Sunday, July 31, 2011

Dierks Bentley Weekend at BlackBerry Farm Will Benefit Miles & Music Charity


As the sun rises over the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the morning mist fades to unveil one of America's greatest hidden treasures, Blackberry Farm.

Dierks Bentley comes to Blackberry Farm this fall with his chart topping music and his big heart. With a show dedicated to raising funds for his Miles and Music For Kids program that benefits the Children's Hospital Network, Dierks understands the power of a song and the heart. The September 30-October 1 weekend will offer two concerts, one by Dierks, as well as a Harley-Davidson ride led by the singer and supported by Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson!

For about $5,000, you and a guest can join Dierks for an intimate weekend and even better cause! This is a super exclusive event, and only 120 guests will get the opportunity for this experience.  A two-night minimum stay is required at Blackberry Farm to attend the concert. Rates range from $995 - $1,045 for the Estate rooms and $1,345 - $1,995 for the Cottages, meals included - per person, per night.

The Friday night (Sep 30) concert will feature an up-and-coming Country artist and is $200 extra. The Saturday show (Oct 1) is Dierks and is $300 per person extra. Or the package for $500 includes both concerts.

The exclusive ride with Dierks from Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson is $2,500 per person for the ride only.  Only 10 people will be able to join the ride.

Being from East TN, this cost seems a little extreme, but Blackberry Farm is an event in itself--an absolutely incredible place! And then Dierks in such an intimate setting, for charity...it sure would be worth the money.

~Emily
DBC Rep, TN

Yesterday, Blackberry Farm tweeted: "@dierksBentley we are excited about having you in East Tennessee October 1! Bring some of the @dbcongress with ya!"

Availability is going fast since there are only 120 tickets to be sold.  Call now to reserve your spot! 800-557-8864.

Dierks Bentley Congress Feel Fellow Fan Clubbers Are Like Family


Kentucky Dierks Bentley Congress rep, David Mattingly, brought Randy Alan (DBC rep in PA) along to Last Call Ball 7 (Dierks' annual fan club party June 8, 2011 in Nashville), but Randy wasn't physically there--he hung around David's neck all night as the background photo of the commemorative admission lanyard!

Randy wasn’t able to attend, but when he realized it was his camera Dierks is holding in the lanyard photo, and Randy himself is in the background, he knew he had to have a commemorative LCB7 ticket. After all, he is a part of history!

David found out and here’s what he had to say in an email to Randy:

Hi Randy,
My name is David Mattingly and I am a proud member of the DBC (david915) representing Kentucky. I read a post about you wanting a ticket from this past LCB. What is coincidental about this is that I can remember the day I got that ticket in the mail. I looked at it and thought "wouldn't that be cool to be one of those people in the background."  So in a strange way, that is why I have no problem at all in giving you my ticket from LCB. And so cool as well that it's your camera that he has in his hand! Just send me your mailing address and I'll get it in the mail soon.
Dierks and David at LCB7



Randy Alan with LCB7 lanyard from David, pointing to himself

It's moments like these that make me so proud to be a part of the Dierks Bentley Congress! Fan-clubbers helping fan-clubbers—one big DB family!

“I feel the same way,” replies Randy. “Everyone that is part of the DBC or who is just a Dierks fan is a part of this great big family. That's one thing I love about all us Dierks fans is that we all help each other out.”

Randy became a Dierks fan when he first heard the song, “What was I Thinkin'” back in 2004, which was about when he got into country music.
From that point on Dierks' music helped me get through a lot of broken relationships and other issues in life. His music always depicted what I was going through. That in itself really made me feel more connected with Dierks' music.
“I'll be honest,” he continues, “the reason I joined the fan club was for a meet and greet ticket, and for $9.99 a year you can't beat that! But then after joining (and receiving the M&G) I realized how awesome this DB family is, and that we all look after one another.”

“Before joining the fan club I was a part of the "Wolf Pack" which was the group of Dierks fans that watched his Ustream of making the album in Asheville. From that point on I really got involved with talking to other Dierks fans. I met so many awesome people that I know today and we all share a passion for DB's music.

