Dierks Bentley is proud to be part of country music, but not just because he has had a successful career that has spanned more than 20 years. The Arizona native loves how the entire industry, both the artists and fans, are supportive of the United States of America, and especially those who have served or are currently serving in the military.
“The one thing that I think country music fans and certainly singers, I think what we all really can appreciate and think about a lot about is the soldiers and their families,” Bentley tells his record label. “I mean, on the most basic level, I think, for me on the road, I just think about being gone two, three days at a time, maybe a couple weeks at a time. That seems like a long time when you have kids and family, but these soldiers, they’re gone for months, years at a time. They’re doing 12 to 15 to 18-month deployments. Four deployments in, they have family back home. That in itself is such a huge sacrifice and that’s just the beginning of it. That’s just scratching the surface of what these guys are doing every day.
“Preparing for battle, actually being in battle, being wounded in battle, sometimes dying in battle,” he adds. “And so this country obviously would not exist without those courageous men and women, and our future depends upon them.”
Bentley doesn’t honor the military just on Veterans Day, but makes sure he honors them every day, especially with the Wounded Warrior Project, a cause that is important to him.
“I think what’s great about Veterans Day and the Wounded Warrior Project, which is something we’re working very closely with, is it’s not just about their ‘Hurrah, hurrah. Troops, we support you guys, ‘” the 48-year-old reflects. “It’s about the long-term hurrah. It’s about being there for them. Being here for them when they come back, and helping them come back. Certainly the guys have been wounded, coming back to uncertain times in their lives as far as their health goes, as far as reconnecting with their family goes, and finding a job.
“It’s just really uncertain for them when they come back to this country,” he continues. “So, I think Veterans Day, it’s something that happens once a year, but I think in the country community it really is something that we are and need to be thinking about 365 days a year, because those folks need us.”
Bentley currently has a Top 20 hit with “American Girl.” The song is from the Tom Petty tribute album, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, released earlier this year.
“Petty’s songs stand on their own,” Bentley tells CMT. “He was never about being flashy. His lyrics and delivery were a big part of what made his music so impactful. That’s the spirit we wanted to bring to this video, with my band and me just digging into the groove and having fun.”
Find “American Girl” and all of Bentley’s music and upcoming shows at Dierks.com.