CMT Blog: George Strait

Dierks Bentley's latest album, Up on the Ridge, has quickly become a favorite among country fans. His music video for "Up on The Ridge" is also one of the most popular on CMT.com. Through his "Posted" page at CMT.com, Bentley took the time to answer fans' Twitter questions. Take a look.

@areyes03: Any new songs you're writing? I've been trying not to ... trying to just focus on and enjoy Up on the Ridge. But, I've had some ideas floating around up there for a while and I'm starting to think about getting back into it.

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When Clay Walker was singing on Lopez Tonight a couple of weeks ago, I was thinking that I could almost make a living out of loving him. I have felt that way since 1994, when I bought his If I Could Make a Living album. For 16 years I've been crazy about his voice. On Lopez, he did "She Won't Be Lonely Long," which is a great tune made even better with his subtle Texas twang. But what has me even more wound up is his new one, "Where Do I Go From You?" It's so him. With mandolin and steel behind him, he seems to have one-upped himself musically and vocally. He sounds like a cross between Rascal Flatts' Gary LeVox and George Strait on this one. I know that may not sound like a straight-up combination, but I swear it works.

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The new issue of People Country hits newsstands on Friday (June 18) and this special edition is a must-read for any fan of country's real good men. They've named Tim McGraw as Country's Hottest Guy, but beyond that honor, they've also made a list of Men We Love and it includes Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Joe Nichols, Chris Young, David Nail, Jake Owen, Blake Shelton, George Strait and Chuck Wicks. But don't buy it just for the pictures of those guys. The stories are good, too. Like when McGraw, who is now down to 178 lbs., confesses that "I can't have anything on me when I sleep" and says his favorite sexy song is Santana's "Samba Pi Ti."

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"Eat it, Garth Brooks"? Is that any way to start a story? New York magazine thinks so, because that's their lead into a little story about how George Strait is the biggest country artist of the last 25 years. They say it because of a ranking that Billboard did by adding up numbers from the country songs and albums charts from 1985 to 2010. But while Strait and his 44 No. 1 hits did earn the very top spot, Brooks came in a very close second. And in a way, with Brooks holding the title of the top-selling U.S. album artist, with 68.4 million units sold since Nielsen Soundscan started reporting in 1991, comparing his sales to Strait's ongoing airplay is a little bit of an apple-to-oranges situation. But I think most country fans would agree, there is room for at least two kings.

Photo Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The theme of this weekend was people pulling me onstage during their shows. It started at BamaJam this Thursday in Enterprise, Ala. The crowd was amazing and my band and I had a blast playing our show. Dierks Bentley closed that night, and right in the middle of his show he pulled me up onstage and we sang the George Strait classic, "All My Ex's Live in Texas." I have to say a huge "thank you" to Dierks for that one. He is an amazing artist and an amazing guy. Then on Friday we played in Augusta, Ga., with my labelmate, Jake Owen. During Jake's show, he pulled me onstage and we sang a John Anderson tune together (and I may have done the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song, ha ha). Thanks for everything, Jake!

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For the 10th year, Chely Wright is hosting her Reading, Writing and Rhythm benefit concert in Nashville, just before CMA Music Festival starts. Since its inception, her non-profit organization has raised more than a million dollars for music education in public schools, mostly through the proceeds of her annual all-star concerts. This year, funds will go to the Nashville schools that lost their musical instruments in last month's flood.

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After positioning herself as a new traditionalist in the late 1990s, Lee Ann Womack broke through in a big, big way when her album, I Hope You Dance, was released on May 23, 2000. The title track brought her mainstream airplay, multiple awards, an inspirational book and the unique opportunity to sing at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Norway. In other words, the Texas singer was everywhere -- even selling paper towels on TV. With 3 million in sales, the album also helped a few lesser-known songwriters make a name for themselves in Nashville, including Buddy and Julie Miller ("Does My Ring Burn Your Finger") and Bruce Robison ("Lonely Too"). As the first track, "The Healing Kind" sets an elegant tone while a respectful cover of Don Williams' 1981 country hit, "Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good," modestly closes the album. She hasn't always included "I Hope You Dance" in her set list, but when I saw her open for George Strait and Reba McEntire earlier this year, she delivered a sterling rendition. I'm happy about that. As the Opry stars like to say, you should dance with the one that brought you.

Did you watch ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn -- The Last Rodeo last night (May 23)? I hate that it was the so-called "Last Rodeo" because I hate to think of a world where Brooks & Dunn are not making music. But I do love love love that I got to watch 15 of my favorite country singers singing Brooks & Dunn songs. It was seriously all good, from top to bottom, but there were definitely a few stand-out moments.

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Last month in Las Vegas, I was lucky enough to score a ticket to ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo, and it's probably my favorite concert I've seen all year. Like many of the performers on the show, I've been a fan of Brooks & Dunn since the beginning. I was in high school when "Brand New Man" was out, and I distinctly remember listening to their first album (on cassette) on my ever-present Walkman. It's a testament to the duo that their material holds up even when somebody else is singing it. And it certainly doesn't hurt when it's Keith Urban ("Brand New Man") or Brad Paisley ("My Next Broken Heart") doing the honors. The special airs Sunday night (May 23) on CBS.

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Situated just behind the Loveless Café on the outskirts of Nashville, the Loveless Barn stands as a simple concert venue with a small stage and an open concrete floor filled with folding chairs. The mood is casual and talkative on most nights, and people move about freely or sit or stand wherever they like. It's the perfect place to host Music City Roots, a live radio broadcast that celebrates the down-home side of country music on 650 AM WSM, home of the Grand Ole Opry. On Wednesday night (May 12), I wondered if the show would go on because that part of town was hit hard by flooding. I was relieved to see that the venue remains intact. I caught one of the last shows of the spring season, featuring Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jim Lauderdale and several guests.

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