Dierks Bentley is one of the biggest Country music stars in the world and heās gearing up to release his eagerly awaited new album Black.
His current single Somewhere on a Beach, is shooting up the US Country Songs and Airplay charts, laying the foundations for Black to hit the ground running on its release. In April Dierks will head over to Ireland and the UK to play a series of headline shows.
I caught up with Dierks to talk about the huge success of Somewhere on a Beach, find out what we can expect from Black, and to discuss his experience of performing here in the UK.
Your new single Somewhere on a Beach is blowing up on Country radio right now. Tell me the story behind that track.
Itās always tough to pick that first single and trying to find that song thatās going to work well for radio and for the tour youāve got coming up. Itās got to be a good song to lead the album with and thereās a lot of pressure that goes along with that first single because it has to serve a lot of different purposes. Weāre coming off a lot of serious songs from the last record, Riser was the last single, and we felt like we needed to come back with something a little more fun after Riser.
Putting it out there I didnāt know how it would go over but people loved it. Itās got off to a great start in the states and itās my fastest-rising single that Iāve ever put out. Itās a great song to get this album going and to get out there, and help me get to other songs quick because it charted so quick.
Itās just a fun song. A friend of mine, who executive produced the album, Arturo (Buenahora Jr) sent me this song and it was written by five guys who are all young, new writers in Nashville. I think for most of them itās their first big cut. I love that energy being tapped into new writers in Nashville. I usually write most of my own songs so itās uncommon for me to cut and release songās I didnāt write but itās a great song. The more I do this, the more I realise itās hard to tour and write new songs at the same time. Iām trying to write as many songs as I can and at the same time reach out to the community here in Nashville and look for great songs.
The music video for the single is a bit of a continuation from Drunk on a Plane. How did that concept come about?
Yeah it really is (laughs). It wasnāt the plan to begin with. We were looking at all these ideas for the video but then people heard the song and started saying it sounded like Drunk on a Plane part 2. Iād never thought about that then I listened to it and I thought ādamn theyāre right, it really picks up where that song left off so we might as well make a video that plays off that.ā My buddy Wes Edwards did a great job with the video and itās great fun with great actors. I just tried to stay out of the way! Itās something I think my fans will enjoy and itāll start the summer off a fun note rather than the heavier songs.
How indicative of your new album Black is Somewhere on a Beach?
Iām trying to make albums that have complete stories, top to bottom. Itās like when people say āread Chapter 13 and see what the whole book is aboutā ā it just doesnāt work that way. You have to listen to the album as a whole really to see where Somewhere on a Beach fits in. (Black) has a lot of twists and turns. Itās a little bit of a love album but it has some darker songs about love, angst, yearning and lonesomeness that comes along with it.
Thereās songs about finding a new girl like Somewhere on a Beach. The song Black, which I believe weāre releasing in the UK as first single is really the cornerstone of the album. Thatās probably my favourite track on the album. Itās really unique song and has so many layers to it, especially to me because my wifeās name is Black and weāve been married now for 10 years. There are a lot of layers to the songs and the album, and I think that song sums up the record the best.
You mentioned before that itās hard to tour and write at the same time. You tour pretty relentlessly so when do you actually find the time to write new material?
I used to write more on the road but Iāve been playing some huge shows the past couple of years that Iāve been devoting my time to working on the show wherever I am, or just recuperating. I just take more time. I started writing songs for this record back in October 2014 and I recorded a bunch of music about a year ago. Then I went on tour and I started writing again and went back into the studio. Itās hard. I wrote 50 songs, maybe more, but I only cut about 6 or 7 of them. They have to be songs that I feel help the album make a story and fit what Iām going after which is this long-term relationship album.
Do you ever revisit songs that youāve put to one side for previous albums or during past writing sessions?
When I first moved out here (to Nashville) you would write a song, type it up, put it in a three ring binder and make sure you didnāt breathe on it too hard (laughs) because theyāre so precious. Now you just write songs and if it just doesnāt work move on to the next one. Iāll search my computer and come across songs Iāve written that didnāt make this album and they probably wonāt make the next one because Iāll be writing new songs. They just donāt go anywhere.
Thatās the thing about being a songwriter in Nashville. Really good songwriters arenāt precious about their songs. They write a song a day and if itās meant to be itās meant to be but if itās not they keep writing. Some people will sing a song they wrote 5 or 6 years ago, and theyāre holding onto it because they think itās great; maybe it is I donāt know but good songwriters just keep on writing. Thereās a lot of great songs on Music Row that could probably be big hits but everyone just keeps moving on.
