Dierks Bentley

Summary

On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer: Episode Featuring Dierks Bentley

Podcast Title: On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer
Host: Troy Vollhoffer
Guest: Dierks Bentley
Release Date: January 24, 2024
Duration: Approximately 28 minutes
Knowledge Cutoff: October 2023

---

1. Touring in Canada and Festival Experiences

Troy Vollhoffer (00:01:12):
Troy welcomes Dierks Bentley, expressing excitement about their time together in Canada. He acknowledges the challenges U.S. artists face when touring in Canada, such as border crossings and immigration processes.

Dierks Bentley (00:01:23):
Dierks shares his appreciation for Canadian fans and the evolution of the crowd dynamics over the years. He notes, "Canada's changed a lot since I first started touring up here. That a lot younger and louder."

Key Points:

• Canada has become a more vibrant and enthusiastic market for country music.
• Dierks reminisces about early tours and the quieter, more listening-focused audiences compared to the now younger and louder crowds.
• The shift in fan demographics has positively impacted his performances and festival experiences.

---

2. Early Career and Friendship with Jay Williams and Fielding Logan

Troy Vollhoffer (00:04:26):
Troy delves into Dierks's transition from student life to a professional musician, highlighting his friendships with Jay Williams and Fielding Logan.

Dierks Bentley (00:04:48):
Dierks recounts moving to Nashville at 19 to attend Vanderbilt University and landing an internship at the CMA Country Music Association. He discusses living with Jay Williams, who later became his booking agent, and Fielding Logan, now Eric Church's tour manager. He reflects, "We all starved together though. Go Jay."

Key Points:

• Dierks's move to Nashville was driven by his passion for music and songwriting.
• Building relationships with industry professionals like Jay Williams and Fielding Logan was crucial to his career development.
• Early struggles and shared experiences with friends helped shape his resilience and dedication to music.

---

3. Journey to Nashville and Securing a Record Deal

Troy Vollhoffer (00:07:51):
Troy inquires about how Dierks secured his first record deal, emphasizing the common dream of landing a deal in Nashville.

Dierks Bentley (00:07:44):
Dierks explains the "ten-year town" concept, detailing his decade-long journey to a record deal. He shares his experiences performing at local venues like the Bluebird Cafe and Broken Spoke, which honed his songwriting and performance skills. A pivotal moment was meeting Don Cook through a connection in his band, leading to a publishing deal and eventually a record contract with Capitol Records in 2002.

Notable Quote (00:11:23):
"We all starved together though. Go Jay."

Key Points:

• The importance of perseverance and continuous improvement in achieving career milestones.
• Networking and building relationships within the Nashville music scene played a significant role.
• Dierks's dedication to songwriting and authentic performances eventually led to his breakthrough.

---

4. Insights on Modern Country Music and Entertainment

Dierks Bentley (00:12:35):
Dierks reflects on the absence of certain roles in modern hockey, drawing parallels to the entertainment industry. He emphasizes the value of teamwork and diverse roles, stating, "There's an important role for everybody."

Troy Vollhoffer (00:13:38):
Troy suggests that modern artists may lack the grassroots experience of earning their audience's respect through club performances. He highlights the difference between intimate club settings and large stadium shows.

Key Points:

• The evolution of country music and the importance of maintaining authenticity.
• The shift in how artists build their fanbase, with less emphasis on traditional club performances.
• The necessity for artists to create an intimate connection with large audiences, similar to smaller venues.

---

5. Passion for Hockey

Dierks Bentley (00:16:37):
Dierks shares his love for hockey, describing how he started playing in men's leagues during his time in Nashville. He discusses balancing his passion for the sport with family life and his son's involvement in travel hockey.

Key Points:

• Hockey serves as a significant personal interest and a way to unwind from the rigors of touring.
• Dierks's involvement in hockey has deepened through his son's participation in travel leagues.
• The sport provides a sense of community and teamwork that parallels his music career.

---

6. Aviation and Flying as a Pilot

Troy Vollhoffer (00:21:26):
Troy brings up Dierks's unique passion for aviation, sparking a discussion about his journey to becoming a pilot.

Dierks Bentley (00:21:26):
Dierks elaborates on his aviation journey, obtaining his pilot license at 19 and returning to flying full-time after his first child was born in 2010. He shares his experiences flying various aircraft, including the CJ4 jet that transports his band. Dierks highlights the importance of his sponsorship with Textron, which enables him to pursue this passion alongside his music career.

Notable Quote (00:22:35):
"I love it. It's a great way to save time and manage touring logistics."

