Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

DIERKS BENTLEY’S MILES & MUSIC FOR KIDS

SELLS OUT TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE IN CHICAGO

Nashville, TN – (Sept. 29, 2011) – Multi-platinum country music star Dierks Bentley’s Miles & Music for Kids charity motorcycle ride and concert in Chicago, IL on Oct. 9 is sold out.  This marks the event’s fastest advance sell out in its six year history. Thousands of fans will join Bentley for the outdoor block party next Sunday to raise money for Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital. Artists slated to join Bentley for the jam-style concert include Eli Young Band, Jerrod Niemann, Tyler Reeve, Matt Mason and welcoming station US99’s Lisa Dent as emcee.

“It’s further proof that country music fans and bikers have the biggest hearts out there,” said Bentley. “It’s always fun taking this event into new cities and raising money for the local hospitals.  We are looking forward to a big day in Chicago!”

Over the event’s six-year history, it has raised an impressive $1.6 million for children’s hospitals in Nashville, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Seattle, Columbus and tickets are still available for the upcoming sixth annual event in Nashville, TN.  The event is presented annually by Nationwide Insurance and also sponsor by CMT One Country.

Luke Bryan stopped by the Ellen DeGeneres Show to perform “Country Girl (Shake It for Me),” from his album tailgates & tanlines.”This performance will get you shaking, whether you’re a country girl or not! Watch it below…and pay close attention to the hand that comes out of nowhere to touch his shaker-maker.

Dierks Bentley performs a version of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” Thursday night (September 29th) as part of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’s week-long tribute to the legendary rock band. As the only country artist taking part in the tribute, Dierks joins the list of rock bands as Fallon’s musical guests, which include Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, The Shins and MGMT.  Dierks says he’s old enough to remember Pink Floyd when they were enjoying success the first time around. “I was born in 1974; I know what Pink Floyd was,” Dierks explains. “My sister is three years older than me, so all that music, you know, all that ‘80s music is not something that’s nostalgic for me. I mean, I was knee-deep in that stuff…I mean, Pink Floyd’s one of the biggest rock bands of all time.” The tribute week celebrates the release of Pink Floyd’s two new box sets of remastered and previously unreleased material.

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley talks about taking part in Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’s weeklong tribute to Pink Floyd.

Dierks Bentley (Pink Floyd) OC: …how it goes over. :46

“I got a call for that, and I mean, I was born in 1974; I know what Pink Floyd was. My sister is three years older than me, so all that music, you know, all that ‘80s music is not something that’s nostalgic for me. I mean, I was knee-deep in that stuff, and I’m a huge…country music’s 90% of what I listen to and always really have since I was 17 years old. I mean, Pink Floyd’s one of the biggest rock bands of all time, and hear Pearl Jam’s gonna do it. A buddy of mine plays guitar for Pearl Jam. A buddy of mine plays guitar for the Foo Fighters. These are bands that I really think are great ad awesome, and to be on the same show and part of the same deal they’re all doing is kind of a no-brainer. It’s exciting. We’ll see how it goes. We’re gonna put some steel guitar and fiddle on that thing and see how it goes over.”

Luke Bryan kicks off his annual FarmTour Thursday (September 29th) in Clemson, South Carolina. The trek, in-between dates on his CMT Tour, is scheduled to run through Friday, October 6th in Carrollton, Georgia. Proceeds from the shows will be made available as a scholarship for a student from a farming family attending a local college in each community where the shows are taking place.

• The Georgia native is tackling the country charts in a big way with his latest single, “I Don’t Want This Night to End,” from his new album, tailgates & tanlines.
• Luke is up for New Artist of the Year at this year’s CMA Awards, taking place live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena November 9th on ABC.

Farm Tour Dates:
9/29 — Clemson, SC, Clemson University
9/30 — Athens, GA, Tucker Plantation
10/1 — Macon, GA, Luther Williams Field
10/6 — Valdosta, GA, Coffee Weed Plantation
10/7 — Carrollton, GA, VFW Fairgrounds

AUDIO: Luke Bryan explains how he puts together a set list for his shows.

Luke Bryan (set list) 092811 OC: …a big bang. :27

“When I sit down and plan a set list, it’s a situation where I want to talk with my band about it and get their opinion. I mean, the whole organization kinda puts their input in on the set list. I like to kinda come out of the gates firing on all cylinders and keep people going. And then at some point, you’ve got to kind of bring it down a little bit and play some of your slower songs; songs that can kind of let people catch their breath, and then, obviously, end with the big songs that end with a big bang.”

Go behind the scenes on Lady A’s promotional trip to Canada last week as they celebrate OWN THE NIGHT going number one!

Alan Jackson is enjoying his ride up the country charts with “Long Way to Go,” the first release from his upcoming album, due in stores early next year. In the meantime, the country superstar is putting the finishing touches on the new album, and he’s eager to get the new music into the hands of his fans. “I try to find or find good songs or write some,” says Alan. “I think we got a good bunch of material together…so, I think it’s gonna be a fun time. I’m ready to put it out.”

