Dierks Bentley Goes the Extra Mile for Kids

Dierks Bentley and some of his pals will be responsible for a variety of sounds around Nashville on Sunday, including the roar of motorcycle engines, the sound of music and much laughter among friends. It will all take place during his third annual Miles & Music for Kids benefit. The celebrity motorcycle ride kicks off at 2 PM in Franklin, Tenn. and culminates in a concert at the downtown Nashville Riverfront Park with special guests Tim McGraw, John Rich, members of Lady Antebellum, Jamey Johnson, Halfway to Hazard, the Warren Brothers and NASCAR racing giant Kyle Petty.

"It's going to be great," Dierks tells The Boot. "There's no down side. People come out to ride and then they jump up and sing. It's a fun thing to be involved in."

Dierks will be riding his 2003 Harley Davidson Soft Tail, which sports extra chrome and a set of tall handlebars. The singer says he's been so busy this year he has not had a chance to ride.

"I just picked it up the other day out of storage, and while I was going down the interstate I was thinking, 'I forgot how much fun it is to ride a bike'."

Dierks recalls his first bike, a 1986 CX 500 Harley. He says he bought it out of a local auto trader magazine.

"I didn't even know how to ride. I met the guy, paid him his 500 bucks and told him 'OK I can take it from here.' I waited until he left to crank it up and somehow I made it home. I kept the bike for six years, then sold it for 600 dollars."

The country singer says using a bike ride for charity is a natural for him: "I've always been drawn to bikes and the culture around it. I'd love to do something with hockey too but motorcycles really fit our vibe. I get along with those guys (motorcycle enthusiasts) really well and a lot of my friends ride bikes too. It's fun and an easy thing to get together to do. Bikers like the same music we do -- the rockier side of country music -- so it's just a fun mix of people and just comes together so easily. People come out, ride bikes, have a few beers, and listen to music."

The ride is a benefit for Monroe Carroll Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt, and while Dierks is all about raising money for the facility, he's also interested in keeping the event real. "I don't want to lose the vibe that makes this so much fun with that down-home kind of feel," he says. "It's one of those things where it's fun to hang out and see people in the business, hear some music and raise money for a good cause."

Dierks has only one concern about Sunday. His wife Cassidy is expecting the couple's first child and they have been told the birth could come any time now. "Hopefully I won't have to leave the event but if it comes down to it, I'll get the party started and if I have to leave I can do so knowing it will run well without me." Bentley jokingly adds, "We could just move the party from Riverfront to Vanderbilt and serenade Cassidy there."

On a more serious note, Bentley assures if the time comes for the baby to be born he will be at Cassidy's side. "I hope that won't happen but I think people will understand. I wouldn't want to miss the birth of our child for anything." "Music for Kids" has raised over $250,000 for the Monroe Carroll Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt since Bentley began the celebrity ride in 2006. Dierks will be featured in the October 19 issue of USA Weekend, when it honors people who work hard to make a difference in their community.