Key Points:

• Aviation is a significant and fulfilling hobby for Dierks, complementing his busy touring schedule.
• His progression from prop planes to jets demonstrates his dedication and expertise.
• Sponsorships play a crucial role in enabling artists to pursue personal passions without hindering their professional lives.

---

7. Current Projects and Upcoming Shows

Dierks Bentley (00:20:37):
Dierks discusses his latest album released in February and the ensuing tour. He mentions touring with talented openers like Jordan Davis, Molly Tuttle, and Red Clay Strays, creating a dynamic and engaging concert experience.

Troy Vollhoffer (00:23:19):
Troy highlights the unique atmosphere of Sunday night shows, where the audience is seasoned from weekend festivities, requiring Dierks to put in extra effort to deliver memorable performances.

Key Points:

• The new album marks a significant milestone, with the tour designed to showcase its tracks.
• Collaborations with diverse openers enhance the overall concert experience.
• Tailoring performances to different audience moods and settings ensures a high-energy show.

---

8. Interaction with Fans and Touring Insights

Dierks Bentley (00:24:53):
Dierks shares anecdotes about attending concerts as a fan, including memorable experiences with Taylor Swift and interactions with fellow musicians like Kelly Chase and Mike Salinger. He emphasizes the importance of respecting the concert experience from both the artist's and the audience's perspectives.

Troy Vollhoffer (00:26:06):
Troy appreciates Dierks's dedication and the behind-the-scenes insights he provides, acknowledging the effort it takes to balance touring with personal interests.

Key Points:

• Dierks maintains a strong connection with fans by attending concerts and understanding the fan experience.
• The camaraderie among artists fosters a supportive community within the music industry.
• Effective pre-show routines and time management are essential for delivering consistent performances.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dierks Bentley (00:01:23):
  "Canada's changed a lot since I first started touring up here. That a lot younger and louder."

• Dierks Bentley (00:04:48):
  "We all starved together though. Go Jay."

• Dierks Bentley (00:11:23):
  "We all starved together though. Go Jay."

• Dierks Bentley (00:22:35):
  "I love it. It's a great way to save time and manage touring logistics."

---

Conclusion

In this engaging episode of On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer, Dierks Bentley provides an intimate look into his journey from aspiring musician to country music star. He discusses the importance of perseverance, the value of building strong industry relationships, and maintaining authenticity in his music. Beyond his musical endeavors, Dierks shares his passions for hockey and aviation, highlighting how these interests enrich his life and career. The conversation underscores the dedication required to succeed in the music industry while balancing personal interests and family life. Listeners gain valuable insights into the life of a successful artist, the evolution of country music, and the significance of staying connected with fans.

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Transcript

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[Dirks Bentley]

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[Dirks Bentley]

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[Dirks Bentley]

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[Troy Volhofer]

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[Dirks Bentley]

Daddy, I just want my soup.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, sorry.

[Dirks Bentley]

Sport app says it'll be here in. In a few minutes. Instacart for the.

[Troy Volhofer]

Hey, everybody, it's Troy Volhofer from Country Thunder on the Bus. Our special guest today is Dirks Bentley. Yeah, Dirks, how are you? We're in good, buddy. We're up in Canada hanging out together.

[Dirks Bentley]

Oh, yeah. Always good being up here, dude. I love. I love this part of the country. I had a chance to come over, play a few times and just driving in, seeing the fans, just good people, hardcore country fans. I mean, Canada's changed a lot since I first started touring up here. That a lot younger and louder. And you're having a good festival. I'm glad. A good chance to play this one.

[Troy Volhofer]

You know, it's.

[Dirks Bentley]

Thank you.

[Troy Volhofer]

And this one's a good one, man. And it was funny because I think back to the first festival that I ever produced or the second. Second festival I ever produced. I had to do a deal with your manager in Kernahan at the time.

[Dirks Bentley]

Right.

[Troy Volhofer]

And I remember what I paid you. And it was like, holy shit.

[Dirks Bentley]

Right?

[Troy Volhofer]

And. And. And it was fantastic because, holy shit.

[Dirks Bentley]

I'm gonna pay him nothing. Or holy shit's a lot.

[Troy Volhofer]

Holy shit, it's a lot. And. And you just started out, basically at that particular time, 2006, you were already on a roll. You had a couple big records probably, right?

[Dirks Bentley]

That's a good spot. Yeah, that's of the first. I kind of divided my career up into two spot, two careers. And that was that first career. That 2006 was a good time. Things were going pretty well.

[Troy Volhofer]

He nailed me on that one.

