Dierks Bentley loves any reason to celebrate the United States, including July 4th. The Arizona native is proud to be an American, and is especially grateful for those who fight for the country’s freedoms.

“I’m extremely patriotic,” Dierks told his record label. “I love this country, and I love the history of this country. I read books on this country. I spend my time on the road traveling physically throughout the country. The soldiers and their families are constantly on my mind. We work closely with the Wounded Warriors Project. We think about this stuff all the time.”

Dierks’ last album, The Mountain, was released in 2020. He also released his debut project with Hot Country Knights, The K is Silent, in May, hoping to hit the road later this year on their One Knight Stand Tour, before the coronavirus pandemic changed those plans. The band, which is a comedic tribute to country music in the ’90s, released their debut single, “Pick Her Up,” earlier this year, after Dierks admitted he wasn’t sure where he would take his solo career next.

“I was like, ‘If we’re not pitching this to the Hot Country Knights, then I’m going to take this and cut it myself on my record because this is just great, fun country music,’” Dierks told Billboard. “I’m not really sure where to go after doing Riser, then Black and The Mountain. These albums all have these great big themes and I have no idea where to go personally, in my own career, but that song I would have cut and put it on my own record. It was such a fun tune. The Knights loved it, so the Knights got it.”

Dierks does plan on releasing more music on his own, although for now — COVID-19 aside — he is focused on the Hot Country Knights.

“I’m not really in a rush to get off this,” Dierks stated at the start of the year.”It’s really fun and I think it’s really needed in country music right now. [The country genre], myself included, can take themselves way too seriously. This is a good reminder of why I got into country music, which is great songs, great personalities, great people, characters, colors and energy. It’s a nice way for me to reset my next project, just by being around these guys.”