DB Congress Exclusive Interview: Catching Up With Fiddlin' Dan!

photo credit: Carrie Srebro

Our last interview with Dierks Bentley's fiddle player, Dan Hochhalter, was in 2010, a month after he joined Team Dierks. Dan graciously agreed to play catch up with us and answer a few questions, in between the busy Riser release activities.

Dan tells us about his favorite song to sing live, what he's learned from Dierks and what Dierks has learned from him, he reveals the songs on the Riser album that he played on, and much more.

The fiddle is your main instrument—thus the nickname “Fiddlin’ Dan.”  But you also play some guitar, mandolin, banjo and ganjo (6-string banjo).  We noticed Dierks is trying to learn the banjo—what lessons are you teaching him?

Honestly, Dierks and I both started learning the 5-string banjo around the same time. I was visiting my family up in Minnesota a few summers ago, and a friend of mine had a banjo that he wanted me to take back to Nashville and get appraised. So I took his banjo back to Nashville with me and soon found myself messing around with it at home and on the bus. I think it piqued everyone's curiosity because after a few days, Dierks, Steve [Misamore, drummer], and I all were learning how to play. So, I don't know if there are any banjo lessons that I've been able to teach Dierks (or anyone!), but Tim [Sergent, steel guitar, banjo] has taught all of us a lot since he's played the banjo his whole life.

You recently posted a photo of your guitar you’ve had since you were 16 years old.  In fact, it made its Grand Ole Opry debut on February 7th! That’s amazing you still have it!  Talk about how you came to acquire it, and how did it feel playing it on the Opry for the first time?

When I was 16, I bought the guitar that you are referring to. I already had a cheap acoustic that I'd had for a year or two and wanted to get an electric guitar, so I used money that I had saved from working my summer job (construction) and doing gigs with local bands to buy it. It's an interesting instrument because Fender only made the model I wound up buying for a few years. It's an American Standard Deluxe Telecaster with two Tele pickups and a Strat pickup in the middle. Some of the first songs I learned how to play were classic country songs, so playing that guitar on the same stage where a lot of those songs were probably performed for the first time was a really cool experience.

You are playing fiddle and banjo on Dierks’ newest album, Riser.  You and the rest of the band also played/sang on the EP Country & Cold Cans.  One song on both is Back Porch.  Are there more songs on Riser that you play on?

As you know by now, "Back Porch" was re-recorded for the Riser album. But for whatever reason, they decided to keep my banjo part from the original version and put it on the new version. Brian Layson played all new solos for the Riser version as well (guitar, resonator mandolin, and ganjo). The other song that I got to play on was "Drunk On A Plane," and for that one I played fiddle.

On tour with Dierks, you’ve played on every kind of stage from live crowds in dive bars to the nationally televised Grammy Awards.  Tell us about your most memorable experience from both ends of the spectrum.

It'll be hard to top the Grammy Awards. There is just so much history and credibility associated with the Grammys, so it was a huge honor to be a part of the show. I hope that we represented Nashville well.

On the other end of the spectrum, a few years ago we played a festival in College Station, TX. The crowd was drunk, loud and crazy...so much so that they were throwing everything and anything up on the stage at all of the bands. Shirts, boots, beer cans, you name it. Normally when someone throws a full can of beer at the stage, it's a sign that the show isn't so good, but apparently it's considered a compliment at this particular festival...at least that's what we were told.

Tell us about your favorite music video experience?  We were especially impressed with your portrayal of “Ray had a date with his wife” in “Am I The Only One?”

I don't know if there was much to be "impressed" with regarding my acting skills, but I appreciate the kind words! The "Am I The Only One" video was definitely a fun one, as was the shoot for "5-1-5-0." We shot that one down in Georgia and had a blast hanging with the locals and jumping (getting pushed) into the mud pits. Outside of Dierks' videos, another fun one that I was a part of was Gretchen WIlson's "California Girls" video. That one was shot on the beach in Santa Monica, CA. It was a really fun video to shoot because we basically got to spend the day hanging out on the beach and playing carnival games on the pier. Not a bad day at the office!

You’ve had the opportunity to meet and play on stage with many music legends while touring with Dierks.  Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, Joe Walsh, Bon Jovi, and most recently OneRepublic during CMT Crossroads, which aired in mid-March.  Who were you the most impressed to meet and why?

Meeting Mike McCready was so awesome for me. Pearl Jam's "Ten" album was the very first cassette tape I ever purchased as a kid back in 1991, and then a few years later I bought it again on CD. I've been a fan of theirs from the beginning, so getting to meet him and share the stage with him was amazing.