[Dirks Bentley]

Right.

[Troy Volhofer]

I'm like, all right, so. But. But of course, you have to come to Canada. Right. Which is not always easy, you know, to our listeners. For. For US Artists to come to Canada, it's a little bit more difficult. You have to cross a border. You have to go through immigration.

[Dirks Bentley]

You have to customs, a bus here.

[Troy Volhofer]

Today, sometimes a hotel. Right. It truly is an effort, and I appreciate you. You coming up and doing the game.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. We've been coming to Canada since early. I mean, 2000, I think I first came up on my own. That came back George Straight in 2004 or 5. And we came back. We've been coming up on all the small bars. I mean, all the.

[Troy Volhofer]

You're here with Brad Paisley, too, when.

[Dirks Bentley]

Paisley, too. And that Paisley, too, in particular. I remember the crowds being appreciative, but a little quieter. Maybe it's Brad. I'm not sure what it was like. It was more of a listening crowd. Right. It wasn't like the rowdy US festivals. And something changed around, like, 13, 14, where it's like, whoa, man. People are talking about, like, you've been up. You played Boots and Hearts recently. You've been up there. It's like it's. The crowd's getting younger and a little. Little louder now. It's like, that's. And that has been the last, like, you know, five, six years. Always one of our favorite places to tour and used to do a winter tour. Looking to do a winter tour up here again. January, February. I like to be. I like to ski. So it's a good time you're to be up here. I like hockey. I like. As you know, and I like the winter sport, so I come up here.

[Troy Volhofer]

For Christmas every year. Yeah. I go to Banff and do a little skiing. Yeah, man, it's fantastic.

[Dirks Bentley]

Louise.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, yeah, it's beautiful, right?

[Dirks Bentley]

It's unbelievable. So pretty skating the canal in Ottawa.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, I've never done that.

[Dirks Bentley]

Oh, so funk in a beaver tail.

[Troy Volhofer]

Never done that.

[Dirks Bentley]

Mine. It's 55 degrees.

[Troy Volhofer]

Well, touring in January and February can be quite challenging.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. And lose a truck sometimes.

[Troy Volhofer]

Trucks, buses. Right. Especially the drivers who are like, I can't keep it warm enough.

[Dirks Bentley]

I will say it's a great bonding experience, band and crew, though, because it's like, the year starts off, you're all in it together. Too far away to fly back home to Nashville.

[Troy Volhofer]

It's like yeah, no one gets quit.

[Dirks Bentley]

We're just like. We're kind of in this together, you know, it's like, it's a good. It's a good way to get the year started.

[Troy Volhofer]

I'm so happy for your success and since being such a fan of yours throughout your whole career, I. I want to talk about this friend of mine, Jay Williams, and you're. And. And how you guys were roommates and how this whole thing happened.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And how you transitioned from a student into a musician.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Professional musician.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. I moved up to Nashville when I was 19. I guess it was. I was going to Vanderbilt. That's the way I kind of got there. I transferred to that school and the day I got there, I got a job at the CMA Country Music association as an intern. The very first day I was. Had a place to work. And long story short, I was, you know, throughout the whole experience of college, I spent most of my time in the bars, you know, learning, listening, just absorbing the Nashville, you know, 101. But I graduated and I was, you know, all my friends left and I was living with Jay Williams, who's my booking agent now, and Jamie Cheek. Oh, sorry. Jay Williams and Fielding Logan. Jay had just got a job in the mailroom of William Morris. Fielding was. Was tour managing a band called Nickel Creek. He's now Eric Church's number one day to day guys, you know, and Jay's.

[Troy Volhofer]

One of the most powerful agents. Yeah, Jay's in the show business and.

[Dirks Bentley]

Jay's gone on to be one of the biggest guys in William Morris. So we all starved together though. Go Jay to go, go to the mail. Go to be the mail boy. And feeling was. Was doing this thing with. With Nickel Creek and I'd sit at home and in Mondaware and drink Bush Light and listen to Sam Bush and try to play mandolin. I was like really into bluegrass at that time. So I was like. And they'd come back and they're so jealous of me because they love bluegrass. Bluegrass was the. The key amongst our friendship. You know, they'd be so mad at me.

[Troy Volhofer]

Jay played too, right?

[Dirks Bentley]

He plays too.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Dirks Bentley]

You sat around all day long, you're, you know, playing this. I have little gigs too to make money, but I just was just hanging out trying to. Trying to learn, you know, Bill Monroe bluegrass licks. But yeah, we all, you know, Jay became my agent once things got going. And Fielding and I remain great friends and glad to see his success as well. But yeah, Jay's really going on to. It's pretty big. He's a pretty big deal.

[Troy Volhofer]

They're lovely guys. And yeah, Fielding was. I was trying to get Ashton McBride to do my podcast.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And Fielding calls me up and he's like, hey, man, your profile on this thing isn't right. You need to do this, this, and this. I said, well, okay, cool. But is she in? She's in.

[Dirks Bentley]

Okay.

[Troy Volhofer]

So once, once he heard the podcast, he was like, yeah. Called me up and did exactly the opposite. Said, man, you just let them, you know, your. Your guests talk.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Enjoy their story and stuff. And it's. It's all about the artist, which is fantastic.

[Dirks Bentley]

Have you already had Ashley in?

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, I did her in Arizona. We did our podcast in Arizona.

[Dirks Bentley]

Oh, cool.

[Troy Volhofer]

And it was like a really, like a open book.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

She's such an amazing artist. Like, like over the last four years, I've just seen this maturity of her music, of her band. Yeah, it's pretty cool. Have you played many gigs with that?

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, we toured together last year and we text all the time. So, you know, there's some artists that you keep in touch with a lot. And after our tour last year, you know, we. She's been through a lot and going through a lot, able to, you know, be there to support her in ways that were helpful. And we've kept in touch and she text me today. She's like, I'm just so glad to see the work. Playing a show together just makes me so happy. So we'll probably collaborate on something together tonight. I'm just a huge fan of her. She's awesome.

[Troy Volhofer]

So let's talk about like the first record and how you got your record deal. How did that, how did it actually happen? Because, I mean, everybody's dream is to have a record deal in Nashville, Tennessee and.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And you're from Arizona. Yeah, Vanderbilt University. Record deal. How does that come down? How does it all happen?

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, it's a long time. You know, they call it a ten year town. And that's just how long it took me to. To get a record deal. Probably almost exactly 10 years. But yeah, like I said, I got there, I got a job with the intern at cma. I was, you know, driving Joe. Didn't even see her around at CMA fanfares and hanging out with Sammy Kershaw and watching Alan Jackson during rehearsals and escorting Shania Twain back to her bus and doing all this stuff, the CMA's. And just as daytime that night, I was going to places like Douglas Corner Cafe and Bluebird Cafe and Broken Spoke to listen to songwriters, working on my own songs. Going to Roberts, going to Layla's, going to Sutler to hear bands like Wayne the train Hancock and BR549 and the derailers and all these great kind of bands are really cool. Cool things are happening back there. So a lot of that rockabilly country stuff was going on.

[Troy Volhofer]

Great, great bands.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. Wayne. Wayne, Hancock, man. So great. He go. He goes through two bass players a night because he just. That upright bass player is just slapping so hard. He's got two guys that play bass. I remember that I was like, second half of the show, new guy got up. That's. That's a lot upright slapping the bass and, you know, going to the station was the main thing. Going to the station in the bluegrass bar in Nashville. That's really, really where I met a lot of guys that took me under their wing and. And I learned that bluegrass and old school country are really, you know, at one point they're kind of the same thing, you know, diverged off a little bit. Osborne Brothers were kind of the fulcrum of that whole scene, I think of the split. But. And I just. Those guys really took me under the wing. I started putting a little bluegrass band, a kind of semi bluegrass, semi country band. I got a gig playing down on Lower Broadway. It was the first band to play this. Well, I had several gigs before that, but the real first gig on Lower Broadway was the stage. It was the first band. The first guy to play the stage. Very first person to play. Really open it. Yeah, my buddy Rupal who owns that, he owns Legends Corner as well. So the first guy to play there and also the first guy get fired from that stage because we. I guess we played there about a couple months. But the guy next door, tootsies, he'd just be out there. You know, this is. This is a different Nashville back then, but. Oh, absolutely. He'd be just tearing away on Freebird and Rocky Top and I didn't want to play those songs. You know, I wanted to play real songs. Yeah, like the Keith Whitley. I. I love Keith Woodley's early. You know, his. I love a lot of things about Keith Willie, but he really was a bridge between bluegrass and country as an artist and certainly as an influence for me. And so we were doing. I didn't have electric guitar player. I did not have a. I had a drummer. I had an upright bass player, a steel player and a banjo player and a fiddle player. So we're kind of doing like big band. Yeah, it was Big band, but kind of doing like, you know, bluegrass, country stuff. We do some Haggard, we do some George Jones. We'd also do some JD Crow and do some, you know, Monroe and Ralph Stanley and stuff. So it was kind of a mixture and just wasn't really drawing people in. But I wouldn't, I wasn't trying to, I was trying to use it as a chance to, you know, I guess be creative and not necessarily just fill a tip jar. Although I like to fill in the tip jar.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Dirks Bentley]