• Catch Alan performing during the 80th birthday celebration for George Jones as GAC-TV airs Opry Live on October 4th at 8pm ET.

AUDIO: Alan Jackson is looking forward to putting out his new album.

AJ (new album) 092811 OC: …put it out. :22

“We’ve about finished it up. We’re doing some mixing on it now, but we’re pretty much done, and it’s just — I don’t know. I always just say it’s more of the same. I try to find or find good songs or write some. I think we got a good bunch of material together, got a good team over there with Mike Dungan and everybody’s excited. So, I think it’s gonna be a fun time. I’m ready to put it out.”

Dierks Bentley celebrated the recent No. 1 success of his hit, “Am I The Only One,” with a party Tuesday night (September 27th) at Nashville’s popular hotspot, Losers, along with co-writers Jim Beavers and Jon Randall. The song is proving to be a highlight of his live shows, where members of the audience actually crowd-surf during the song. A side note, Dierks and his co-writers wrote several verses of the song, even though only two made the cut on the record. However, if you see him live in concert, you might be lucky enough to hear a few of those unrecorded verses. Also attending the standing room only crowd were the honoree’s wife, Cassidy, and two young daughters, Evie and Jordan.

• Speaking of his live shows, Dierks will be hitting the road on his Country & Cold Cans tour, which is set to kick off on October 6 in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. He’ll be taking Jerrod Niemann and the Eli Young Band with him on the 22-city trek.
• Dierks is just starting to hit the airwaves with his new single, “Home.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley talks about his No. 1 hit, “Am I The Only One,” at his No. 1 party in Nashville on Tuesday night.

Dierks Bentley (No. 1 party) OC: …pretty fun. :49

“It’s huge. Yeah, it’s a huge song. I mean, just going back to the last show I played up in Minnesota the other night. Put a picture up on Twitter of a girl actually upside down. Like, her boots are up in the air. She was crowd surfing. She had her boots, (Laughs) and the rest of her body is buried somewhere. That was on “Am I the Only One.’ We’ve been starting the show off with “Feel That Fire.” So, it’s like a big — I always try to come out swinging punches. It’s a big show, and then that song comes in third. You really can’t do that song too late because it’s called “Am I the Only One that Wants to Have Fun Tonight.” You can’t really close the show with that song because it’s meant to be up front in the show. But the energy that comes up even higher when that song comes in is palatable. It’s been great for the live show. It’s a lot of fun. It really is. I actually wrote several verses to the song with Jim and J.R., but two only made the album. So, in the live show I’ve been introducing some of the other verses that didn’t make it. So, it’s been pretty fun.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley talks about writing “Am I the Only One.”

Dierks Bentley (Am I the Only One) OC: …a good time. :22

“Man, I wrote this song with some friends about some friends of mine that I couldn’t get to go out on the town on Friday night. They were giving me some pretty weak excuses, so I had to make fun of ‘em in the lyrics of this song. No one was actually watching American Idol, If one of my friends turned me down for American Idol on a Friday night, we would definitely have to exchange some words. Nothing wrong with American Idol, but you can Tivo that show and watch it any time you want. When it’s Friday night, it’s time to go out and have a good time.”

Eric Church Fan Hits 100th Show Milestone

New music video for single, “Drink In My Hand,” debuts

AWARD WINNING SINGER/SONGWRITER DIERKS BENTLEY INTRODUCES “HOME” FROM

HIS UPCOMING SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM

 Nashville, TN – Sept. 26, 2011 – Multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley releases the anthemic “Home” off his upcoming sixth Capitol Nashville album to country radio today.  Bentley penned the poignant new track with Dan Wilson and Brett Beavers.

“One of the best parts of being a traveling musician is getting to meet people from all over the country and hear about what’s happening in their lives and their towns…the struggles and the joys,” says Bentley.  “They’re the inspiration for this song. The lyrics speak to the challenges we’ve had as a country, but hopefully the song leaves you feeling inspired and optimistic.”
 
To watch a video of the making of “Home” from the studio, click here: http://www.thegreenroompr.com/dierksbentley_video.html
 
Bentley’s sixth Capitol Nashville studio project is scheduled for release in early 2012 and has already scored the No. 1 hit “Am I The Only One.”  Bentley’s new album follows in the footsteps of his critically acclaimed UP ON THE RIDGE, which earned Album of the Year nominations at the ACM, CMA and GRAMMY Awards this year. His previous five albums have sold over five million copies, earned 10 GRAMMY nominations and spawned eight No. one hits.  

Bentley will kick off the first leg of his “Country & Cold Cans” tour on Oct. 6 in LaCrosse, WI with 22 dates running through November.