Dierks Bentley

Early life

Bentley was born on November 20, 1975, in Phoenix, Arizona, as the son of Leon Fife Bentley (August 16, 1923 – June 1, 2012), a bank vice president, and Catherine Childs. His father was born in Glasgow, Missouri, to Richard Thomas Bentley Jr. and Mary Cecile ( Fife) Bentley, and was a First Lieutenant in World War II. His middle name, Dierks (which he now uses as his first name publicly), is also his maternal great-grandmother's surname. He attended Culver Summer Schools and Camps in Indiana and graduated from The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey in 1993. Afterward, he spent a year at the University of Vermont (UVM) before transferring to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he graduated in 1997.

Music career

1994-2002: Move to Nashville, early years, ''Don't Leave Me in Love''

Dierks Bentley moved to Nashville, Tennessee in the late 1990s at the age of 18 with the ambition of pursuing a career in country music. In his earliest years in the city, he immersed himself in the local music scene by attending live performances and networking with musicians, while also working behind the scenes in the tape library at The Nashville Network, where he catalogued archival footage of historic country music performances. These experiences deepened his appreciation for the genre’s traditional roots and introduced him to the storytelling and instrumentation found in bluegrass. He frequented the Station Inn, a well-known bluegrass venue, and began performing in small clubs and bars along Lower Broadway and elsewhere in the city, including Springwater and Market Street Brewery. During this period, Bentley focused on songwriting, eventually meeting Mike Ward, with whom he began a steady writing collaboration. From 1999 to 2001, Bentley and Ward co-wrote several songs and entered BNA Studios in Franklin, Tennessee to record what would become Don't Leave Me in Love, Bentley’s first independently released album. Self-funded and distributed through his own label, Dangling Rope Records, the album marked the culmination of Bentley’s formative years in Nashville and served as the foundation that would lead to his later mainstream success.

2003–05: ''Dierks Bentley'' and ''Modern Day Drifter''

Bentley worked at The Nashville Network (now Paramount Network), researching old footage of country performances. During this time, Bentley was banned from the Grand Ole Opry for trespassing on the grounds of the Opry House for research purposes, a ban that would be lifted when Bentley's first album was released. In 2003, Capitol Nashville released Bentley's self-titled debut album. The album's first single, "What Was I Thinkin'", reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts later that year. The next two singles from the album – "My Last Name" and "How Am I Doin'" – reached No. 17 and No. 4, respectively. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA.

Bentley's second album, Modern Day Drifter, was released in 2005. It spawned two No. 1 singles in "Come a Little Closer" and "Settle for a Slowdown", as well as the No. 3 hit "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do". The album was also certified Platinum.

In 2005, Bentley won the CMA Award for the Horizon Award (now Best New Artist) and was invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry. The induction took place on October 1, 2005. Bentley stands as the third-youngest member after Carrie Underwood and Josh Turner.

2006–08: ''Long Trip Alone'' and ''Greatest Hits/Every Mile a Memory 2003–2008''

On June 10, 2006, Bentley released his third album, Long Trip Alone. The album produced two No. 1 hits in "Every Mile a Memory" in 2006 and "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)" in 2007. The title track reached No. 10 on the country charts, while the fourth single, "Trying to Stop Your Leaving", peaked at No. 5.

In 2007, Bentley released a live DVD titled Live and Loud at the Fillmore, which was filmed in Denver, Colorado.

In a March 2008 interview, Bentley said he would let his fans be the executive producers of his first greatest hits album, Greatest Hits/Every Mile a Memory 2003–2008. The album was released on May 6, 2008. An album cut, "Sweet & Wild", reached No. 51 on the Hot Country Songs chart. The song was an uncredited duet with fellow country singer Sarah Buxton.

2009–10: ''Feel That Fire'' and ''Up on the Ridge''

Bentley's fourth studio album, Feel That Fire, was released in February 2009. Its title track, co-written by Brett Beavers and The Warren Brothers, became Bentley's sixth No. 1 hit in February 2009, and the album's second single, "Sideways", became his seventh in summer 2009. The third and final single, "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes", peaked at No. 2.