But I just love those songs and I mean it's a really long story. I'll try to make it short, but I, I end up my. The drummer that was playing with me downtown had a job in the tape room at Sony Tree Publishing. So his job was to. Someone would say bring songs in the tape library and say, hey, I want this song, this song, this song on a, on a CD or on a cassette for Tim McGraw. We're pitch these songs to McGraw. So he'd make the tape anyway. He's in my band, if you can even call it that. And he got me an interview over there, whatever you want to call it. A chance to play songs for Don Cook. And I did. And that kind of led to the thing with Arthur Buena Hora. I got a publishing deal, got a $15,000 a year.

[Troy Volhofer]

So paid the bills, right?

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. And I, and I think I had ten thousand dollar advance which I immediately spent on a 2003 softail standard Harley Davidson. You know, I need a lot of money. My $15,000 is great.

[Troy Volhofer]

Of course you did.

[Dirks Bentley]

That's all the money I need there. So let's spend this other 10 on a motorcycle. I had a piece of. I had like an 86 Honda came out. It was at the time. So that was a big upgrade. Still have this, still have the bike. But that helped. That led me to like I was working at tnn, the national network which is also CMT for people that don't know what TNN is and a bunch of day jobs, bunch of. I was working as a Randstadt temping organization. Temp. Which is like a temping organization. So I was pouring coffee all over town. This, I had all these random jobs. This allowed me to like quit everything and just do this one thing which is write songs. And I, I wasn't writing songs for anybody else. I was trying to write songs for myself and started working with a guy named Brett Beavers. We. Great writer, great guy. We wrote a lot of songs together. When it came time to. Long story short, to maybe go for a record deal. I wanted to work with him. I did a couple showcases, but I did one for Capitol Records, and that worked out. And I got a record deal in 2002, and I moved there in 94. So about eight years.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's pretty good.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

I mean, that's a fast trajectory in that city.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. Eight years is.

[Troy Volhofer]

It's pretty quick.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, there's. There's. With tick tock and stuff, there's things happening in eight months.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, that's weeks. That's a different story.

[Dirks Bentley]

But, I mean, no shortcuts. I found that there is no. There was times, but there's times. People are like, oh, American Idol, you know, the Voice. These people. It's so unfair. It's like, dude, there are no Let. Look at Scotty McCreary. He got one American Idol, you know, 15 years ago. He's just now really starting to get traction. I mean, there's just no shortcuts. You might get the initial, like, oh, my gosh. But.

[Troy Volhofer]

Well, the thing that I think, Derrickson, maybe you can concur with this is that I think there's a process, right? So you got to go out and play these clubs. You got people who are having a cigarette and a drink or whatever, and maybe not a cigarette anymore, but they're talking to each other, and you're up there, and you got to earn their respect and earn their listening ship, right? And these kids, I don't know that, but it seems like the. The. The entertainment capacity is a little diminished in the sense that they haven't earned their chops going through the clubs, where you got to earn the audience's respect and. And win them over. Like, win them over. Got to win them over.

[Dirks Bentley]

That Aldean song, Crazy Town, I always love that song. Make all the drunk girls scream and shout. Strings. The hank comes out. I mean, that's what you got to do. And I think playing those clubs helps you because you play. Then you go and play open, you know, play a football stadium or whatever, and you try to make that place feel as small as those clubs that you used to play in. It works. Garth Brooks is able to do, you know. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Garth Brooks kind of puts a football stadium into intimacy.

[Dirks Bentley]

One of my first concerts was him, and I was in the very top of the arena. I could actually touch the roof. It's America west arena with the Coyotes. There's other. The. Our hockey team's AHL team, the Phoenix Firebirds, used to play if I could touch the roof of the arena, but. And there's no video screens, no moving lights, but it still felt like he was singing right to you. So that's definitely the.

[Troy Volhofer]

And I think that's, I think that's a little bit that is missing, but hopefully we can get that back and these kids can. You know, I mean, they're getting a lot of opportunities, which is fantastic. And crazy, crazy slots, crazy opportunities. Stadiums, right? So, I mean, it's cool.

[Dirks Bentley]

It's very cool.

[Troy Volhofer]

Um, let's talk about hockey.

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[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, there it is.

