Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley Headshot

Singer • Songwriter

Birth Name: Frederick Dierks Bentley

Birth Date: November 20, 1975

Age: 48 years old

Birth Place: Phoenix, Arizona

A remarkably prolific singer/songwriter on the Nashville scene, Dierks Bentley enjoyed multiple No. 1 singles on the country charts, including "Come a Little Closer," "Home" and "Drunk on a Plane," over the course of little more than a decade. Born Frederick Dierks Bentley in Phoenix, Arizona on November 20, 1975, he was a devoted fan of country music from an early age.

After completing his higher education at the University of Vermont and later Vanderbilt University, Bentley headed for Nashville, but found few interested listeners in his earliest musical efforts. He found solace in the local bluegrass scene, as well as from his day job at The Nashville Network (now Spike TV), for which he researched live performance footage of classic country artists. Both sources influenced his own music, which caught the attention of Capitol Records.

In 2003, the label released his self-titled debut, which contained his first No. 1 single, the ebullient "What Was I Thinkin'." The record eventually reached platinum sales status, a feat repeated by his sophomore effort, Modern Day Drifter (2005), which hewed along the rougher, more traditional country sounds of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. The album yielded two more No.1 hits, "Settle for a Slowdown" and "Come A Little Closer," and helped to earn Bentley the CMA's Best New Artist Award of 2005. That same year, he also became the third-youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry after Carrie Underwood and Josh Turner.

Bentley returned to the more polished sound of his debut album for his third release, Long Trip Alone (2006), which again produced two No. 1 hits in "Every Mile a Memory" and "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)." After issuing a concert DVD, "Live and Loud at the Fillmore" (2007), and a compilation album, Greatest Hits/Every Mile a Memory 2003-2008, which mixed chart hits with fan-chosen live tracks, Bentley released a pair of studio albums, Feel That Fire (2009) and Up on the Ridge (2010). The former offered two more No. 1 singles in the title track and "Sideways," while the latter, featuring a more bluegrass-driven sound, generated a pair of modest Top 40 hits with its title track and "Draw Me a Map."

The relatively lower sales of Up on the Ridge preceded a period of mixed response to Bentley's work by country music listeners: his seventh album,Home (2012), kicked off with two No. 1 country singles - "Am I the Only One" and the title track - but its follow-up, Riser (2014), stalled upon release with the single "Bourbon in Kentucky," a duet with Kacey Musgrave that only reached No. 45, his lowest chart placement to date. However, two subsequent singles, "I Hold On" and "Drunk on a Plane," soared to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, returning Bentley to the top of the country music heap.

Follow-up album Black (2016) continued his winning streak with three Top 5 country singles including the title track, "Somewhere on a Beach" and the Elle King duet "Different for Girls." Bentley released his ninth album, The Mountain, in June 2018.

Credits

CMA Awards

Music Performer
Awards
2024

Dierks Bentley: American Girl

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2024

CMA Fest

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2023

CMA Fest: 50 Years of Fan FairStream

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2023

Pickled

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2022

The 56th Annual CMA Awards

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2022

Academy of Country Music Honors

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2022

CMA Fest

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2022

CMT Storytellers

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2022

James Barker Band Feat. Dierks Bentley: New Old Trucks (Fan Video)

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2022

57th ACM Awards: Nominees to Watch

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2022

Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley: Worth A Shot

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2022

No. 1 Hot Country

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2022

New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash

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2021

The 55th Annual CMA Awards

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2021

CBS Mornings

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2021

CMA Summer Jam

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2021

SuperstarStream

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2021

56th Academy of Country Music Awards

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2021

Grand Ole Opry: 95 Years of Country Music

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2021

Live Country

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2021

56th ACM Awards: Nominees to Watch

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2021

Guest Curator: Lady A

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2021

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2021

Dierks Bentley Feat. Breland & HARDY: Beers on Me

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2021

The 54th Annual CMA Awards

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2020

Country Strong 2020: Countdown to the CMA Awards -- An ABC News Special

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2020

CMA Best of Fest

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2020

Celebrity Game FaceStream

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2020

ACM Presents: Our Country

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2020

Live Country

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2020

Carefree Country

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2020

Cool Dad Country BBQ

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2020

Hot Country Nights

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2020

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2020

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2020

Dierks Bentley: Gone (Studio Behind The Scenes)

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2020

Country Music: Live at the Ryman

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2019

Dolly Parton: 50 Years at the Opry

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2019

The 53rd Annual CMA Awards

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2019

Country MusicStream

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2019
88%

Access Daily

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2019

Country Music: Live at the Ryman, A Concert Celebrating the Film by Ken Burns

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2019

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2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

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2019

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2019

Elvis All-Star Tribute

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2019

ACM Best Hosts

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2019

ACM Top Male

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2019

ACM Top Video

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2019

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2019

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2019

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2019

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2019

Thomas Rhett's Picks

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2019

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2019

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2019

CMA Best Songs'19

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2019

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2019

I'll Drink To That

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2019

Facial Hair Favs

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2019

Dierks Bentley: Country Stars CMA Fest Memories

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2019

The 52nd Annual CMA Awards

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2018

Today 3rd Hour

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2018

WE Day

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2018

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2018

CMT Music Awards 2018

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2018

Dierks Bentley & Brothers Osborne: Burning Man (Fan Story)

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2018

53rd Academy of Country Music Awards

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2018

Dierks Bentley: Woman, Amen (Official Fan Story)

