Dierks Bentley On His Latest Album, Summer Tour & The Future Of Country Music

It’s been a busy couple of months for Dierks Bentley with the release of his new Broken Branches album, a jam-packed tour schedule, a host of other projects, and making preparations to headline Nashville’s huge July 4^th celebration.

“The last ten years I’ve taken July 4^th off to be with my family out in the mountains,” Bentley explains. “But my kids are getting older and are off at camps and all over the place, so I thought, well, I’ll play a show this year. So, I’m doing the one in Nashville. I’ve always heard it’s a good time, so I’m going to come back here and be part of that.”

The annual Let Freedom Sing! extravaganza features a day full of live music and offers one of the largest fireworks shows in the country.

As he heads into July, Bentley has much to celebrate, including the release of his 11^th studio album earlier this month.

Broken Branches has collaborations with friends and fellow artists like Miranda Lambert, John Anderson, Riley Green, Stephen Wilson Jr, and is chock full of great songs. The list includes “Standing in the Sun,” “For As Long As I Can Remember,” “Never You” (with Lambert),and more.

“I leaned into the Nashville’s songwriting community more than ever,” Bentley says. “And I’m really proud of the writers on this album.”

John Anderson and Riley Green joins Bentley on the title track based on the premise that everyone is just a “little broken branch off the family tree.” Bentley says that’s especially true with Nashville’s close-knit music community.

“Everyone that moves to this town comes here to chase country music. They love the music whether it’s the business side of it or the creative side of it. And I love the idea of being broken branches off the family tree. It’s a collective story, but an individual story, too. I think of my own journey, the doubt, the uncertainty, you’re leaning on whiskey, you’re leaning on faith, and the heartbreak that goes into it.”

One of the more familiar songs on the album, thanks to its climb up the country charts is the quirky, upbeat “She Hates Me.” It’s one of those catchy, fun songs that have become part of Bentley’s signature style through the years.

“I love putting out fun music,” he says. “I have a history of that and it’s great for the live show. I like making people smile.”

The rest of the album, however, offers a much different feel with deeper, thoughtful songs like “Something Worth Fixing,” “Jesus Loves Me,” and “Cold Beer Can,” just to name a few.

“I wrote “Cold Beer Can” with Stephen Wilson Jr and almost wish I’d changed the title to something else,” Bentley says, “because the title makes you think it’s kind of like a bro country part song and it’s not that at all. It’s very Stephen Wilson Jr cerebral. My wife loves that song and just put it on this morning saying she thinks it’ll stand the test of time.”

While he realizes most people don’t listen to full albums anymore, Bentley still approaches creating one the same way he did in the early stages of his career.

“It’s like making a book. I want an album to have a beginning, middle, and an end, something I can look back on in ten years and remember the journey, of where I was in life, and what I wanted to say.”

One of the new songs that offers a warm, heartfelt look at where he is in life today is “Don’t Cry for Me.” The lyrics look back at so many things he’s grateful for in his own life, both personally and professionally. And while they specifically touch on his experiences, they reflect an overall life-personally that might serve as inspiration to others regarding the choices they make in their own lives.

“I wrote that song with my buddy, Jim Beavers and we wrote it old school Nashville-style, just sitting in my kitchen. Every line is very specific, very personal, and the whole message in general, is very true. I’m still touring and at the top of the game, things are going great, and I’m not done yet. But eventually things will slow down and when they do, I can say I’ve had a great run, loved the journey, and am so grateful to Nashville for all it’s given me.”

Bentley is definitely not slowing down any time soon. He’s currently crisscrossing the country on tour, with rising country star Zach Top as one of his opening acts, and he’s having the time of his life.

“When you’re on stage with your band and playing music and moving people with songs, there is nothing else like it. It’s literally unreplaceable. And this year, in particular, it’s really fun with Zach Top being out there.”

Bentley says Top is the “real deal” as an artist and performer.

“Not to put too much weight on his shoulders but I hope he’s the future of country music. It’d be great for all of us who love that kind of music. Zach is a once-in-a-generation type talent as far as singing and musicianship. I mean, he plays the guitar as well as anybody I’ve ever met.”

The Band Loula is also one of Bentley’s opening acts this tour. He says he consistently chooses groups and artists whose music he enjoys because he ends up watching their shows every night.

“I got turned on to The Band Loula this year and have become a huge fan. Logan and Malachi are from Northern Georgia, and the band is from Muscle Shoals, so they have a cool, swampy, kind of bluesy bluegrass sound. They’re awesome – very energetic, happy, fun people with huge voices.”

As busy as he’s been with the music, Bentley is also promoting his own brand of bourbon just released last year. It’s called ROW 94 and comes with “three ingredients and the truth.” Like all things Bentley, he put a lot of time, thought, and effort into creating it.

“You know, I’m really not trying to be busier than ever. Trust me, I don’t want to be doing all of this stuff. But ever since I’ve had a bar called Whiskey Row, I knew I needed my own whiskey. It’s ridiculous not to have your own whiskey in there.”

The idea of developing his own brand began more than a decade ago, but it wasn’t until COVID that he had the time to begin visiting distilleries and researching the best way to do it. He had some very specific criteria.

“It had to be at least four years old with between four and seven as the sweet spot,” he says. “I wanted to have something I would drink behind closed doors, as well as in public. I wanted it to be higher proof, it had to be under $40, and it had to be from Kentucky. If I had made this on my own it would retail for about $100 a bottle, but I was able to partner with Green River Distilling Company which meant I could get it out the door and onto shelves for under $40. And I feel that’s a fair price for my fans.”

For Bentley, the icing on the cake is Green River Distilling happens to be based in Owensboro, Kentucky, home to the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. His love of bluegrass music runs deep.

“From the very beginning our goal has always been to mix the bluegrass with the kickass,” he says. “We wanted to have the bluegrass instruments: the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, but also have the big electric guitars and drums and sounds. And I still try to chase that sound.”

More than two decades after bursting onto the country music scene with hits like “What Was I Thinkin”, “5-1-5-0,” “I Hole On,” and others, Bentley’s still adding his special blend of bluegrass, country, and sometimes a little rock, to the genre.

And as he works to maintain his own career, he’s determined to serve as a positive influence to up-and-coming artists, as well. Whether it comes from seeking out their talents as songwriters (his new album features two songs written by Stephen Wilson Jr), or their gifts as performers (inviting Zach Top and others joining him on the road), or simply encouraging them from afar.

“I’m really pulling for people like Stephen Wilson Jr,” Bentley says. “He’s a ridiculously strong songwriter and as a singer, he’s got so much pain in his voice. I’m pulling for him and people like Zach Top, Red Clay Strays, Ella Langley, and others. They’re up-and-comers and so good for this genre. I want to see people like that keep moving forward.”

Bentley performs in Nashville this Friday, then resumes his Broken Branches Tour which continues until the end of August.