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[Troy Volhofer]

So why. How were you interested in hockey and. And what was your, you know, kind of vibe to, you know, the president? Because you're in Arizona.

[Dirks Bentley]

I'm Arizona. Yeah. I didn't. We had. Like I said, I think it was an AHL team. The. The Roadrunners. Sorry.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, the Phoenix Roadrunners. Yeah, they were an American League.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, I got sent there.

[Dirks Bentley]

Did you really no way.

[Troy Volhofer]

From the Boston Bruins. They were the Boston Bruins farm.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, that's right.

[Troy Volhofer]

And I went there without a contract.

[Dirks Bentley]

Wow.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah. And then I. Then I signed with Montreal in the interim, so.

[Dirks Bentley]

That's unbelievable.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Dirks Bentley]

So, I mean, fairgrounds. Yeah, fairgrounds. Yeah. I didn't watch them that much, but when I was in Nashville, 1998, when the Preds came to town, I was at one of the first games. Friend. Friend of mine from Toronto was a played men's league hockey. And he's like, you know, you can go play this. And I was like, what? He's like, yeah, there's Centennial Sportsplex. You can. There's a bunch of men's leagues over there. I'll give you some gear. I was hooked. I mean, just started playing every, you know, a couple times a week. Even when the kids came, the first kid kept playing. The second kid came, I kept playing. By the third kid, I was like, I can't do this. It's just These games started 11 o'clock at night, they end at 1 in the morning. Then you go to the bar, you're home by like 2 or 3 in the morning, you're exhausted. The rest of the week, you know, I just had a. Take a little break. But now my son is into travel hockey.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, he is?

[Dirks Bentley]

Oh, yeah. So, I mean, that's kind of why I do all my touring between Memorial Day and Labor Day, because the rest of the year we're all country.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, yeah.

[Dirks Bentley]

I mean, I just got back from. I was in Coeur d'alene today because he does a Wayne Gretzky camp.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, he's doing Gres's thing.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. The 99 camp. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And is Kelly Chase there?

[Dirks Bentley]

Oh, Chaser. Yeah. Hang out. Chaser. I just saw Chaser yesterday. Yeah, he's one of a kind man.

[Troy Volhofer]

So he's my roommate for a couple.

[Dirks Bentley]

He was.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, yeah, absolutely. I was showing someone a picture of you and Kelly Chase and myself and I think Mike Solinger, who's one of the original. I have nothing to say about my career because I was, you know, I played in the minors my whole career, basically. But Mike Salinger is the most traveled guy in the NHL. Like 12 teams, 11 teams he played for. And it's you and I and Chase here when the alumni game we played against St. Louis. And I was showing somebody that yesterday. Like, wow, man, that was super cool. Fun to watch that. Yeah, it is. And I mean, that game's amazing. I mean, being up here in Canada, like, you know, there's a Lot of rule changes now that are pretty interesting. And a lot of things are changing towards the world, you know, hockey and, you know, I was kind of like. Kelly Chase was a fighter and enforcer.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

I mean, those guys don't exist in the league anymore. That thing's done.

[Dirks Bentley]

I know it's over. It's. You know, everyone's got their feelings on it all. It's like, you know, that there's an important role for. That's the thing about hockey. There's a role for everybody. You know, it's not just like one player fits all. It's like, this guy does that, this guy does that. That's what makes a team. You know, that's why it's. We hear those guys always use the word we and not I. So it's a great sport, but we, you know, we. He loves it. We watch a lot of hockey. You know, the Prez got a lot of. Kind of a rebuilding situation going on, but he loves. I was flying into Edmond today. My son loves. Obviously loves. McDavid. Dry saddle. No, he's back in. He's went back to nationals day. But he loves the Oilers, so. And it's like, careful. This country, they.

[Troy Volhofer]

They. They love the Oilers here. I mean, it's oiler country, obviously, because we're just outside of Edmonton. But, you know, you. You look at, you know, McDavid and, you know, I've been asked many questions, you know, and I. I've never met the gentleman, and I think he's one of the most talented players ever to play the game.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

But not. There's no one who has had the impact on hockey as a. Wayne Gretzky. Yeah. And it's just. That was just different. And it was. When I got to meet him, I had the best, coolest experience. I lived with his brother for a couple years, so I always played with the good ones.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

So Steve. Celia's Steve Chelios, Chris Chellis's brother. Yeah, I played with him.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

I played with Keith Gretzky.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

But never play. Wayne and I had this moment where we were. We were playing Erie, Pennsylvania, and went out for dinner with Walter and Phyllis Gretzky, and they. It was when you could still smoke in restaurants.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And they're just chugging cigs. Right. And I'm looking across the table at them and going, like, you created the greatest player of hockey in the world and you're chain smokers.

