“I hung out with Merle Haggard on his bus, which sort of freaks me out. It was him and his wife. We played with Merle in Oklahoma City. I'm from Arizona, and we talked about Arizona, and he remembered playing for two dollars a day down there at a bar.”

American country singer and songwriter

Dierks Bentley is an American country singer and songwriter. Born Frederick Dierks Bentley, he moved to Nashville in the late 1990s to build a music career. He is known for a string of successful country albums and for founding the novelty band Hot Country Knights in 2020. He released his independent album Don't Leave Me in Love in 2001 before signing with Capitol Nashville in 2003 and issuing his debut album. Later albums include Modern Day Drifter, Long Trip Alone, Feel That Fire, Up on the Ridge, Home, Riser, Black, The Mountain, and Gravel & Gold. His work has brought several certifications in the United States, including Platinum for his first two major label albums and Gold for Long Trip Alone.