Being an artist hisself, and getting the chance to talk with Dierks about his music at the Meet & Greet really encouraged Randy to keep going.

“At the time of the meet and greet, I was in the middle of recording my album and told Dierks about it. He even let me play some samples of my music and I told him to check out my Ustream of recording live in the studio. He said I had a great voice and was looking forward to hearing more stuff from me in the future.

As an artist, Dierks’ music has influenced the way my music/lyrics are, and how I perform on stage. I've seen Dierks four times in concert, and I learn new things every time I go. The way he includes the audience and moves around on stage; these are things that I incorporate into my show and is probably why I have been getting great feedback and attendance rates.

Just to be able to meet him and talk with him about music in itself was incredible and a memory that I'll never forget. Even the fact that every show of his I attend he somehow manages to take my camera and take a picture with it. I can only hope one day that I would get to open for Dierks and get to know him better. But like his song says, free and easy down the road I go. I'll keep going until I get where I want to be.

Call me a hardcore Dierks fan or not, he has changed my life and helped push me to achieve my music goals. Thanks DB!”

Here is the video when Dierks took the camera from Randy (sorry there's a lot of static at the beginning):



Check out Randy Alan and his music here:
Website: http://www.randyalan.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/randyalanmusic
Twitter: www.twitter.com/randyalan99
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/randyalan99


~Ronna
DB Congress Chair
Florida

Dierks "Levitated' by Fans at Kidd Brewer Stadium

Dierks tweeted the day after the Boone show to show us what he saw and felt from the crowd that night from his angle:

Dierks Bentley's photo your energy levitated me in Boone NC last night....
Dierks Bentley on WhoSay

July 24, 2011

"your energy levitated me in Boone NC last night.... "

Dierks In Boone--The Final Frontier - Part 3


Ever since Dierks Bentley played in Boone, NC last weekend, I can't get the theme song to "Daniel Boone" the TV show out of my head!  When ASU Chancellor Peacock was introducing Dierks to the expectant crowd, he said, "When I found out Dierks was coming to play here I said, 'Dierks Bentley? He's HUGE!'"  The 6,000 fans and ASU students agreed, chanting "Peacock, Peacock!"

So I took some liberties with the lyrics (Substituted Dierks Bentley for 'Daniel Boone'). 
Dierks Bentley was a man,
Yes, a big man!
With an eye like an eagle
And as tall as a mountain was he!

From the Stubbs BBQ cap on the top of ol' Dierks...."

What a Bentley! What a doer!
What a dream come-er-true-er was he!

The singin'est, laughin'est, happiest man
The frontier ever saw!

Dierks Bentley was a man!
Yes, a big man!
With a dream of a country that'd
Always forever be free!

The minute he hit the stage, Dierks had an 'eye like an eagle' as he scanned the fan faces, made eye contact and pointed to everyone from left to right, front of the stage to back of the stadium.  One of my favorite moments of the night was when he sang Long Trip Alone, which is rarely part of the set list lately, reminding us of his patriotism and thankfulness for our armed forces. 




Later, in his Stubbs (not coonskin) backwards cap, Dierks sheds the plaid to unveil buff guns under a black T--Dude's been working out!







"It was an amazing night as usual but a few things stand out," recalls Sandra, DB Congress rep from North Carolina who was nice enough to pick me up from the airport.  "The country cuties with the rock-n-roll booties, singing How Am I Doin, into Dierks' mic, the recognition of DB pointing to our DBC white tanks when he sang, I can see you came to rock in your blue jeans and white tank top, but the kicker was the fact that he saw us outside in line, in the rain before the concert and came over and took pictures and signed autographs with us in the rain!"





Laurie and Tammi
"Boone turned out some beautiful but hot weather for the Outdoor Fireworks Festival. After waiting in the blistering sun, Tammi and I ran inside when the gates opened to get our bracelets so we could be down on the field. My boyfriend, Bobby, was kind enough to hold our “spot” right at the front of the stage, in front of the speaker while we raced back to the meet and greet."