[Dirks Bentley]

Different this. Different sport. Different time.

[Troy Volhofer]

Different time, man.

[Dirks Bentley]

These guys don't go out and party like y'all. Used to they. No, that's in the room and play video games.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, that's done. Yeah, I know. So let's talk about what's your new future. What are you up to? What do you got going on?

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah, man. The album came out in February. So this tour is kind of based off that album. It's a really, It's a fun show, it's fun tour. You know, Jordan Davis has been out this most of the year and we've had different openers from talented, talented artists. Yeah, he's great.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, he is.

[Dirks Bentley]

He really. It's. I mean it's.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's a great package.

[Dirks Bentley]

It's a joy. Dude, I watch him and he just gets the crowd so fired up by the time we walk out there, it's just. It's a done deal. We've had really cool openers before him. Molly Tuttle, great bluegrass artist Red Clay Strays have been out there ban Mobile, Alabama. They're awesome. So the tour's been great. I've had, you know, I got three kids and doing three different camps with three different drop drops and three different pickups. So I'm just you know, thinking I'm a pilot cuz I'm bouncing all across the country to be two, three places at once sometimes.

[Troy Volhofer]

Are you back in Nashville now?

[Dirks Bentley]

Back in Nashville full time. We had to leave Colorado and you're.

[Troy Volhofer]

Also a pilot, so let's talk about that.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

So do you fly to your own gigs?

[Dirks Bentley]

I flew here today. Yeah I'm gonna fly tomorrow up to bc. I'm going fishing tomorrow up in Terence Terrace, BC to do some stuff for the Textron people who oh who sponsor me.

[Troy Volhofer]

I know, yeah.

[Dirks Bentley]

Typed I'm probably the only. I know I'm the only country that's you know, not only a pilot but you know, type to fly how long that I fly.

[Troy Volhofer]

How long have you had your license for?

[Dirks Bentley]

I got my license 19. I ran a money and reason to do so once I got it. Then my first kid was born in 2010 and I got. That's when I got back into it full time and started flying a little prop plane that I owned a little cirrus flood everywhere for about eight or eight hour 800 hours in that. And then through Peyton Manning I met everyone at Cessna and the CEO at the time, great guy named Scott Ernest. He just avid outdoorsman, became good friends. He helped me get my multi rating in a Baron, a twin engine prop plane. And then I trained to fly the M2 which is the smallest jet they Make. And now I'm in a CJ4 which goes up to 45, 000ft. And it's fast, it carries the whole band. Plus if you can hear eight people.

[Troy Volhofer]

In the back and you're in your flying.

[Dirks Bentley]

Yeah. Me and another guy switch. Switch legs. I'll usually. I don't fly back. I usually had a few drinks and it's. The FAA frowns upon being drunk on a plane. Unless you're.

[Troy Volhofer]

Unless you. Dirk smell.

[Dirks Bentley]

They don't like that. That's more about. You have to be in the back to be drunk. So. Yeah, I love it. It's a. It's. I do about 300 hours a year and it saves. I'm so grateful for that sponsorship because it saves. It's. I couldn't do this anymore without it, man.

[Troy Volhofer]

I. That's. That's a great idea. I mean you and I've never ever had the discussion about your, you know, aviation and it's such a neat thing. I find it so unique, you know. And not a lot of artists have that passion for aviation. And I mean, it's cool because I have the same passion as you have and tonight. So what's. What's on store for tonight?

[Dirks Bentley]

Just gonna kick the tires, light the fires, go there and rip it, man. I know we had a big night last night at the Morgan. So we gotta come out of the gates rockin'and these people. It's Sunday night. You know, you gotta take all this stuff in consideration. They've been here all weekend. They've been. They've had some. They've had a lot of fun. They've probably had some lack of sleep. Too dirty. They've been camping out. So it just means you gotta go out there and just give a little extra.

[Troy Volhofer]

You know. They're all here, right. So no one's left. Which is really unique. And you know, we do these four. Four day runs and they're all here tonight. So it's really cool. And I. Yeah. Just how much they respect you and I appreciate it and your music and respect them. You gave Canada a lot of respect early in your career. And it's really interesting because they. I mean, we had more comments about Dirk Spentley than anybody and I thought that was fantastic.

[Dirks Bentley]

That's awesome. Yeah. This is gonna be a big night. So. Yeah, just go out there. My guys know it's like Sunday, whenever you play on Sunday, you got to go out, work for it.