Bentley released his fifth studio album, Up on the Ridge, on June 8, 2010. The title track was released on iTunes on April 20, 2010. The song peaked at No. 21 on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, becoming Bentley's first single to miss the Top 10 since "My Last Name". The second single from the album, "Draw Me a Map", reached No. 33.

2012–13: ''Home'' and ''Country & Cold Cans'' EP

Bentley's sixth album, Home, was released on February 7, 2012, led by the single, "Am I the Only One", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country Singles. The second single off the album is "Home", which was co-written by Bentley, Brett Beavers and Dan Wilson, and also reached No. 1 on March 24, 2012. A third single, "5-1-5-0", was released shortly after "Home" fell from No. 1 on the country chart. Dierks has been quoted by American Songwriter, explaining: "I wrote too many songs. I wrote 70. I wrote a lot. There's 64 that are never going to see the light of day. That's 64 days that I can't get back."

On August 21, 2012, Bentley released the Country & Cold Cans EP on iTunes. It includes five songs, including a radio edit of the track "Tip It On Back" from his album Home. Bentley paid for the studio time to record the EP himself. On October 23, Bentley and Miranda Lambert announced the co-headlined 33-show Locked and Reloaded Tour, which began on January 17, 2013.

2014–2015: ''Riser''

Bentley's seventh album, Riser, was released on February 25, 2014. The album's first single, "Bourbon in Kentucky", was released to country radio on June 10, 2013. It peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, becoming Bentley's lowest-charting single to date. The album's second single, "I Hold On", was released on August 26, 2013, and became his first No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart in April 2014 and his 11th overall to do so. The third single, "Drunk on a Plane", followed that same month and reached No. 1 on Country Airplay in August 2014 and was also a strong commercial hit, reaching No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album's fourth single, "Say You Do", was released on October 6, 2014; it reached No. 1 on Country Airplay in May 2015. The title track became the album's fifth single in June 2015.

Bentley, along with Eric Paslay, is featured on Charles Kelley's debut solo single, "The Driver", which was released on September 28, 2015. The song received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

2016–2017: ''Black''

Bentley released his eighth album, Black, on May 27, 2016. The album's first single, "Somewhere on a Beach", was released on January 25, 2016.

Bentley co-hosted the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards on April 3, 2016, where he was also nominated for the Male Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year awards.

Bentley released a series of four short films for songs from Black, with episode 1 being the song "I'll Be the Moon" featuring Maren Morris. The following episode serves as the video for "What the Hell Did I Say". The album's second single, "Different for Girls" featuring Elle King, was released to country radio on June 6, 2016. It reached No. 1 on Country Airplay in October 2016. The album's title track was released to country radio as the third single on November 14, 2016.

He was also selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mashup track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again" and "I Will Always Love You", which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards.

2018–2021: ''The Mountain'' and ''Hot Country Knights''

On June 8, 2018, Bentley released The Mountain, his ninth studio album, via Capitol Records Nashville. All three singles from the album – "Women, Amen", "Burning Man" and "Living" – reached No. 1 (the second of which, however, only being recognized by Mediabase).

Bentley's side project, a '90s country parody band called Hot Country Knights, signed on with Bentley's label Universal Music Group Nashville as a separate recording act in 2020. The act consists of Bentley and his road band, all of whom operate under stage names; Bentley uses the name Douglas "Doug" Douglason. They released their debut single, "Pick Her Up" – which was co-written by Bentley with Jim Beavers and Brett Beavers, and features guest vocals from Travis Tritt – on January 23, 2020.

Bentley released a new single, "Gone", on October 22, 2020. The song was his highest-charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 since his 2003 debut, "What Was I Thinkin'". On July 29, 2021, he released "Beers on Me" featuring Hardy and Breland. He also joined James Barker Band on the single "New Old Trucks" in October 2021.

2022–2023: ''Gravel & Gold''

On July 29, 2022, Bentley released the lead single, "Gold", from his tenth studio album, Gravel & Gold, which was released on February 24, 2023. On November 19, he released "High Note", a bluegrass track featuring Billy Strings.

