DIERKS BENTLEY

liner

Dierks Bentley

interview by Jean Agostini (Mr)

Copyrights © 2008 HIGHWAYFM.com - Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved

Dierks Bentley has a very interesting view of the music with his band, and stage performances are a strong part of his passion for entertainment. My first meeting with Dierks were in february 2006 in London, and we met several times then. We stayed in contact regarding his projets, and among them, his concert in France on july 26th at Country Rendez-Vous Festival. Right now, he plays in many small towns, and that night of july 20th, 3.15 AM in Paris, Dierks had time to give me an exclusive interview, just before his concert with Miranda Lambert.

So many thanks, Dierks, for taking time to answer, and just before, these are the awards Dierks won:

2005 CMA Awards - Horizon Award
2004 CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards - Breakthrough Video of the Year
2004 International Bluegrass Music Association - Recorded Event of the Year
2003 Academy of Country Music - Top Male Vocalist

Dierks was at the top of the charts with his third disc LONG TRIP ALONE, which spawned two number one hit singles ("Every Mile A Memory," "Free & Easy (Down The Road I Go"), six GRAMMY nominations and a CMA nod for "Album Of The Year," Bentley is poised to join the ranks of country music's elite with his next release.

web sites: dierks.com HIGHWAYFM.com Country Rendez-Vous Festival

Jean Agostini - Hi! Dierks, a few days ago, you said me you were very excited about coming and playing in France. It is your first trip here, so, does this excitment come from the idea of playing in a new territory? Do you have heard before about the french country music fans in particular and the french public in general?

Dierks Bentley - We are very excited about playing france....for us as a band, its very important to keep pushing the boundaries and see how far we can take the music. it keeps us fresh and it keeps the music exciting. we've heard there are many fans of country music and just american music in general in france...we are part of the country music community in america, but its a diverse community, with several different kind of sub genres within the genre...we just hope everyone over there likes our particular style!

J.A. - Will you play in France the same set list you play in America?

Dierks Bentley - hard to say...I think we will stay pretty close to what we do here...I like the way our summer tour and the show have been going...its a good hour and a half to 2 hour journey each night.

J.A. - I was backstage at the Madison Square Garden in New York for the CMA awards 2005 and you received the CMA Horizon award. Then, I have had the pleasure to meet you in London in february 2006 for our first interview. To win this award and the fact to open for George Strait were some big factors to be known and respected, and to evolve in your career. Can you describe your feelings about these great moments?

Dierks Bentley - well its a great feeling and I am very honored and humbled by that award, or any award for that matter. to be honest though, the biggest award is on stage each night though...trying to reach that place where us (the band) and our audience blend together through the music...where we reach a place of common ground through the songs that relate stories of life we have all experienced...the ups and downs. that feeling, which you can only get from a live show...that feeling is the greatest award.

J.A. - June 16th is the date for your "Greatest hits/Every mile a memory 2003-2008" CD, including 5 live tracks. Does the fact to put 5 live tracks means that you want to proove that your first passion for the music is to be on stage and to become a total entertainer? Or, does this choice come from the fans requests or Capitol?

Dierks Bentley - It was my idea...our good friend russell thomas filmed our dvd in 2006 from the filmore in denver colorado...I consider that dvd to be one of our greatest accomplishments as a band. the love show is where the emotion of the records comes to life. live tracks are great because, as a fan, you can re-live the moments of the concert...or as a new fan, get an idea of what the energy was like.

J.A. - How did you choose the songs on this "Greatest hits"?

Dierks Bentley - We've had 10 radio hits, so those are all on there as well as two new tracks.

J.A - Your music is a mix of country and rock, with a flavor of bluegrass. The names of Aubrey Haynes and Bryan Sutton comes from the bluegrass scene, and your fantastic use of all the stage has created a unique sound which keeps the country feeling and attracts much more young listeners. Will you stay on
that way for your next album scheduled for february 2009? What can you say on the making of this next CD?

