Dierks Bentley has revealed details of his upcoming tenth studio album, Gravel & Gold, which includes two intriguing collaborations.
Out Feb. 24, the record’s 14th and final track, “High Note,” features bluegrass breakout Billy Strings. The pair are joined on the plucky ode to the “devil’s lettuce” by Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin, singer-songwriter and Bentley’s newly-added touring band member Charlie Worsham on guitar, along with Bryan Sutton on banjo and guitar.
Gravel & Gold promises to treat fans with Bentley’s carefully curated exploration of classic country music, bluegrass and beyond. To help cultivate that perfect soundscape, the singer-songwriter opted to take on the role of producer for the first time in his career.
“Selfishly I’ve always wanted to have my cake and eat it too,” says Bentley. “I’m in the bluegrass space. I’m in the traditional country space. It’s always been important to me to have the love and support of this community in Nashville, particularly the older establishment and the Opry – and to know that I’m able to do that but also get out on the road and play the big venues too? It doesn’t get any better than that for me.”
Newly inducted Grand Ole Opry member Ashley McBryde joined forces with Bentley for the lyrically driven story song “Cowboy Boots.” It’s just one of a diverse mix of tracks that make up the hitmaker’s first record of new material since 2018’s The Mountain.
“It’s been four years since I put out an album, and part of the reason for that is that I wrote and recorded two records that I didn’t feel were good enough and had to start over…twice,” Bentley says. “I’m going to be able look back on it for the rest of my life and be like, yeah, that was harder than I thought it would be, but zero regrets. I had to get it right. That’s the Gravel & Gold of it all.”
Gravel & Gold is currently available for pre-order here.
Dierks Bentley, Gravel & Gold Track List:
1. “Same Ol’ Me”
2. “Sun Sets In Colorado”
3. “Heartbreak Drinking Tour”
4. “Something Real”
5. “Still”
6. “Beer At My Funeral”
7. “Cowboy Boots” (ft. Ashley McBryde)
8. “Gold”
9. “Walking Each Other Home”
10. “Roll On”
11. “All The Right Places”
12. “Ain’t All Bad”
13. “Old Pickup”
14. “High Note” (ft. Billy Strings)
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