2024–present: ''Broken Branches''

Bentley began work on his eleventh studio album in 2024, collaborating with songwriters Brett Beavers, Devin Dawson, and Ashley Gorley.

He released the single "She Hates Me" on February 14, 2025 blending elements of Keith Whitley and Weezer, with Billboard describing it as "humorous" with Rolling Stone highlighting its post-grunge homage to the 2001 single "She Hates Me" by Puddle of Mudd.

The album's title Broken Branches was officially announced on April 15, 2025; the album was released on June 13, 2025.

Personal life

Bentley married Cassidy Black on December 17, 2005, in Mexico. The couple have two daughters and a son. One daughter makes a vocal appearance on the song "Thinking of You" from Bentley's 2012 album, Home, and their son appears in the music video for Bentley's 2019 single, "Living".

Bentley holds a private pilot license. He owns a Cirrus SR22T and flies a Cessna Citation CJ4.

Tours

;Headlining

• High Times and Hangovers Tour (2006)
• Locked and Loaded Tour (2007)
• Free and Easy Summer Tour (2007)
• Throttle Wide Open Tour (2008)
• Up on the Ridge Tour (2010)
• Jäegermeister Tour (2011)
• Country and Cold Cans (2011)
• Country and Cold Cans (Festivals) (2021)
• Riser Tour (2014)
• Sounds of Summer Tour (2015)
• Somewhere on a Beach Tour (2016)
• What the Hell World Tour (2017)
• Mountain High Tour (2018)
• Burning Man Tour (2019)
• High Times and Hangovers Tour (2021)
• Beers on Me Tour (2021–2022)
• Gravel & Gold Tour (2023)
• Broken Branches Tour (2025)

;Co-headlining

• Locked and Re-Loaded Tour (2013) (with Miranda Lambert) ;Supporting
• Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love Tour (2004) (with Kenny Chesney)
• The Road and the Radio Tour (2006) (with Kenny Chesney)
• Paisley Party Tour (2009) (with Brad Paisley)
• American Saturday Night Tour (2009) (with Brad Paisley)
• My Kinda Saturday Night Tour (2026) (with Luke Combs)

Discography

Main article: Dierks Bentley discography

;Studio albums

• Don't Leave Me in Love (2001)
• Dierks Bentley (2003)
• Modern Day Drifter (2005)
• Long Trip Alone (2006)
• Feel That Fire (2009)
• Up on the Ridge (2010)
• Home (2012)
• Riser (2014)
• Black (2016)
• The Mountain (2018)
• Gravel & Gold (2023)
• Broken Branches (2025)

;As Part of Hot Country Knights

• The K Is Silent (2020)

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Country Music Association Awards

