Will We Ever Get Another Dierks Bentley Bluegrass Record?

Would Dierks Bentley ever go full-bluegrass again?

Dierks Bentley joined the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to talk about his new album Broken Branches, some of his favorite songs on the track list, the Hot Country Knights and adding humor to his music, being friends with Cross Canadian Ragweed frontman Cody Canada, having his pilot’s license, being a dad, hangover cures, sports and more.

At one point in the conversation, we couldn’t help ourselves and asked if the country music star would ever return to the bluegrass sound… like what he did with his 201o album Up On The Ridge. That project was Dierks’ fifth studio album, and caught some country music fans by surprise upon it’s release (though Bentley said at the time that his hardcore fans saw it coming after asking for a bluegrass album for years).

Up On The Ridge produced two hits songs: the title track and the wonderfully paced “Draw Me A Map.” All in all, it was somewhat of a offramp from what Dierks Bentley typically does. But at the same time, it showed that the country singer could flex that bluegrass muscle if he ever wanted to do so.

For those like us that are wishing for Bentley to go bluegrass again, you’ll be happy to know that Dierks didn’t exactly tell us no when we asked him if there was another bluegrass album to be added to his discography:

“I think about it all the time. On the way down here today, I was listening to Ricky Skaggs. I’m a huge bluegrass fan and I love that ‘Up On The Ridge’ album. I’d definitely love to make another one with John Randall again (and) maybe Gary Paczosa. He’s incredible. He’s such a great (audio) engineer…

Yeah. I’d love to do that. I don’t know, maybe that’ll be the next one. This album is great, this tour is going to be so fun with Zach Top. I usually tour for one or two years, but then maybe I’ll dig into something like that. I’ve got a great band that’s capable of playing both types of music: country and bluegrass. That’d be fun to tour with them again.”

@whiskeyriff Will we ever get a another bluegrass record from @dierksbentley? // New episode of Whiskey Riff Raff—out now available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. #whiskeyriff #dierksbentley #whiskeyriffraff #countrymusic #bluegrass ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff

So you’re telling me there’s a chance? A good chance, from what it sounds like?

Bentley’s newest album – Broken Branches – features some bluegrass tones, but it never goes full-bluegrass like he did with Up On The Ridge. The last time Bentley really leaned into it was probably his “High Note” collaboration with Billy Strings from his 2023 Gravel & Gold album.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always down for more of that.

And from how Dierks Bentley answered our “potential bluegrass album” question, it seems as though the “Off The Map” singer is also on board to bring about more bluegrass. Could it be in the next couple of years? Maybe. Considering fans encouraged him to put together Up On The Ridge back in 2010, maybe it’ll just take another fan-movement to get Dierks to go bluegrass once more? We here at Whiskey Riff will happily lead that charge.

To hear more from Dierks Bentley, make sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or click here.

We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts.

Cheers, y’all.

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