Something of a sequel to “Drunk On A Plane” – another vacation break-up song – “Somewhere On A Beach” still has its own identity, with Bentley using a laconic delivery for his I’m-better-off anthem that makes it that much easier to sing along to. Presumably one of Bentley’s earliest compositions, given that he wrote it solo rather than in the collaborative fashion favored for bigger stars, the song finds some fresh wit and humor in its well-trodden subject matter. This two-step-ready tribute to all corners of the barroom shows a different side of Dierks – one steeped the kind of honky-tonk tradition that’s gone even further out of fashion since he first recorded it in 2001 on his independently released album Don’t Leave Me in Love. Bentley was cementing his status as a radio force to be reckoned with on this platinum album, his second – yet within the tracklist, this and his second collaboration with bluegrass legend Del McCoury, “Good Man Like Me,” speak to his interests off of Music Row.Ĭlick to load video 9. There’s a real depth of feeling to this one, that speaks to its author, Jamie Hartford, and his A-list musical community of Johnny Cash, John Prine, and Billy Joe Shaver. “Good Things Happen,” Modern Day Drifter (2005)Īlison Krauss singing backup on a sweet love song set in a gentle, acoustic arrangement? Not much more needs to be said about this album cut, except that it would probably surprise most people only familiar with Bentley’s radio hits. The sound is rich and pure, and the song sounds fittingly of another era – not even the staunchest purist could find something to scoff at in his performance. “You’re Dead To Me,” Up On The Ridge (2010)īentley takes on the high lonesome sound of bluegrass himself on this one, to excellent effect. It didn’t catch on at radio, a testament to its unorthodox sound – there’s much more fuzzed-out rock to this one than bluegrass banjo, and it works well to further express its angst. Listen closely for an early career Kacey Musgraves on back-up vocals on this one, a wrenching break-up song. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. This single combines a healthy dose of honky tonk with a little acoustic flair for a fun yet totally country sound – it reached No. 1 country songs later, he’s a director-at-large at the Country Music Association and one of the town’s most sought-after songwriters. Jim Beavers had mostly been working behind the scenes in Nashville before he co-wrote this song with Dierks Bentley – nine No. It also earned Bentley his seventh GRAMMY nomination. This song was co-written by Bentley with brothers Brett and Jim Beavers, who were by this point in his career his go-to collaborators, and spotlights the lovely tension between Griffin’s silvery soprano and Bentley’s rich baritone in service of an uplifting, if familiar, message. If Dierks Bentley and Patty Griffin seem like unlikely duet partners, it’s a pairing that becomes entirely natural once you hear it. “Domestic, Light And Cold,” Modern Day Drifter (2005)Ĭountry music is about telling it like it is, and what’s more honest than saying what you’d really prefer is an icy Budweiser (or something like it) in the age of ever-increasing beer snobbery? This honky-tonkin’ tune might have a few more than three chords, but it definitely tells the truth in charming, plain-spoken fashion.Ĭlick to load video 14. It’s catchy and unexpected, with an uptempo groove that sounds perfect for some sunny festival stage. “Burning Man,” The Mountain (2018)Ī country song about the famously offbeat festival? Why not? The key here is the inclusion of the Brothers Osborne, who add a little bit of jam band flair to Bentley’s more familiar country sounds. 26 on Billboard’s Hot 100, becoming Dierks Bentley’s biggest crossover hit since his debut. Maybe that sound, of happier times (and gatherings of any form), helped it connect with fans across genres – it reached No. “Gone” (2020)ĭespite the fact that it was released as a one-off in the heart of the pandemic, the raucous single has definite stadium-filling potential. It’s got Texas skies and Spanish moss and country roads, but there’s some real pathos in its country song bingo, drawing listeners in and keeping them hooked. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. This plaintive, semi-power ballad secured Dierks Bentley his first GRAMMY nomination as well as his fourth No. “Every Mile A Memory,” Long Trip Alone (2006) It’s got a little funk to it, a nice edge that keeps it decidedly away from the maudlin and in the realm of the realistic. It’s not hard to imagine Dierks Bentley on Craigslist shopping for Deloreans, or practicing meditation, as he does in this heartbreak song about all the things that you do when you can’t be with the person you want to be with.
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