Other awards

Film and television

References

References

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2. "Dierks Bentley".
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4. (July 29, 2022). "Dierks Bentley Learns to Enjoy the Ride in New Song 'Gold'".
5. cite web. [link](https://alumni.culver.org/page.aspx?pid=903 {{Webarchive). link. (November 20, 2023)
6. "NOTABLE ALUMNI". The Lawrenceville School.
7. (March 22, 2011). "Dierks Bentley Opens Up About His Childhood and Finds a Fan in Bruce Springsteen". Tasteofcountry.com.
8. (May 24, 2011). "Country music star Dierks Bentley jumps into hockey with both boots". ESPN.
9. "Dierks Bentley: The Early Years". uDiscover Team.
10. West, Lacey. "Dierks Bentley Is the Only Country Singer To Be Banned By The Grand Ole Opry Before Ever Performing There".
11. "Dierks Bentley Album & Song Chart History – Country Songs".
12. (April 23, 2012). "Opry Member List PDF".
13. (February 2, 2009). "Critics' Choice: New CDs: Dierks Bentley". The New York Times.
14. "Dierks Bentley In Studio Performance at Sessions@AOL". [[Sessions@AOL]].
15. (August 22, 2011). "Dierks Bentley Goes No. 1 With 'Am I the Only One'". Tasteofcountry.com.
16. McDonnell, Brandy. (September 8, 2011). "Dierks Bentley, Joe Walsh, Jerrod Niemann and Eli Young Band to play OKC Zoo Amphitheatre's Family Jam Oct. 14 | News OK". Blog.newsok.com.
17. Schlansky, Evan. (February 24, 2012). "Great Quotations: Dierks Bentley".
18. (August 15, 2012). "Dierks Bentley's 'Country & Cold Cans' EP: Hear 'Back Porch' here – EXCLUSIVE".
19. (October 23, 2012). "Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley Announce 2013 Locked and Reloaded Tour".
20. Whitaker, Sterling. (January 6, 2014). "Dierks Bentley Sets Release Date for 'Riser'". The Boot.
21. "Dierks Bentley Album & Song Chart History – Country Airplay".
22. (December 7, 2015). "Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelly reacts to his Grammy nom for 'The Driver'".
23. (January 11, 2016). "Dierks Bentley Prepping Eighth Studio Album, 'Black'". [[MusicRow]].
24. "Single Releases".
25. (April 1, 2016). "Dierks Bentley Unveils Black Short Film Series". Dierks.com.
26. Dunkerley, Beville. (April 1, 2016). "See Dierks Bentley's Provocative 'I'll Be the Moon' Video".
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28. "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Nielsen Ratings, Music News and more!". [[FMQB]].
29. (September 22, 2016). "30 Country Music Stars Join Forces for Historic CMA Music Video". ABC News.
30. Freeman, Jon. (January 2, 2020). "Dierks Bentley's Faux Band Hot Country Knights Signs Real Record Deal".
31. Freeman, Jon. (January 23, 2020). "Dierks Bentley's Hot Country Knights Sing With Travis Tritt in New Song 'Pick Her Up'".
32. (October 22, 2020). "Dierks Bentley Ghosts Friends and Family in His New Song 'Gone'".
33. Whitaker, Sterling. (July 29, 2021). "Dierks Bentley Enlists Breland + Hardy for 'Beers on Me' [Listen]". [[Taste of Country]].
34. (October 8, 2021). "James Barker Band Teams Up With Dierks Bentley for "New Old Trucks"". The Country Note.
35. Liptak, Carena. (January 12, 2023). "Dierks Bentley Rolls Out Plans for His 10th Studio Album, 'Gravel & Gold'". Taste of Country.
36. [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/dierks-bentley-billy-strings-high-note-1234632469/ Dierks Bentley and Billy Strings Get Baked for the Apocalypse in 'High Note'] ''Rolling Stone''.
37. "Dierks Bentley Announces 11th Studio Album ‘Broken Branches’". Lorie Liebig.
38. "Dierks Bentley Channels His Bluegrass Roots With New Single “Well Well Whiskey” From ‘BROKEN BRANCHES’ Album". Staff.
39. (December 21, 2005). "News : Dierks Bentley Elopes to Mexico". CMT.
40. (October 5, 2008). "Dierks Bentley Welcomes Daughter Evalyn Day".
41. (December 25, 2010). "Dierks Bentley and Wife Cassidy Welcome Daughter No. 2".
42. (October 10, 2013). "Dierks Bentley Welcomes Son Knox".
43. (February 3, 2012). "Dierks Bentley "I'm Thinking of You" with daughter Evie at Ryman 'Home' Show".
44. Liptak, Carena. (April 18, 2019). "After 'Living', Dierks Bentley Might Have to Make a Music Video With Each of His Kids". The Boot.
45. Betts, Stephen. (October 3, 2012). "Dierks Bentley Finds a New Way To Fly". The Boot.
46. (December 2, 2020). "News : Bentley Reaffirms 'I'll Always Take That Call' As A Business Aviation Advocate'". NBAA.
47. Hollabaugh, Lorie. (26 April 2021). "Dierks Bentley Revives High Times And Hangovers Tour With Club Run".
48. Hollabaugh, Lorie. (27 October 2021). "Dierks Bentley Extends His "Beers On Me Tour" Into 2022".
49. (October 9, 2025). "Luke Combs Announces 2026 Dates For My Kind Of Saturday Night Stadium Tout".
50. (November 5, 2014). "Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban + Miranda Lambert Are Early 2014 CMA Awards Winners". Taste of Country.
51. (July 14, 2011). "Wayback Machine".