauer and Monica White
(Special thanks to Harriett Watkins for the idea and Mere for the design and iron on shirts!)
Of course, the Sounds of Summer Tour would not be complete without its namesake song in the set, along with a sing-a-long:
These are sounds goin' down in a nowhere town Underneath the wide open sky It's the dust in the air and the freedom everywhere Can't you hear it comin' alive?
Ascending slowly 10-20 feet above the stage, his deep gravely voice resonated Riser lyrics as if he wrote them himself, while birds flew by on the screen behind him. He's a fighter that's for sure. We are so proud of how much he has achieved in his career--slowly rising to his own successful headlining tours and selling out 22,000 plus!
He confirmed in the Meet and Greet "Riser" will be the next single. Make sure to start requesting that radio play it--releasing June 29. Best of luck to songwriters Travis Meadows and Steve Moakler--here's hoping radio will give Dierks his 14th number one--and 4th #1 single from the Riser album!
At one point, Dierks mentioned girls with tattoos of his songs, pointing to Sandra who has RISER and the thunderbird tattooed on her right forearm.
Opening act, Kip Moore, came back out to sing Lot of Leaving Left To Do and later Maddie & Tae and Canaan Smith helped out on Free and Easy, after which Dierks decided to crowd surf right behind us in the pit! "Sometimes you gotta lean on your crowd, y'all!" Dierks said afterward.
The lawn crowd was not to be left out. Dierks said he wasn't close enough to them so he started singing "Come A Little Closer" and walked out into the crowd to the B stage, hugging fans and posing for pictures along the way, never missing a note!
Dierks twirls Monica around for a dance
on Come A Little Closer - Happy birthday, Monica!
He lit up the amp with the patriotic "Home," although we had to explain to the security guard that Dierks wanted us to turn on the light on our phone. "It's a part of the song," Sandra told him--he didn't believe her until he saw 15,000 cell phones light up.
I gotta hand it to Dierks--he listens to and appreciates all kinds of music and keeps up with the Pop scene. He can easily turn any song into a country tune. Case in point, his bluegrass cover of Nick Jonas' "Chains"..."try to break the chains but the chains only break me..." was a real crowd-pleaser.
Another pleasant surprise was "Settle For A Slowdown" bluegrass style with Tim Sergent on the banjo and Dan Hochhalter on fiddle--what talent!
More fire came with "Up On The Ridge," the live flames keeping time with the music. It was HOT--literally--but musically as well! Makes you wonder why radio didn't get behind this smokin' single!
After "Say You Do," Dierks left the stage, as if he was done. But we all knew "What Was I Thinkin'"and "Drunk On A Plane" was still to come! During 'Drunk' he ran around the stage with his arms out, like a little kid flying an imaginary airplane. He has so much fun on the stage, its not just to entertain the fans. He genuinely enjoys it! And the fans go wild!
The guys in Dierks' band have some of the best vocals in the business and they are truly talented musicians, too! Dierks is blessed to have them on stage with him!
Brian Layson
Steve Misamore
Dan Hochhalter
Cassady Feasby
Tim Sergent on steel guitar
Canaan Smith opened the night at 7 pm to a half-filled venue and shared some songs from his recently released EP, Love You Like That, Two Lane Road, and 4 more. He even pulled out his own drum and played the heck out of it until he lost a drum stick and just grabbed another and kept on beating it! The fans who chose to skip his set really missed out! Before the gates opened, Canaan was nice enough to make a stop by the box office to meet fans and take pictures. Nice guy!
Maddie & Tae, nominated for three CMT Music Awards (airing Wed., June 10 at 8 pm EST), performed during Dierks' Meet and Greet so I missed them altogether, but Carrie's a big fan and said they were awesome! Here's their set list.
Kip Moore, whose new album, "Wild Ones" goes on sale August 21, was so charismatic, charming the crowd with his ten-song-set. The highlight was an inspiring acoustic of "Hey Pretty Girl" blended right into "Stand By Me." Killer voice. He had the audience competing left vs. right to see who could sing louder. He deserves way more recognition than he gets.
When it really was the end of the show, Dierks ran back to center stage, did a half somersault and landed flat on his back--spent. He truly did 'give it all he had to give,' to borrow a line in Ridge. But then again, he always does. That's why we always come back for more.