You were recently a spectator in the audience when Dierks performed his Up On The Ridge set at The Station Inn.  Did that make you feel anxious to be up on stage with him or relieved that you had a night off to relax and enjoy from the audience point of view?

It's really fun for me to sit in the audience once in a while, and I love hearing Dierks sing some bluegrass. He does a great job, and the musicians he had onstage with him that night were truly world-class.

If you could not do music for a living, what would you be doing?

That is really difficult to say. Growing up, I always fantasized about someday making a living playing music. I still pinch myself from time to time because I am so lucky to do what I do. But if not music, I probably would have found my way into the math/science world. Maybe I would have become an engineer or somehow gotten involved in finance. I've always enjoyed math and problem-solving (nerd!), so I could see myself enjoying that.

What is your favorite song to perform live?

Now that Dierks' new record is out, I love playing "Riser" every night. It's such a powerful and well-written song, and it's an easy one to get lost in.

What have you learned from Dierks and what would he say he has he learned from you?

I have learned so much from Dierks. He's the hardest working artist I've ever worked with, and I am inspired by his constant drive. He's never satisfied with "good enough" and is always striving to make the show as good as it can be. That kind of work ethic is contagious.

As far as what he's learned from me, I have no idea...maybe how to quickly run up all of the stairs at Red Rocks? Or how to score more goals in Xbox hockey?



Thanks, Dan! We'll see you on the road on the Riser Tour this summer! 

Dierks Bentley's CMT Unplugged Performance to Debut May 29

Dierks Bentley's gravelly voice is distinctive even with full-blown electric.  But in "CMT's Unplugged" special, his impassioned vocal shines even brighter, with acoustic instrumentation and his band of brothers complimenting him beautifully--Dan Hochhalter's fiddle, Steve Misamore on the snare, Tim Sergent on the banjo, Cassady Feasby on guitar, Brian Layson playing dobro, and of course Dierks on his trusty Martin.

“I love breaking my songs back down to their original acoustic foundation. When I write these songs by myself or with friends, we just use acoustic guitars… so, it’s fun to sometimes go back to just the simple groove and idea you had to begin with.”

During the acoustic set, Dierks sings a few of his own hits like, "Am I The Only One,” “Up On The Ridge,” “Home,” and current single already at #13 on Mediabase, “5-1-5-0.”   But the standout song might be his poignant interpretation of Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain.” See video below.

Of the Adele cover, CMT.com says, "His signature vocals capture the remorseful tone of the song... Some covers come across like a cheap gimmick, but he shows how a great song in the hands of a great artist becomes a classic."

A few DB Congress reps were on set the day they taped the show, like Emily Morgan from Tennessee.

Dierks & Emily, 2-2-12, The Ryman

The taping was Wednesday, April 25 at the CMT studios in downtown Nashville.  The casting call for the audience was 7:45 a.m. and around 9 they were taken into the performance room. Dierks and the band  came in about 10, and the show lasted until 12:30.

"There were only about 35 people total, sitting on stools around the stage,"  Emily tells us. "Several stand-out moments come to mind.  One was when the stage manager was giving Dierks a Red Bull since it was 10 o'clock in the morning; we all needed a pick me up, so the first song was "Am I The Only One," to get the crowd going.  The band was making up lines fitting for breakfast like, 'it was Wednesday in the a.m.,' (vs. Friday in the p.m.)

They probably did 6-8 songs all at least twice to get the right sound.  Dan's fiddle playing was amazing! He is always great, but it may have been given that it was acoustic where you can focus on voices and instruments more directly, but especially on "Home."  He put chills down me and it may have been because I was sitting closely to the right of Dan, so I could hear it better.

"I know its already shown (really wish CMT would have waited on that surprise for the actual airing), but the Adele cover was last and he did it three times.  For me, he could have sang that all.day.long! Incredible! Then as a backup (in case the Adele cover didn't work) they sang "Pride."  Cassady's vocals were great as usual.

After the taping, Dierks took off his jacket while talking to Janet and me, showing us the mark his jacket had made on his arm from being too tight."

The show will debut exclusively on CMT.com Tuesday, May 29 at 1 pm/CT.

The episode will also air as a half-hour special Saturday, June 2 at 8 pm/CT on Palladia; Monday, June 25 at 9 pm/CT on CMT and CMT PURE. Fans of CMT’s Facebook page will be able to see the episode in a dedicated tab starting Tuesday, May 29.

Happy Birthday to The Hawk!

The DB Congress extends warm birthday wishes to everyone's favorite fiddle player, Dan Hochhalter!