Youāll be bringing the Somewhere on a Beach tour over to Ireland then over to England. What can we expect from the tour?
Well thatās going to be a fun tour for us. I love the variety of playing different venues, places and settings. Weāve been lucky the past few years to be able to play these big amphitheatres and arenas in the states, and I love that kind of show but I miss playing the small bars, clubs and theatres where we can do more of a rockānāroll show with less video walls and lighting, and just more kick the tyres, light the fires and just go out there and rock out.
Weāre starting off in Dublin then working our way over. Itās going to be ā I donāt want to say down and dirty ā but more about the music. Weāre going to play the songs that have been hits in the states, some album cuts and obviously some new stuff off the record, which no one will really have heard before. I feel like the crowds over there, not only are they very receptive to the music but everyone really listens to the music. Last time I played in London at The O2 as part of C2C I was shocked by the evolution of the crowds. Itās always been a great a great listening crowd that pays attention to the music, but I feel that people really go out of their way to find the music now whether itās on iTunes or a streaming service. They know all the songs and the energy has changed; the crowd is on their feet and invested in the show. Theyāre having a great time and theyāre listening too. Theyāre really fun shows for us and itās going to be a great way to start the year off. Weāre looking forward to it.
For the US leg of your tour youāll be taking Randy Houser, Cam and Tucker Beathard with you. Will you be bringing any of them with you in April?
The opening act for the whole deal is Tucker Beathard. Heās a brand new guy and this is his first trip to Europe. Iām so excited to give him that opportunity. Itās a chance to give someone a break and get in front of some people. Hopefully heāll get to make some fans and make the UK one of his touring destinations. The reason I have Tucker on the road with me is because I really believe in him. Heās a really good writer and artist. This will be a chance for the fans to see him before anyone else and see a brand new artist. Itās pretty cool for them too.
You always support upcoming artists on your tours. Does it feel like you have a little family on the road?
Yeah. Itās a two-way street. They get the chance to get out there and make some news fans. I feed off that energy as well, that new blood. I feel like Iām still young and I get more excited now than I ever have in the past playing shows. I have so much more riding on the shows ā my family back here missing me. Itās not a joke, we have to go out that and play a kickass show otherwise weāre wasting everyoneās time. I feel like I bring more energy to the shows now than I ever have in the past but thereās something about being a brand new artist doing it for the first time. I feed off that so when Iām around Maddie & Tae, Tucker Beathard or Cam, itās just fun to be around them.
The Somewhere on a Beach tour and the release of Black is going to keep you pretty busy this year. Are you going to have time to fit anything else in?
Right now Iām just trying to finish this record. This is my week to finish it so Iām just knee-deep in the album. Iām really focussed on the record right now. After this Iām co-hosting the ACM Awards with Luke Bryan then weāre off to the UK for the tour so thereāll be a lot of band rehearsals and trying to make it a unique experience for our fans there. Then weāll be heading back here for the tour that starts May 12th so itās all stacked up like aeroplanes waiting to land. Theyāre all major priorities but I just have to concentrate on them one at a time.
It sounds like youāre in for a very busy 2016ā¦
(laughs) Yeah itās pretty busy! Itās been crazy. Iāve been so busy that I actually quit drinking for the last almost two weeks. Thereās so much going on that I just canāt deal with it. Iām sure Iāll crack before I get to the UK but if not itāll be pretty cool to start in Dublin with my first Guinness in a couple of places I know around there. Half the reason I tour in the UK is because I love beer so much and the pubs, and the history. Just walking in there and seeing someone hand pump a draw from a keg in the basement and get the perfect pintā¦thatās half of the reason I go (laughs). Iām like āmake sure you block off enough time for me to wander round and hit up some pubs. I just love the history and how old they are. Itās like a magical experience to be in those places. I probably sound like an alcoholic but I really love after the shows being around people and just walking around. Iām sure Iāll have a beer before then but if not Iāll have several when I get over there.
Dierks Bentley will be touring the UK & Ireland in April and releasing his upcoming album Black in May. To buy tickets for his Somewhere on a Beach tour go to www.dierksbentley.com. Watch the music video for Somewhere on a Beach below: