Dierks Bentley Melds Two Projects Into One

Near the end of last year, Dierks Bentley announced he was going to record two albums -- one bluegrass and one country. After beginning to work on the albums, however, the music started to take on a life of its own and became a combination of styles, resulting in what's being described as an acoustic roots album.

So, instead of two, it looks as though only one album will be released this year, which is the previously announced 'Up on the Ridge.' Dierks says it isn't that different from the music he first debuted on country radio back in 2003. "'What Was I Thinkin' was kind of a hybrid of country and bluegrass, and then I was off and running and doing this," Dierks tells The Boot. "Being on tour last year gave me a chance to reflect and wanting to make this record that I've always wanted to make. If I had made this seven years ago, it would've sounded a much more bluegrassy than it is. It's really more of a hybrid now of a lot of different influences and part of that's just the last seven years and what I've gone through."

The album is being produced by Dierks' good friend, Jon Randall. "He has such a great ear, and the songs he brought to the table and the ideas he had really took the record from being what I had originally said it was going to be just a bluegrass record," explains Dierks. "I said I was going to make two records this year. It took it from being that to being like this is going to be the record that encompasses everything I love."

Dierks, who wrote or co-wrote five songs on the new album, brought in several other friends to collaborate, including Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, Alison Krauss, Sonya Isaacs, Tim O'Brien, Sam Bush, Chris Thile and bluegrass legend Del McCoury, among others. He also covers U2's 'In the Name of Love,' as well as a Bob Dylan tune.

Dierks' new album is expected to hit stores sometime early this summer, and the singer is set to kick off his Up on the Ridge tour in Portland, Ore., on April 21.



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