There comes a time in any climb up one of Colorado’s famous 14,000 foot peaks when, after a few hours of striving, you pause on a ledge, turn around, and marvel at the vista and the ground you’ve covered. That’s where Dierks Bentley finds himself, 20 years into an exceptional career in 21st century country music, with plans to release his 10th studio album GRAVEL & GOLD on February 24th. It’s a diverse, 14-track album about perspective and self-awareness at many levels from the personal to the professional. It’s also a testament to the many strains of country music Bentley has mastered and cultivated in his career, from the arena shaker to the barroom weeper to the bluegrass fireballer. GRAVEL & GOLD is a story of renewal, family, persistence and devotion to making the music as authentic and lasting as it can possibly be. Fans can now pre-order GRAVEL & GOLD and access its first available tracks “Gold,” “High Note” feat. Billy Strings and now “Same Ol’ Me” HERE.
“It’s been four years since I put out an album, and part of the reason for that is that I wrote and recorded two records that I didn’t feel were good enough and had to start over…twice,” explains Bentley. “I’m going to be able look back on it for the rest of my life and be like, yeah, that was harder than I thought it would be, but zero regrets. I had to get it right. That’s the Gravel & Gold of it all.”
With a mix of long time collaborators, Bentley finds himself as a producer for the first time with GRAVEL & GOLD. In its opening track “Same Ol’ Me,” out today and available as a live video at 12:00P HERE. Bentley recognizes that midlife demands adjustments and adaptations – as well as nurturing the inner fire of the 18-year-old country music fanatic who first arrived in Nashville in the 1990s. “Heartbreak Drinking Tour” calls on country music’s capacity for telling stories, “Something Real” reasserts the importance of holding on to integrity and self in a world of pressures, while “Still,” is a spacious and lovely meditation on staying spiritually grounded, largely through the power and freshness of nature. “Cowboy Boots” features Ashley McBryde with sharp writing about a timeless but humble subject, while “Beer At My Funeral” gives the album a jab of Roger Miller humor at 21st century arena scale. “Gold,” the album’s first single hits the core theme of perspective with a road-trip vibe and wisdom earned only by putting in the years and the work, and a similar gratitude for connection and life’s gentle gifts can be found in “Walking Each Other Home.” The final track is an intimate circle with Music City’s greatest pickers trading licks and laughs on the witty song about getting high, “High Note” feat. Billy Strings alongside Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin, Charlie Worsham on guitar and Bryan Sutton on guitar and banjo.
“Selfishly I’ve always wanted to have my cake and eat it too,” says Bentley. “I’m in the bluegrass space. I’m in the traditional country space. It’s always been important to me to have the love and support of this community in Nashville, particularly the older establishment and the Opry – and to know that I’m able to do that but also get out on the road and play the big venues too? It doesn’t get any better than that for me.”
GRAVEL & GOLD Track List:
- “Same Ol’ Me”
- “Sun Sets In Colorado”
- “Heartbreak Drinking Tour”
- “Something Real”
- “Still”
- “Beer At My Funeral”
- “Cowboy Boots” (Featuring Ashley McBryde)
- “Gold”
- “Walking Each Other Home”
- “Roll On”
- “All The Right Places”
- “Ain’t All Bad”
- “Old Pickup”
- “High Note” (Featuring Billy Strings)
The 10th album landmark speaks to how time has flown in Bentley’s unique, 21st-century career. He landed his first publishing deal in 2001 and released his debut album in 2003, producing an instant No. One single. The years since have revealed a rare consistency that’s fueled longevity – eight more albums that reached the top of the Country sales charts, resulting in 21 No. One songs, 8 billion streams, three CMA Awards, 14 GRAMMY® nominations and membership into the Grand Ole Opry. Trendy sounds have ebbed and flowed around him over these two decades, but fans have relied on Bentley for something more nourishing and individual. He also has created professional endeavors outside of the music with his Flag & Anthem lifestyle collection Desert Son, along with his “Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row” franchise hosting four locations. For more information and a list of upcoming tour dates, visit www.Dierks.com.
Dierks Bentley (Same Ol’ Me) 1 OC: …country music. :13
“I wrote this song with Jon Randall and Luke Dick, and it’s kind of about no matter how much you change and life changes you, at the end of the day, I’m still just the same ol’ me playing the same ol’ guitar, singing the same ol’ country music.”
