Dierks Bentley continued to prove why he is a “Country music staple,” (Esquire) wrapping the Gravel & Gold Tour with two nights at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO. The tour follows his acclaimed tenth studio album of the same name, released in February, that Rolling Stone hailed for its “mix that spans contemporary country, classic sounds, bluegrass, and Southern rock.”
On night one of Red Rocks–Tuesday, September 5th–Bentley welcomed special guests Harper O’Neill, The Red Clay Strays, and Ashley McBryde. Bentley invited Red Clay Strays’ vocalists Brandon Coleman and Drew Nix back to the stage for a special cover of Waylon Jennings’ “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean.” McBryde also made a second appearance, performing their honky-tonk duet “Cowboy Boots.” Night two (Wednesday, Sept. 6) saw opening performances from Tanner Usrey, Kaitlin Butts, and Colorado mainstays The Infamous Stringdusters, who later joined Bentley for a rendition of bluegrass standard “Rovin’ Gambler.” During both nights, Bentley played a discography mix of old and new, including fan favorites from Gravel & Gold, “Gold,” “Something Real,” and the ever-fitting “Sun Sets in Colorado.”
“I’m always trying to create a rollercoaster that I get to ride on, not just the fans. The second I walk on stage, I don’t want to have to work anymore. I want to have fun. And that’s why I spend months rehearsing this show over and over and over and over and over and over,” Bentley recently told CMT. “I don’t have to rehearse anymore. I step on the escalator, and it’s going to take me exactly where I want to go–the fans. And this one, I think, does it better than ever.”
Since kicking off in June, the Gravel & Gold Tour has traveled to notable venues across the country and featured a multitude of special guests including Jordan Davis, Elle King, Tracy Lawrence, Tyler Braden, Caylee Hammack, Kameron Marlowe, Caitlyn Smith, Hailey Whitters, The Cadillac Three, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Shane Smith & The Saints and Bentley’s own Hot Country Knights.
Dierks is making his way up the country charts with his latest single, “Something Real.”