The final bow featured Steve Miller's "Jet Airliner" playing in the background, and Dierks never forgets to thank the fans, pointing to them one by one and slapping hands:
It's gonna be a hot summer, musically. If you don't have tickets yet, don't miss out! Go to dierks.com for the closest Sounds of Summer tour date to you! And don't forget to wear your fire protection gear!
Long before DB Congress had a presence on facebook and Twitter, dbcongress.com launched six years ago today! Happy anniversary to us!
On February 1, 2009, our welcome post proclaimed our mission: to actively campaign to make and keep Dierks Bentley #1! That remains our daily Dierks duty today, now with 802 DBC representatives in all 50 states and 12 countries, 1,112 facebook Likes and 4,349 Twitter followers!
With nearly half a million page views, dbcongress.com continues to spotlight not only all things Dierks, but special interviews with his band, songwriters and dedicated fans.
Six years ago, Feel That Fire was sitting at #4 and a week later Dierks released his Feel That Fire album, which debuted at #1. Since then he's released a Grammy-nominated Bluegrass album-Up On The Ridge, CMA-nominated Home, and the biggest album of his career so far--Grammy, CMA and ACM nominated Riser, a total of 12 #1 singles, 2 Platinum singles (I Hold On and Drunk On A Plane) and a CMA Video of the Year win for Drunk On A Plane.
Let's not forget all the sold out shows in 2014 for the Riser Tour!
And today, Dierks is performing the pre-game show in his hometown at the University of Phoenix Stadium before Super Bowl XLIX, part of which will be televised live as part of NBC's pregame show.
Each of you played an important part in that success, by promoting him daily, so keep up the great work! Remember, we "wierk" for FREE, Dierks makes it EASY!
It is my pleasure to serve as your Chair person! Together we 'hold on' and continue to promote our president to make and keep him #1!
During a break from rehearsing for the 2012 Country & Cold Cans Tour, the band held the First Annual "Feel That Fire Hot Wing Eating Competition." Take a look at DBTV, Episode 51 to see who came out on top. The winner cries afterward, "It hurts to breathe!" Let's hope he recovers quickly in case "Breathe You In" gets added to the set list!
The Franklin Volunteer Fire Department in Chambersburg, PA turned to Dierks Bentley when they needed a little help raising some money for their equipment fund. The idea to host a concert at the local high school football stadium came from a group of firefighters who also happen to be country music fans. They suggested that having Dierks in town would be a huge event, since many of the people in the rural town had never even attended a concert, let alone one so close to home.
Hopes were high when Dierks agreed to play at the fundraiser, but ticket sales were a bit underwhelming for the hosts. There were worries that there would not be enough tickets sold in order to earn money for the equipment fund. However, after last minute tickets were purchased, the stadium held a respectable number of fans and was a great success for the firefighters. The show even sparked the idea of holding regular concerts in Chambersburg because the locals had such a great time.
Fire company spokesperson Brad Elter guessed the turnout was about 3,000. The stadium holds 10,000 people. He said everything was running smoothly, with no major problems reported as of 9 p.m.
"We wish a few more tickets were sold, but that's evident of what we're trying to accomplish," he said. "The key thing is, we got blessed with great weather."
The main attraction began about 9:30 p.m. with the artist's 2008 hit single, Feel that Fire." Early in the show, Bentley gave special mention to the fire company hosting of the concert.
"Thanks for having me and the boys tonight," he said.
Beachballs bounced throughout the crowd as Bentley and the band played their new song, "Am I the Only One?" A red plastic cup in his hand, the singer leaned into the crowd and interacted with those dedicated fans who managed to secure a spot in the front row.
Jim Leaman of Fayetteville said it was "exciting to have such a popular singer" come to the area. A frequent concert goer, Leaman is used to venues that are packed with people to the point of discomfort. He was enjoying more freedom of movement Friday night.
"Yeah, I was expecting more people," he said. "It's their loss if they didn't come, though. It's a great show."
It definitely was a great show for a wonderful cause! Dierks mentioned during the show that firefighters are close to his heart because his sister worked as an EMT for many years. He went on to say that the heroes that protect us here at home don't often get the recognition they deserve. We all know that Dierks has a big heart, and it's great to see others discover that as well. Great job, D!
