Dierks Bentley Will Be Surrounded By Cacti This Christmas
Dierks Bentley never got over being a kid, and Christmastime brings it out in him. Dierks is the father of three children (Evie, Jordan, Knox) and says you revert to…
Dierks Bentley never got over being a kid, and Christmastime brings it out in him. Dierks is the father of three children (Evie, Jordan, Knox) and says you revert to your childhood at Christmas when you start having a family of your own.
Bentley told us, "Christmas didn't lose any of its real meaning, as far as its religious meaning with Jesus' birthday. But as far as the whole tree and all of the Christmas spirit stuff, the secular stuff, it just kind of goes away, to be honest. But then you have a family, and all of a sudden, it's like I'm all Clark Griswold out there decorating the tree, putting lights up around the house, you know. So, all of those things that you did as a kid and appreciated as a kid, you get a chance to do over again when you have kids because you kinda become one again."
Dierks and his family are going West this holiday season to Arizona to see his mom, who is turning 80 this year, and his in-laws. He said, "I am so looking forward to getting back home to Arizona. I love having Christmas out there in the desert, love seeing all the cactus that have the lights wrapped around them and the luminaires, and just seeing my mom, who's turning 80, and my in-laws, and just having a desert Christmas. It's gonna be so great."
Bentley's middle child Jordan gets a little more celebrating on Christmas day as it is also her birthday. He knows that she sometimes gets a raw deal, "It's tough kind of for Jordan because her birthday is on Christmas, so it's kind of one of those things where we try to give her an extra present or two. It's kind of tough to share your birthday with Jesus. You can get a little overshadowed on that one, but she's good about it, but we just tell her, 'All these Christmas trees and lights, these are all for you.'"
Dierks Bentley has been solid in country music since his debut over fifteen years ago, and to date, he has scored 17 number-one songs. Coming out with new and unique music each year, Dierks has dazzled his audiences with hit after hit.
As we celebrate his 47th birthday today (11/20), we rank his 17 number-one songs.
17. "Woman, Amen" (2018)
UMGA song Dierks co-wrote; his wife inspired it. But as he notes, "I've come back from so many writing appointments over the past 12 years like 'I wrote this song about you,' and she's like, 'Just because it's a love song doesn't mean it's about me.'"
16. "Am I the Only One" (2011)
UMGBentley told Billboard at the time, that following his bluegrass album 'Up on the Ridge,' he wanted to "be back on the radio, and I wanted my fans to hear our stuff. I wanted to come back with a song that was fun for fans." And this was definitely a fun song.
15. "I Hold On" (2013)
UMGThis song describes the singer staying true to what he enjoys and is comfortable with, including an old truck, an old guitar, and his lover. The truck referenced is his 1994 Chevy Silverado that he and his late father drove to Nashville. He still drives it today.
14. "Somewhere on a Beach" (2015)
UMGDierks sings to his ex-girlfriend about his life after they broke up in this song. He tells her he has a new girlfriend and adds that she and he are together having fun together "somewhere on a beach."
13. "Come a Little Closer" (2005)
UMGThis was one of Bentley's early hits, and Billboard compared the sexiness of the tune to that of the late Conway Twitty.
12. "Sideways" (2009)
UMGThe song is about the male character's attempt to talk to a female in a bar. Despite not being able to hear her name because of the loud noise, he still tries to come on to her, saying that he wants to "get a little sideways" with her.
11. "Home" (2011)
UMGA native Arizonian, Dierks says he was inspired by the Tucson, Arizona shooting that killed six people and critically injured U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords in January 2011.
10. "Feel That Fire" (2008)
UMGTo promote the single, Bentley shipped more than 2000 boxes of Cracker Jacks to various radio stations (a reference to "she wants the toy in the Cracker Jack," a line from the song).
9. "Settle for a Slowdown" (2005)
UMGOne more of Dierks' early chart-toppers, this song's music video paints a picture of a woman leaving him and their trailer in the desert for Hollywood. Bentley eventually shows up in Hollywood at a mansion and sings the chorus.
8. "Say You Do" (2014)
UMGDierks said at the time of this song's release that "Say You Do" was the song on his album 'Riser' that he loved from the very beginning. He added that he and his camp knew it would be a single; they just had to find the right time for it.
7. "5-1-5-0" (2012)
UMGThis is a fun song about just going crazy. The title references the 5150 "involuntary psychiatric hold" in the California Welfare and Institutions Code.
6. "Different for Girls" (featuring Elle King) (2016)
UMGElle King was the perfect choice for a duet partner on this song. This song gave Bentley a win for "Vocal Event of the Year" at the 2016 CMA Awards. It was also nominated for the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
5. "Living" (2019)
UMGSomething we should all do more of, "Living," is right on the mark. The song's official video features Dierks and his then 5-year-old son Knox playing together in the backyard, a water park, a go-kart track, and a laser tag arena.
4. "Drunk on a Plane" (2014)
UMGAn up-tempo gem from Bentley. The song is about a man who is left behind at the altar and takes a trip to Cancún alone after he cannot obtain a refund for the airplane tickets he had purchased for a honeymoon.
3. "Every Mile a Memory" (2006)
UMGQuite an emotional ride, the song tells the story of a man missing a woman and how everything he sees and hears evokes her memory. Great song to listen to if you are feeling heartbreak.
2. "What Was I Thinkin'" (2003)
UMGBentley's very first radio single, and he scored a chart-topper right out of the box. The fun lyrics reference 1980's TV show 'Dukes Of Hazard' and sparked a friendship with actor John Schneider, whose character is referenced in the lyrics "like Bo Duke sliding over the hood."
1. "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)" (2007)
UMGThe song was made available as downloadable content for the "Rock Band" video game on December 16, 2008; it's a favorite of many of his fans.