[Troy Volhofer]

Right?

[Dirks Bentley]

You got to work a little harder for it. Just get them because they've been out there. All you got. We don't. We all know. It's like, be fans. I go to concerts still. I went to the Taylor Swift concert, took all my girls there, you know, dad of the year award. But, you know, I know what it's like to go to concert, you know, so even getting the perks that we get of, you know, I. You know, which I didn't really have any perks for that particular concert. It's funny, the 1989 tour I got and sang with Taylor, I texted her manager and said, hey, we might come to that concert.

[Troy Volhofer]

Robert Allen show.

[Dirks Bentley]

Tree pain hurts. Yeah. So we may come to that. I just got done off the road. I just. I was exhausted. I'm sitting on my couch with my wife, and we're. And we're talking about Taylor and taking.

[Troy Volhofer]

Is that fearless?

[Dirks Bentley]

It was 89 tour. This is the one before this guy.

[Troy Volhofer]

Okay.

[Dirks Bentley]

And I go. I go, wow. I don't see her. Nashville, it's me too crowded, maybe. She goes, here some. Well, some. We're sitting there exhausted. I look and see she's playing Kansas City. I'm like, oh, she's playing Kansas City tomorrow. And I'm like, do you want to go? My wife's like, maybe, you know, or just kind of really tired. So I text. She like, hey, would it be possible to come out and see Taylor tomorrow in Kansas City? Two minutes goes back. Yes. And she would love for you to get up and sing with her. And.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, wow.

[Dirks Bentley]

I look at my wife, I go, looks like we're going to Kansas City tomorrow. And she's like, well, I'm not sure how I wanted to go. I'm like, oh, we're going now. Because Taylor just.

[Troy Volhofer]

I'm in.

[Dirks Bentley]

I'm committed this time around. Singer. I had to go park myself and go. Go. So I'm just saying I know what it's like to be like.

[Troy Volhofer]

It's.

[Dirks Bentley]

It's. Concerts are hard to get to. It's expensive. It's tiring, you know, but, you know, so I just have a lot of respect for the whole process of being a fan.

[Troy Volhofer]

You were a fan last week when you saw Taylor Swift or two weeks ago, you were a fan.

[Dirks Bentley]

You're an Asheville. I gotta. I go to. We. We live in Nashville. We live right in Nashville. So it's six minutes for me to get the. The preds. The Brixton Arena. So Harry Styles this year, Billie Eilish. Kids went and saw Bieber. I hate to miss that. They saw Post Malone. I hate him. I would have Loved his seen post below. I've seen Dua Lipa there. Whatever the girls want to go see. You know, I love that. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Well, man, I really appreciate taking your time out of your day because this is like to our listeners, like for Dirks to come over here and have this conversation with me, he's got a hundred other things going on and he's got to prepare for a show. So I really appreciate you doing this and it's great catching up with you.

[Dirks Bentley]

I prepare for the show. You mean have a cocktail? Those. You can't have one yet.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's timing. Everything's timed exactly.

[Dirks Bentley]

Half hour before I walk, I have a guy here, my buddy Josh Castle, who doesn't matter where I'm watching the opening act from or where I am backstage. He. 8:30. I mean he. I'll see him walking. I look over. It's exactly half hour. It's 8:30 every night. Boom. I mean to the dot.

[Troy Volhofer]

Everything's timed again because I just have it.

[Dirks Bentley]

It's like you're playing hockey. It's like you have your pre show routines and you, your structure when you eat, when you have your first, this.

[Troy Volhofer]

Maybe meal, whatever it is, you know.

[Dirks Bentley]

The food's a little more lax with the, the drink. You got to have just the right time and yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And you can't overdo it. You got to be in the pocket. But I just want to thank Dirk Spent like being here.

[Dirks Bentley]

Thanks.

[Troy Volhofer]

And you know, we've known each other for a long time and I think this is one of my favorite podcasts that we've done and I'm glad you're doing them.

[Dirks Bentley]

Thank you, fans. A little behind the scenes of what you do. You created an. Created a really cool festival circuit and we love playing them and the fans love going to them. So it's very cool.

[Troy Volhofer]

Thanks, brother. All right, thank you.

[Dirks Bentley]

Thanks y'all.

[Troy Volhofer]

Thank you to our guests on this episode. Don't forget to like, subscribe and leave a review whenever you listen. Until next time, I'm Troy Balhoffer and you're on the bus of Country Thunder.

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[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, there it is.

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