We all got a glimpse of Dan's incredibly adorable birthday cake via twitter today.

Tweeted by Dan:  "Birthday cake from the one and only @mrshochhalter...good stuff!"

Tweeted by Dierks:  "It's @fiddlindan bday today. check out this cake...!" 

Happy birthday, Hawk!  We hope you have a fabulous day with many more to come!

~Amy
DBC Rep, Delaware

Watch Dierks & Dan 'Draw Me A Map' Video

Watch Dierks Bentley and Fiddlin' Dan Hochhalter, featured in this Yahoo music video: "Draw Me A Map: Ram Country Exclusive." The video was filmed at the South Coast Winery in Temecula, California.

Fiddlin' Dan tweeted the video link today with this caption: "@dierksbentley, myself, and a bunch of grapes....."

Watch Dierks perform "Fiddlin' Around" at the IBMA Awards

Dierks Bentley opened the 2010 IBMA Awards with 'Fiddlin' Around' and was joined on stage by Sierra Hull on mandolin, Mike Bub on Bass, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Rob McCoury on banjo and Randy Kohrs. Check out a video of the performance below.

DB Congress Exclusive Interview: Introducing Fiddlin' Dan Hochhalter

Exactly 31 days ago today, Dan Hochhalter hit the stage for the first time with Dierks Bentley and his band of brothers. This historic moment marks the long awaited addition of a fiddle player to complete the posse! We asked Dan, aka @fiddlinDan on Twitter, how to pronounce his last name. His reply: "@dbcongress Hoke-Hall-Ter. Hochhalter. Just like it looks! Ha!"

Get to know Dan in this third exclusive DB Congress interview in the series introducing the new guys on Team Dierks! Check out Brian Layson and Cassady Feasby, too!

DBC: Welcome to the DB family! We are so excited to have a permanent fiddle player in Dierks Bentley’s band! How did the opportunity to work with Dierks come about? Were you a fan of his work before that?

Dan: Absolutely...I've always enjoyed the music that Dierks puts out there. I've had several of his albums long before I ever got the chance to tour with him, so getting to share the stage with him and the guys is a blast!

Nashville is a pretty tight-knit music community, so I heard about Dierks possibly auditioning fiddle players through a few friends of mine. I was thrilled that I wound up getting a shot. The audition was pretty straight forward...I met Dierks and the guys at a rehearsal space in Nashville and we ran a couple songs..."Free & Easy," "Fiddlin' Around," "My Last Name," and "Come A Little Closer." I know that they looked at a lot of great players, so I was really honored that I wound up getting the call.

(Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham, Du Quoin State Fair)

DBC: You are originally from Minnesota? What was life like there and what brought you to Nashville?

Dan: Minnesota is great! I'm a Twins and Vikings fan, and love the vibe up there. I grew up dividing my time between school, playing hockey and baseball, and music. When I was younger, I did a few fiddle and talent contests, but then got more into playing in local bands. I was always the youngest guy in the bands I worked with (by anywhere from 15-60 years!), so it proved to be a valuable experience. Through those guys, I learned how to improvise, learned how to read charts on the fly, and fake it if you didn’t know the song!

When I was 20, I decided to move to Nashville and try to get a gig with a national touring artist. Luck was on my side, and I landed an audition with Lonestar pretty quickly. From there, I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to play with many more talented folks.

DBC: Could you share a little about your family life?

Dan: I’ve always had a supportive and loving family. My parents and older sister live up in Minnesota, and my younger sister lives out in LA. My mom and dad are both music lovers, and have both recently retired. My sisters and I have always been pretty ambitious, and I know that we’re all proud of each other.

As far as my family here in Nashville, I am married to an unbelievable woman named Crystal. We met at a Gretchen Wilson video shoot several years ago while she was working at Sony Records, and hit it off instantly. Through the years that I've known her, she has been unbelievably supportive of my career while she pursues her own. We've now been married for just over two years, and have a lovely daughter named Roxy. She's a border collie and black lab mix. :-)

DBC: You’ve toured with Easton Corbin, Gretchen Wilson, John Fogerty, Lonestar, and others. How will you use all of that collective experience to interpret Dierks’ catalog when you’re on stage?

Dan: Every tour and every artist is different, and it’s the job of a sideman like myself to fit in both on-stage and off. Every artist’s show is different, so what works for a classic-rocker like John Fogerty may seem out of place with a country traditionalist like Easton Corbin. I guess being exposed to a lot of different styles of music and types of performances just helps me figure out what will work best with the artist I’m working with.

(Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham, DuQuoin State Fair)

DBC: August 14 marked your stage debut with Dierks and the guys in California. How would you summarize your experiences of your first 30 days?

Dan: It’s honestly been fantastic. I’ve always heard such good things about Dierks and his tour, and it has really lived up to my expectations. The guys in the band and crew have been great, and Dierks is a great person to work for and work with. He’s always looking for ways to improve his show and ways to further his career. I really respect his work ethic.

DBC: If you had to sum up your new band-mates in three words, what would they be?

Dan: Justin Bieber fanatics

DBC: We’re looking forward to hearing you play some of the Up On The Ridge songs, especially Fallin’ For You, Draw Me A Map and of course Fiddlin’ Around. What other songs are you looking forward to playing from Dierks’ previous albums?

Dan: I’ve always liked “Free & Easy” and “Trying To Stop Your Leaving,” but honestly, I just love playing the hits! There’s nothing better than looking out into the audience and seeing a crowd singing along. I like seeing everyone having a good time and not staring back at the stage with their arms folded.

DBC: What other instruments do you play?

Dan: Fiddle has always been my main instrument. I also play some guitar and mandolin, but really try to be a true utility guy for the artists I work with. I play some ganjo (6-string banjo) with Dierks, have played lap steel with Fogerty, cello with Gretchen, keyboard and cowbell with Easton, and played some odd-ball instruments, like a ukulele and a jaw’s harp, on recording sessions. I really try to bring all that I can to the table with any gig that I’m on.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Lanham, DuQuoin State Fair (Dierks, Dan on the ganjo, Cassady & Steve on drums)

DBC: You state on your MySpace page: “I equally love both playing in the studio and performing live.” Tell us about one of your most memorable studio sessions?

Dan: Probably the most memorable session for me was the first master session I ever did. A master session means that the project you are working on will be distributed nationally. The CDs that people buy (or used to buy!) at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. are all considered “masters.” While I was touring with Lonestar, I was invited to play on the last track of their “Let’s Be Us Again” album. It was a really cool and nerve-racking experience for me, and I learned a lot about the recording process at that level. It was a really cool thing to get to buy a CD and see my name in the album credits. Since then, I’ve gotten to play on a few other albums as well.


(Photo Credit: Janet Marlborough, California)

DBC: What are your thoughts on Dierks taking the risk with Up On The Ridge, to step away from the tried and true formula that has brought him so much success so far?

Dan: I have nothing but respect for Dierks for making the “Ridge” album. Even before working for him, I had heard a lot of skepticism around Nashville about what he was doing. I think that the fears were that it would be some sort of step back for his career, that country music radio wouldn’t play the singles, that it would be lost on his fans, etc. But he made a record that he wanted to make as a creative artist, and it turned out to be a truly great record. In my opinion, too many artists, record labels, and songwriters in Nashville try to follow the trend instead of just making the music that they want to make. “Ridge” is honestly one of my favorite records to come out of Nashville’s country music in a while, and I’m not just saying that because I work for him! To see it get nominated for a CMA album of the year has gotta be cool for Dierks and everyone else who had a hand in making that album.

DBC: Are you a “hide in the bus” or “get out and meet the fans" kind of band mate? *We hope for the latter!

Dan: I’ll always stop and say ‘hi!’ See you on the road!

We also asked Dan to give us the scoop on the "Draw Me A Map" video shoot from last Thursday, September 9, and here's what he told us:

"I don't want to divulge too much information about the video, but hopefully it will be released soon! Dierks brought the band with him for the shoot, and we did several performance shots at a few cool locations outside of Nashville. I think that it's going to have a really cool vibe, and I KNOW that we all looked great!! haha"

Thanks, Dan! We hope to see you on the road and meet you in person! Oh, and I don't think I'm alone when I say I hope to hear you play (and Dierks sing) "Gonna Get There Someday".... someday soon! It's a long time favorite of many DBC reps!

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair

Dierks and Band of Brothers Fiddlin' Around

Although Dierks Bentley found another funny way to make fun of drummer Steve Misamore, this pic also serves as the first glimpse of new fiddle player, Dan Hochhalter! Playing his first permanent gig with DB and his band of brothers, I'm sure Dan gave Ventura, California a night to remember!

Dierks' caption:

"i can't believe that @justinbieber 's uncle plays drums for us..."

Left to right: Tim Sergent, Dan, Dierks, Doc (Cassady) Feasby, Steve, and Brian Layson

So, who was there last night? Please comment and let us know--did Dan do a little "Fiddlin' Around?"