Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

As we mentioned previously, Dierks Bentley hosted his sixth annual Miles & Music for Kids celebrity motorcycle ride and benefit concert on Sunday (October 16th) in Nashville. The event, which included more than one-thousand motorcycle riders, raised more than $205,000 dollars to benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Expanding to other cities, such as Chicago, Columbus (Ohio) and Atlanta, the event has raised more than $2 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The event began south of Nashville and ended at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville with a concert, featuring Dierks and special guests including Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, Eli Young Band, Colt Ford, Craig Campbell and Josh Thompson.

Dierks (Miles & Music check) 101811 OC: …huge check. :30

“We just did our ride this past weekend for Miles & Music for Kids, something we started six years ago that raises money for the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Every year, even though it’s our sixth year, you never really know what you’re getting into or what to expect. Certainly, the economy this year has been just brutal and so many people are out of jobs and there’s a lot of uncertainty out there so you never know when you’re doing a charity event what to expect in the turnout or the giving or whatnot. We’ve done this in a couple of different cities this year; Nashville, certainly that’s the most money we’ve raised. It’s a huge check.”

Dierks (Miles & Music check) 2 OC: …let us down. :40

“They bring out a big check on stage, a fake check, you know, but some of the kids from the hospital that are benefitting fromn the great nurses and doctors and staff and research at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, these kids come out carrying this great, big check and I get to autograph it and a real check will be going out very soon, this week. It’s a great feeling, and I take a great pride in the people that are making it happen. Obviously, the fans that come out and buy the tickets and support it; all the volunteers from the hospital, from different places all come out and they donate their time. It takes a lot of people to raise that money, and a lot off people giving their time to raise that money, so it’s been a real blessing. And we’ll do it as long as the community is excited about it. They’ve never let us down.” 

DIERKS BENTLEY’S “HOME” NAMED OFFICIAL SONG OF THE ARIZONA CENTENNIAL COMMISSION

Bentley Discusses Writing “Home” on NPR’s All Things Considered

Nashville, TN – Oct. 19, 2011 – Award winning singer/songwriter Dierks Bentley’s anthemic new single “Home” has been hand-picked by the Arizona Centennial Commission to serve as its official song for the state’s 100 year celebration. The Arizona native will also return to his home state next Feb. to join the festivities as the Honorary Chairman of the Arizona Centennial Motorcycle Ride.   
 
Bentley was a featured guest on NPR’s All Things Considered yesterday, where he discussed writing “Home” and both his inspiration during the writing process, along with the challenges that come with taking on such a big subject.
 
To listen to Bentley’s NPR interview, visit: http://www.npr.org/2011/10/18/141468103/dierks-bentley-a-tough-song-to-finish-the-right-way
 
“Home” is the latest single off Bentley’s sixth Capitol Nashville studio project that is scheduled for release in early 2012.  Fans can catch Bentley’s “Country & Cold Cans” Tour this weekend at Irving Plaza in New York, NY (10/20 and 10/21) and Uncasville, CT (10/22). For more information and a full list of tour dates, visit www.dierks.com.

Lady Antebellum are back in Nashville, having hit the media circuit overseas. The trio are getting prepared for their Own The Night Tour 2011, hitting the rehearsal halls working out set lists, staging and more.The band, who are nominated for CMA Vocal Group of the Year, gave their fans a short behind-the-scenes teaser of one of their rehearsals. The trek kicks off November 11th in Knoxville. Check out the video clip below. 

Lady A (international success) OC: …amazing. :42

“I think honestly that’s one of the coolest emails we get every couple of weeks is what the album sales are in countries all around the world. And truthfully, that’s just proof of what a song like ‘Need You Now’ has done for our career. I mean it’s bizarre and so humbling to think about the journey that that song has taken literally around the world…honestly, too, we use those album sales in what countries those are in as indicators of when we’re not touring in the States where we need to travel to next. And that’s always fun too, because this career that we set out to pursue is now allowing us to travel the world, and it’s just really amazing.”

Eric Church and Luke Bryan have joined the list of performers at this year’s CMA Awards. The two are up for New Artist of the Year, along with The Band Perry, Chris Young and Thompson Square.

This is the second time Luke has been nominated for the same award, while Eric is a first-time CMA nominee. He secured his first ACM Award earlier this year for Top New Solo Artist, and this will be the first time he’s performed on an awards show in front of his peers. At the ACMs, he performed at the ACM Fan Jam off-site from the actual awards show.

Luke took home the ACM Top New Artist of the Year award in 2010.

Other than the five New Artist of the Year nominees, the performance list includes Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter and Rascal Flatts with Natasha Bedingfield.

The 45th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, November 9th at 8pm ET on ABC.

Eric Church’s latest single, “Drink in My Hand,” is quickly climbing the country charts. So, when he raises his cup, what drink does he have in his hand? Jack Daniels, of course. “I just love the product,” says Eric. “There’s just some products you find, whether it’s jeans or boots or whatever, [and] Jack Daniels is just one I love. I mean, I love it. It’s got me through many shows, and lines. [laughs]” He likes the product so much, he and a friend of his recently went in together to purchase an entire barrel at the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee.   

Eric Church (Jack Daniels alcohol) OC: …and lines. [laughs] :21

“I love Jack Daniels. We just actually went down there and bought a barrel, split a barrel with a friend of mine, and I’m excited about. But it was such a great trip to go down there and meet those guys. I just love the product. There’s just some products you find, whether it’s jeans or boots or whatever, Jack Daniels is just one I love. I mean I love it. It’s got me through many shows, and lines. [laughs]”

Dierks Bentley hosted his sixth annual Miles & Music for Kids celebrity motorcycle ride and benefit concert on Sunday (October 16th) in Nashville. More than one-thousand motorcycle riders participated in the event, which began south of Nashville and ended at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville with a concert, featuring Dierks and special guests including Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, Eli Young Band, Colt Ford and Josh Thompson. More than $200,000 was raised from this year’s ride and concert in Nashville, and all proceeds from the event benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Expanding to other cities, such as Chicago, Columbus (Ohio) and Atlanta, the event has raised more than $1.5 million.

Keith Urban presented labelmate Eric Church with an RIAA certified Gold plaque for Eric’s new album, Chief, backstage in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday (October 13th). The album has sold more than 500,000 copies since its release at the end of July. Keith invited Eric to be a special guest during his Get Closer 2011 World Tour stop to perform “Springsteen,” a track from Chief, for a sold out crowd.

Check out Eric’s facebook page for a photo.

Lady Antebellum will return to the Mother Church of Country Music, the legendary Ryman Auditorium, to perform a special acoustic performance exclusively for their fan club members. Tickets went on sale Friday (October 14th) for Own the Night: Unplugged, taking place November 14th. The trio’s Own the Night 2011 Tour launches November 11th in Knoxville, Tennessee, along with Josh Kelley and Randy Montana.

• Lady A are nominated or Vocal Group of the Year at this year’s CMA Awards, taking place November 9th, and broadcast live beginning at 8pm ET on ABC.
• The band is also nominated for three American Country Awards, which will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on FOX beginning at 8pm ET.

Dierks Bentley had an AWESOME first weekend on the Country & Cold Cans Tour. In this week’s DBTV, Episode 38, go behind the scenes as the tour takes off with Dierks, Jerrod Niemann and Eli Young Band.