Steve Misamore has played drums for Dierks Bentley since the beginning. He says it's a dream job. Many DB fans might be surprised to know it was Steve who opened some industry doors for Dierks in 1999 that lead to the success he has today. You can hear Steve play drums on Feel That Fire from the same album name, and on Free and Easy (Down The Road I Go) on the Long Trip Alone record. Road Dawg Online interviewed Steve in the video below.
Road Dawg Online Interview with Steve Misamore (RoadDawg Online is an all-access pass to the world of touring drummers).
"Steve Misamore has been through it all with Dierks Bentley; from playing the bars in Nashville, to getting Dierks' demo CD to record execs, to packing sold-out arenas. In this RoadDawg interview, Steve dishes on his influences, his move to Nashville, the audition process and life on the road with Dierks."
(Pictured (L-R): Steve Moore (CMA CEO), Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Victoria Shaw (songwriter and Chair of CMA’s Community Outreach & Education Committee), Taylor Swift, Alan Jackson, and Gary Overton (CMA Board President).)
It was three cheers for three No. 1s at the annual CMA Songwriters Luncheon with the presentation of the CMA Triple Play Awards, which honor songwriters who pen three chart-topping hits in a 12 month period.
“This is an amazing accomplishment and we are very pleased to honor these talented songwriters, and songwriting artists, for their valued contribution to the format,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “These songwriters captivate fans with stories that sum up the heart and humor of everyday life. They give voice and context to the challenges and triumphs we all face. They each have a rare talent that is a gift for all of us to enjoy.”
The Triple Play Awards were presented at the Second Annual CMA Songwriters Luncheon, which was held at the Pinnacle at Symphony Place in Nashville and attended by several artist/songwriters including Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban in addition to hit tunesmiths from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, as well as songwriter members of CMA, NSAI, and representatives of some of the most successful publishers in Music City.
“The first day I moved to this town, I was 19 years old. I had no problem finding where the bars were but I had no idea how to get a boot into this community or how to get started, or anything. I got a job interning at CMA to try to figure out how to even begin to get moving. So this is really cool. I don’t take for granted anything that involves CMA.” -Dierks Bentley.
Dierks was one of many recipients of CMA’s Triple Play Award. He won for “Feel That Fire,” “Sideways,” and “I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes.”
First up, Dierks Bentley will perform Up On The Ridge on The Tonight Showwith Jay Leno, Tuesday night, April 27 at 11:30 pm eastern, on NBC. TweetJay and ask him to give Dierks some interview time!
In addition, DB's 'Feel That Fire' special from GACTV will re-air May 2, 2010 at 10 pm! So mark your calendars now!
Vote for Dierks Bentley in the Top Songs of the last 50 years survey and redeem your GAC Superfan points to enter win an acoustic guitar autographed by the man himself!
What Songs are YOUR FAVORITE? This Silver Dollar City Top Songs of the last 50 Years survey highlights some of the great country music songs in the past decades. Your vote will decide what songs are used in the special GAC Show at Echo Hollow in Silver Dollar City in Branson, MS.
Dierks is listed in survey question #7H-Free and Easy, and #9A,E Feel That Fire and Sideways.
Clickhereto vote now! You'll need to register, but it's free!
See if your votes put Dierks Bentley into the prestigious Top 50! Martina McBride hosts and special guests Trace Adkins, Chris Young, Jack Ingram, John Rich and more count down the best 50 videos of 2009!
I feel confident each of our 570 DB Congress Representatives voted daily, and ONLY voted for Feel That Fire, Sideways, and I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes. That was our best chance to get Dierks three spots on the list!
Tune in to see if your votes helped Dierks!
The countdown kicks off on tonight, Monday, December 28 at 8 p.m. ET. on GAC and runs through January 1. Tonight's show counts down #50-#38. Click here for all showtimes.
Amazon.com published their Bestselling MP3 Albums of 2009 and Dierks Bentley earned a #25 spot on the list of 100 for his Feel That Fire album. A favorite of Dierks', U2, topped the all-genre list. Other country artists include Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, and Jason Aldean later in the list at #62 and George Strait (#87).