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2018

Guys of the ACM

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2018

ACM's Performers

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2018

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2018

Dierks Bentley: The Mountain

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2018

Dierks Bentley: Living

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2018

Best of Country

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2018

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2018

Dierks Bentley Feat. Brothers Osborne: Burning Man

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2018

CMA Fest's Best

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2018

NEW! Country

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2018

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2018

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2018

CMA Male Vocal

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2018

CMA Awards: Male Vocalist

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2018

Thankful4Country

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2018

Best Of 2018: Hot Country

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2018

Country Music Awards 2017

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2017

Access Live

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2017

The 51st Annual CMA Awards

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2017

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2017

Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesStream

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2017

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2017

52nd Academy of Country Music Awards

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2017

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2017

Cole Swindell Feat. Dierks Bentley: Flatliner

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2017

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2017

100 Dierks Bentley

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2017

The 50th Annual CMA Awards

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2016

All Access Nashville: Celebrating the CMA Awards With Robin Roberts

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2016

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2016

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2016

10th Annual ACM Honors

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2016

ET Canada Presents Dierks Bentley

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2016

CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock

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2016

Dierks Bentley: Black (Episode 4)

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2016

51st Academy of Country Music Awards

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2016

51st Academy of Country Music Awards

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2016

Dierks Bentley: I'll Be The Moon

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2016

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2016

Dierks Bentley: Pick Up

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2016

Dierks Bentley Feat. Maren Morris: I'll Be The Moon

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2016

Dierks Bentley: Somewhere On A Beach

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2016

Dierks Bentley: Black

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2016

Dierks Bentley Feat. Elle King: Different for Girls

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2016

Dierks Bentley Feat. Elle King: Different For Girls

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2016

Dierks Bentley Feat. Maren Morris: I'll Be The Moon

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2016

The Cadillac Three Feat. Florida Georgia Line, Dierks Bentley & Mike Eli: The South

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2016

Dierks Bentley: What The Hell Did I Say

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2016

Countdown to the CMA Awards: Country's Greatest Crossover Hits With Robin Roberts

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2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

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2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

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2015

CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock

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2015

Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular

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2015

iHeartRadio Country Festival

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2015

ACM Presents: Superstar Duets

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2015

The 50th Academy of Country Music Awards

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2015

Charles Kelley Feat. Dierks Bentley & Eric Paslay: The Driver

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2015

Dierks Bentley: Riser (Live Performance at 2015 ACM Awards)

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2015

The 48th Annual CMA Awards

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2014

Countdown to the CMA Awards: 15 Songs That Changed Country Music With Robin Roberts

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2014

CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock

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2014

The 49th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

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2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

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2014

Dierks Bentley: Riser

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2014

Dierks Bentley: Bourbon In Kentucky

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2014

Dierks Bentley: Say You Do

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2014

Dierks Bentley: Drunk on a Plane

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2014

Dierks Bentley: I Hold On

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2014

Dierks Bentley: Say You Do (Live)

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2014

Front and Center

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2013

CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock

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2013

ACM Presents: Tim McGraw's Superstar Summer Night

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2013

The 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

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2013

The 55th Annual Grammy Awards

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2013

Hot 20 Countdown

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2013

Love for Levon

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2012

CMA Country Christmas

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2012

American Country Awards

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2012

Dierks Bentley Live From the Ryman Auditorium

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2012

The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! -- Countdown to Music's Biggest Night

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2012

The 46th Annual CMA Awards

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2012

CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock

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2012

Teachers Rock

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2012

Larry King NowStream

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2012

The 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

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2012

CBS This Morning

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2012

Dierks Bentley: Am I The Only One

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2012

Dierks Bentley: 5-1-5-0

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2012

Dierks Bentley: Home

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2012

Dierks Bentley: Tip It On Back

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2012

CMA Close Up Presents Road to the 2011 CMA Awards

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2011

CMA Close Up Presents Road to the 2012 CMA Awards

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2011

The VoiceStream

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2011

The VoiceStream

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2011

The 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

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2011

The Marilyn Denis Show

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2011

The 44th Annual CMA Awards

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2010

Dierks Bentley Live From the Ryman

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2010

The Talk

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2010

The Talk

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2010

CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock

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2010

The 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards

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2010

Dierks Bentley: Up On The Ridge

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2010

Dierks Bentley: Draw Me a Map

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2010

Lopez Tonight

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2009

CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock

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2009

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

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2009

The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien

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2009

George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert

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2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

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2009

Dierks Bentley: I Want to Make You Close Your Eyes

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2009

Dierks Bentley: Sideways

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2009

Dierks Bentley: Sideways (Live)

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2009

Nobel Peace Prize Concert

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2008

The Bonnie Hunt Show

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2008

The Doctors

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2008

How Great Thou Art

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2008

Crook & Chase

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2008

Dierks Bentley: Feel That Fire

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2008

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

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2007

Dierks Bentley: My Last Name

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2007

Dierks Bentley: Long Trip Alone

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2007

etalk

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2006

Dierks Bentley: Every Mile A Memory

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2006

Dierks Bentley: Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)

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2006

Dierks Bentley: Trying to Stop Your Leaving

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2006

Dierks Bentley: Settle for a Slowdown

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2006

Entertainment Tonight Canada

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2005

ET Canada

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2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

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2005

Dierks Bentley: Come a Little Closer

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2005

Dierks Bentley: Lot of Leavin' Left to Do

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2005

Dierks Bentley: What Was I Thinkin'

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2005

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

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2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

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2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

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2003

Live With Regis and Kelly

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2001

Music Mix USA

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1999

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1999

The View

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1997

Access HollywoodStream

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1996

Late Show With David Letterman

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1993

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

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1992

Entertainment Tonight

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1981

CBS News Sunday MorningStream

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1979

Good Morning America

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1975

Good Morning America

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1975

Great PerformancesStream

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Today

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Today

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News aboutDierks Bentley