Dierks Bentley: Can You Feel Me?

What was going through your mind when you sat down with Rodney Crowell to write for Feel That Fire?
I went to his house and I was a nervous wreck. I had an idea for the song, “Pray.” The idea was complicated but I knew he’d help me get through it. The idea being that, you spent two years with someone and you think, “It is real. At least it felt real at the time.” And then when it ends, all there is, is like a complete vacuum. There isn’t anything left; it’s just hatred or animosity. It’s almost insulting, the idea of love, and you think, “All that was fake?” You think, “Two years of my life were completely wasted. That doesn’t even count.” And that’s not the way it should be, because you know it was real at the time.

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When the relationship is over and the scab wears off, how do you not only find a window of forgiveness, but expand that even to the point where you say, “I want you to be happy?” If you can get to that place, it justifies all the realness of the relationship. That’s the way it should be. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It didn’t work out.

It’s a complicated thing to say, but I had it in my mind at Rodney’s place. I said my hallelujahs before I crossed the threshold into his house. We sat down in his kitchen and it was one of the coolest things ever. We wrote the song in his kitchen. We went out for lunch and had some Mexican food and a couple of cervezas at a local Mexican joint. I knew we had something there [with the song] but it wasn’t totally finished.

I have a playlist of about 100 pieces [of songs] like that on my iPod and Cassidy, my wife, likes to take my iPod and go jogging to it. That’s how she found “Free and Easy,” which was a Garage Band thing I had done, and she said that was pretty cool. And the same with “Pray.” She said, “This is an amazing song. You guys have got to finish this.” So I finished it, cleaned it up and sent it back to Rodney. I still have the e-mail. He said, “Wow, I had no idea what we had written that day. This completely exceeds my expectations.” And now Rodney is a friend and I plan on writing a lot more with him, because I can. A lot of people can’t. He doesn’t write with everybody.


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  1. This article underscores the serious side of fun loving music. Bentley’s approach to songwriting gives him such versatility and lattitude that his success is not surprising. What I find interesting is that he takes those opinions and marries those ideals with a wicked live show. Is it any surprise that he has a dedicated fan base?

    Intellectually, Bentley is under-rated. His commercial success has obscured his ability to broach the entire depth of the country genre and then some. But 6 million in record sales, and 6 Grammy nominations, and a chance to sing for the Nobel Peace Prize audience belay that. And yet when you ask fans about Bentley and his music., they see it as personal, aimed at them.

    His growth over the past few years has been something to watch and if the past is any indication of success, his future has stardom written all over it.

  2. Finally! Dierks Bentley is getting the song-writing recognition he deserves–in American Songwriter! I agree with Janet–his talent is so under-rated. His star is the brightest in the sky for me already–can’t wait for the rest of the world to see it! Looking forward to the rest of the article!

  3. dierks youare awonderful song writer ana pretty cool friend to have iam very hapy to be in youre fan club ihave igot you acertificate award for miles an music this year an iwant to give you in person ilove every thing you do for evry one an for the kids at vander bulit hospital the world is beauitful becauseyouarein it an ivoted for you becaueseithink you are the best country singer ever hit nashville i really atmire every thing you do youare awonderful friend allways iwant to hear from you okay tellcassidy happy mothers day to her an tellyoure mom happy mothers day too from lauraprrshdierks allof youre music an videos aresovery awesome to meallways youwill allways be the greatest counrty star an youre band isthe greatesttoo keep up the good work an best wishesto youan youre family an band youare the only country articles iwill ever chocis to be in in the fan club with from lauraprrsh

  4. I love the fact that Dierks writes from experience. What is real. There are words of wisdom sprinkled throughout his lyrics, yet they do not preach. “Wasted time is something, man, when it’s gone, you can’t get it back” is just from one song. He is awesome! And he works so hard!

  5. Way back in 2003 when I heard What Was I Thinkin’ on the radio for the first time I felt that I had found the guy who could really energize country music. When I saw the video and saw his name down at the bottom of the screen as a co-writer on that song, I was really impressed. I knew that country music was in for a wild ride. I have known Dierks Bentley for six years now, and have attended close to 30 of his shows in six states. I still have the most fun at a Dierks Bentley show than any other. Of all the country stars that have met, he has the greatest rapport with fans. The consensus of his fan base is that he is so nice and he is so normal! As an aspiring songwriter, I want to thank you for this article, which is a spectacular learning tool for those of us who love and write country music. Remember why we write: to have fun, to get to know other people we would not be able to otherwise, and to make the world a better place. Dierks Bentley has accomplished all of these things in his short lifetime, and I wish him all the best in his quest to make fans like me happy for years to come! (little_white_tank_topped_miss)

  6. dierks is avery cool friend to have an ilove being in his fan club ihope dierks will like the certificate award for miles an music for kids from me dierksis awonderful person allways dierks musican videos are so awesome an on tv dierks is soawesome to be around an he has awonderful family an im happy to be apart of dierks fan club from his number 1one fan member lauraprrsh iallways love going to nashville to seedierksbentley he is my favorite an my hero an my best friend the world is a better place because dierks bentley is init dierks keep playing good musican videos best wishes to you an youre family an to the band is allso great too thanks for leting me seeyouin person anihope to get to seeyou again -emailme ibe thinking of you allyouallhaveagreat summer this year from lauraprrsh

  7. ireally enjoy allof dierks music an videos an concerts he is areal cool friend tohaveas a fanmember he willallways be the greatest country singer ever hit nasville tn an agood person anhehas agreat band an ilove to seethem when ever iget achaceto iwish icould seethem alot in person but heis so busy withevery thing ihave allways dream ed to be in dierks fan club an iam happy iam he willalways be my favorite an my best friend its been great to be in his video feel that fire for the frist time an ihope some day ican be in his video again itis so wonderful to get tobe apart of some thing with dierks bentley ireallyat mire him an im pround of dierks allways dierks willallways be blessed becausehe is the very bset in country music allways an he wiil get aspecail certificate award from his fan member lauraprrsh for miles an music for kids this year 2009 dierks the world is abetter placebcausedierks bentley isinit heis the greatest

  8. Im so glad dierks is getting the recognition he deserves. He is awesome. He will be the next superstar of Country Music. .. I am going to try my best to buy this magazine. I LOVE YOU DIERKS!!!!!!!!!

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