Dierks Bentley - I feel like we've created a very cool sound and I dont want to erase that but at the same time, I am reluctant to be a slave to it. if the goal is to create music, not just to sell records, than you need to be willing to allow the music to go where it wants to go and not be afraid. the guys in the band (robbie harrington on bass, rod janzen on guitarm steve misamore on drums and tim sergent on steel/banjo) all have big role in this new record that will be coming out in the beginning of 2009. but guys that have been a huge part of helping me find my sound are also here too...jt corenflos on guitar, bryan sutton on acoustic/banjo/and mando...randy kohrs on dobro....i think there will be some experimenting with some different sounds that I havent used before as well...

J.A. - You have performed at different festivals as Lollapalooza, and Sturgis Bike Festival. I remember the first Lollapalooza showing alternative country and folk artists. Is it a way to show your other interests in music?

Dierks Bentley - I think it stems from the same reasons why we like playing in europe...pressing the boundaries and letting music take us anywhere and everywhere it can...the attitude of the band is 'why not?!' I guess we will keep on doing so until we find an audience that boos us!!

J.A. - Will you have in Craponne the same pedal steel player who played in London in 2006? This question because not many contemporary country artists have a pedal steel in their band.

Dierks Bentley - steel guitar is such an amazing instrument...my favorite for digging into your soul and stirring up emotions. its odd that its not found much in traditional country music these days...mostly relagated to little snipits on recordings. a funny thing...I bought daniel lanois new record the other day Here Is What Is, and it turns out he's a huge steel guitar fan! maybe there is hope for it after all...outside of traditional country music...kind of like johnny cash having to leave nashville to remain relevant.

J.A. - I know your bass player, Robbie, records every show to listen to it after the concerts. The artists as you who want to make a better show day after day win the respect of the public. To make a debriefing after each concert is the best way to correct the little details.

Dierks Bentley - actually, the show recordings are really only for us to listen to as a band....just for hearing the show and parts and sounds and mistakes!!! mostly mine!

J.A. - In 2006 in London, you answered me you played at the PlayStation in the bus. In june 2008, you participated in the promotion of Xbox 360 Game online against fans, being the only country artist to do that beside Maroon 5 and Rihanna and others. Is this hobby on its way to become a serious business?
And why not?

Dierks Bentley - it's strictly a bus thing...I don't have an xbox at my house...just on our bus and our crew's bus. I am actually getting ready to play against some of miranda lambert's band guys...we are playing a show with them tonight...there is a delay because of the rain so...halo 3. but I've never played online except for that xbox promotion...a lot of fun but I don't have any time for it when I home.

J.A. - Dierks, I guess you are closed to the members of Little Big Town. I love this band, and they have a song called "I'm with the band". Is there a relation with your song "With the band"? And you and LBT are involved in the Miles and Music for Kids Charity Motorcycle. Could you explain the goal of this action, please?

Dierks Bentley - the miles and music for kids is a motorcycle ride and concert benefiting sick kids and their families in tennessee and beyond. it's been a very enjoyable experience...my role is just to bring people together...it's the people that pay money to do the motorcycle ride and people that pay to see the show afterwards that do all the "good work"....and of course the other singers that donate their time...its been a cool thing.

I wrote "with the band" not knowing that the LBTers already had a song under that title...they are two completely different songs...I was having dinner with a friend of mine from the record label and she told me that a video director friend of ours had just shot a video for LBT called "I'm with the band".....I had just written my song that very same day!!! luckily though they are different songs.

J.A. - It's a wonderful news for you and your wife, Cassidy, to become parents in the next fall. Do you already have choosen a first name for a boy or a girl?

Dierks Bentley - we are keeping it a surprise...we are both really excited about the whole thing!

J.A. - Dierks, thank you for coming to play in France, as the top headliner of Country Rendez-Vous Festival on july 26th. If you want to tell something to the french and european crowd, do not hesitate.
Thank you.

Dierks Bentley - please tell everyone thank you for taking a chance on us...we would like france to be a regular stop on our tour every year...if you like us and support our music, I promise we will keep coming back.

"Long trip alone" CD, and "Long trip alone" (Limited edition CD + DVD)

DVD "Live & loud at the Fillmore"

"Greatest hits: every mile a memory 2003 - 2008"

highwayfm.com - Copyrights © 2008 HIGHWAYFM.com - Tous droits réservés, all rights reserved

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Photo credit: Sébastien Tranier

(from right to left: Dierks Bentley and Jean Agostini), CMA New From Nashville Series, London, UK, february 2006.