"We were both so excited to have our first M&G of the year, even more so that we got to go together. I had Dierks sign a scrapbook Tammi made for me at Christmas that is filled of all of adventures from 2003 to present. When I walked up to Dierks he shook my hand and said “Nice to see you again.” I told him about the scrapbook and pointed back to Tammi. He said to her, “It has been a while, good to see you.” He also told me how it is nice to have a friend make something like that. I agreed; I am lucky to have her as my best friend. He told me he would be doing “Every Mile A Memory” second that night."

"Tammi had Dierks sign a picture of him singing to her (and she singing back) at the race in Charlotte. It was a great moment. He apologized for not remembering her name. She told him she didn’t expect him to but he said he should because she has been supporting him for a while now."


"When we were done, we left and headed back to our front row spot. Bobby was still there and everyone was so gracious as to let us back in. When John Carter came on stage to introduce Dierks we found out just how loud it would be. We were blown away with the sound out of the speaker but when Dierks hit the stage, it was worth it. We even heard Sandra singing through that speaker (smile).

As always, Dierks never disappoints. He is so full of energy and really lets it show that he loves what he does. I always love to look around at the people watching him. You can tell the true Dierks fans, as we are singing every line; all others are just staring at us like we are crazy! He gave a shoutout to his wolf pack…cool! We are proud to be supporters of Dierks and a part of his great fan club. We love everyone we have met and look forward to seeing everyone again soon!  Oh, and the fall tour was mentioned--let’s hope dates are released soon!"
Bobby, Laurie, Tammi: "The price of being up front, losing your hearing....but so worth it."


Angie and Keshia
"Hi everybody, this is Angie! What started out as one of the craziest road trips ever getting to Boone turned into one of the Greatest Dierks Road Trips EVER!  Keshia and I started out our day with somebody running late--we wont mention who that was--got to her house around 10, and a road trip that should have taken us about 2 1/2 hrs took more like 5. From wild animals in the road, wrecks and some places that looked like it should have been a horror film, we finally made it up the curvy mountain roads and into Boone."

"We checked into our hotel and met Ronna and Sandra in line who told us we had just missed Dierks coming out saying hello to everybody. I thought 'oh no another bit of bad luck after our road trip' so Keshia and I were even more determined than ever to catch him after the show. Soon Carrie and her husband joined us as well as Tammi and Laurie. Misty didnt get there unti later so we ended up meeting up with her after the show."

"When the gates opened we all took off like we were running a marathon to get our green armbands to get on the field.  We all ended up right in front of the catwalk! The show was awesome! I wish it could have went on all night!"

"As soon as the show was over we all headed to the bus in hopes of getting to see Dierks before he got on the bus. There was a crazy crowd by his bus so we stood between the two buses waiting. After a short time, Tim Sergent (banjo, steel guitar) came out, saw us and came over to talk.  It was great seeing him--it had been a while since we had a chance to talk to him. Chris (tour manager) came by and gave us a hug and told us Dierks would be out later. All the DB Congress hung out and talked to Tim and all had pics taken with him."

"Dierks came out a bit later and after the wild crowd in the line, he gave all us a hug and we got a Congress pic taken with him. He then got on the bus it was still kinda crazy out there.  Not long after that, Keshia says 'Angie, there's Cassady! (bass player), who I had been wanting to meet. We talked to him and got pics, then talked to Brian (lead guitar, mandolin) and everybody got pics with him.  I somehow didn't, so next time definitely have to get one!  Then Chris, Brittany (tour assistant) and the crew came out and we got pics with them and got to talk to everybody. The only person we missed was Dan who we will hopefully catch next time! Thanks Dierks, the band and the crew for making the night one of the best ever! I can't wait until we all get together again!"


Angie and Cassady

Angie, Sandra, Dierks, Keshia, Carrie, Ronna

So there you have it, the last in the series of The Final Frontier - Dierks in Boone.  Thanks for making it so, so special for the DB Congress, dudes!

~Ronna
DB Congress Chair
Florida