Dierks Bentley: Can You Feel Me?

On the flip side of that, what are the benefits of going out to writers’ nights and seeing other songwriters in the clubs?
I used to go out to Bluebird Café, Douglas Corner or The Broken Spoke, and you’d learn that you’re not as good as you thought you were the week before. You go out there and think, “Wow, I’ve still got a ways to go.” I had a goal to play the Bluebird Café by the time I turned 23 and I spent a lot of time before that, not in the smaller places, but in the places that didn’t intimidate me as much, just listening. You get to the point where you think, “I’ve got a couple that can compete with what they’re doing there.” There are always some people there who are terrible and they’re trying to get stuff figured out. That’s the thing-we’re all trying to get better. There are some folks where you know you’re definitely better than them, and then sometimes, you’re like, “There’s Tony Lane. What is he doing down here? He’s always down here.” You learn from those guys and build your confidence up.

Videos by American Songwriter

I guess the most important thing about those places is learning that it’s not so sacred. You write your first songs, type them up and put them in a clear protective sleeve, and it’s like a finished work and you don’t touch it. But once you talk to more songwriters, you learn that it’s just a song and you should write one a day. You should play it for anyone and you should take any critiques. You’re not Picasso. You’re just one of many who have come to this town as a songwriter.


Before you got a publishing deal, how often did you write by yourself?
A lot. I’d go through phases where I’d write by myself for six months, and then I’d hang out with some friends of mine who had writing deals. We’d go to ASCAP and sit there and write at night. Then I’d go back and write by myself for a while. Once I got the publishing deal, it exposed me to a whole new world of great writers-everyone in town.

Now I write stuff on my own but I never try to finish it, for two reasons: A) It is better to have 50 percent of a song than 100 percent of nothing, and B) I think it’s fun. The whole process should be enjoyable. I get a chance to hang out with Rivers Rutherford, who has a couple of kids and more years at life. Not only do I get a chance to write a song, but I get to hear his life stories and life lessons. He’s like the big brother/mentor. I hang out with Rodney Crowell. Why would I write a song by myself when I have a chance to write with Rodney Crowell? It’s awesome.


When you were offered your first publishing deal, which barely pay enough money to live on, how long did it take you to accept?
It was $15,000 a year and [snaps] it was accepted like that. No bonus or anything. I took it in a heartbeat. I was working at TNN and was pretty much close to being fired from there. The gig was kind of up and they knew I wasn’t really doing anything at all. I had run out of space to hide from not having to work. I was living single at the time and I took it in a heartbeat.

All I ever wanted was a publishing deal…before a record deal, before anything else. I thought I wanted a record deal, but when I moved to town, I realized what you really want is a publishing deal, because a publishing deal allows you to quit all your day jobs and just hang in the music community. A record deal? You don’t want that. Jeez, that’s awful. That’s a lot of work. The publishing deal, though, yeah, I’m writing songs. What does that mean exactly? Well, that means I’m working on my career, in my mind. Yeah, I’m writing songs for other people, but not really. I’m writing my own stuff. I’m meeting producers, hanging out with other songwriters. A publishing deal is everything. It was never about the money. It was about getting with the right people, and getting a chance to quit everything else and to really concentrate on writing my record.

How did you go about asking people to write with you?

At that point, they just start setting it up for you. That’s the good thing about writing for the bigger publishing companies. They say, “I think you’d write well with this person, and I’ll put the call in for you.” Great! You just go over there, drink coffee for an hour or two, hang out and talk, and then start getting to work. I wasn’t lazy. I loved writing and had no time frame to get done with it. I was one of the guys who’d say, “Hey, do you want to get some beers and see if that helps out? Let’s do it.” We’d drink in the middle of the day to see if that would get the ideas going. [laughs] But I was writing at night too, with people who didn’t have publishing deals.

13 Comments

Leave a Reply
  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!!!!!!!!!

Leave a Reply

Bob Dylan wearing the jacket that McLean thought looked like James Dean's

The 30 Greatest Bob Dylan Songs: #7, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall”