Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 30 May 2018
Dierks Bentley wants to take fans higher on 'The Mountain'

By KRISTIN M. HALL those bluegrass pickers
Associated Press and he just kind of learned
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — by example," McCoury
The last time Dierks Bentley said. "He's a big country
made a bluegrass album, it star, but a lot of them got
was a chance to regroup started that way, like Vince
after a terrible tour. He had Gill and Marty Stuart and
opened for Kenny Chesney Allison Krauss."
twice, in 2004 and 2006, The album is the best rep-
and gained enough confi- resentation of all his skills,
dence thanks to a couple from being a true fan of
of platinum albums and acoustic instruments like
radio hits to launch his own the mandolin and banjo,
headlining arena tour. to raising a glass to his par-
In Bentley's words: "It was a tying crowds and deliver-
huge failure." ing arena-sized anthems.
"We were playing half The first single, "Woman,
houses, so you're taking Amen," was a message
your stage and moving it song that has resonated for
under the Jumbotron. You fans. Bentley's tour mates,
put a huge drape behind Brothers Osborne, lay down
you to make it look like a heavy guitar licks on their
half house, so people are duet with Bentley called
coming to the arena, but "Burning Man," and the title
it's only half filled and it's track is a Tom Petty and the
kind of weird," he recalled. Heartbreakers-style rock
"Two thousand people is a In this May 7, 2018, photo, country singer Dierks Bentley poses in Nashville, Tenn., to promote his song that ends with a ban-
lot of people, but not in a new album, “The Mountain.” jo-guitar breakdown.
place that holds 20,000." Associated Press The bluegrass influences
For Bentley, that setback are subtle on songs like "You
was one of the hardest way through each step. try headliners last year how being in nature made Can't Bring Me Down," fea-
mountains he had to climb And I feel like that's the way and has announced his him feel inspired and em- turing mandolin player Sam
in his career. my music career has been. first ever festival, the Seven powered. "Obviously the Bush and heavier on the
Releasing that bluegrass The ups and downs, I've en- Peaks Festival, in Colorado metaphor of a mountain, Brandi Carlile duet "Travelin'
album, "Up on a Ridge," in joyed all of it." this fall. climbing your own per- Light," which also features
2010 was a turning point in Bentley's career now seems For "The Mountain," Bent- sonal mountains, your bat- bluegrass musicians Jerry
his career, just like his ninth mile-high. He's scored ley stepped away from the tles, is where you find your Douglas and Tim O'Brien.
studio album, "The Moun- four platinum singles and frenzied pace of Nashville strength, your character "If anything I am looking
tain," out on June 8, might earned more than a dozen and took several of his trust- and perseverance," Bent- for ways to take audiences
be for this country star. Grammy nominations. ed songwriter-friends to Tel- ley said. higher than you can take
"Being from Arizona, I had a This year he'll be honored luride, Colorado, a serene Bluegrass veteran Del Mc- them with just a fun song,"
mountain in my backyard. by the Academy of Coun- ski town in the Rocky Moun- Coury said Bentley has Bentley said. "I have 'Drunk
I would go hiking in that try Music with the Merle tains that he's visited many ingrained himself among on a Plane.
mountain when I was four Haggard Spirit Award. times when he's attended the close-knit community ' I have '5-1-5-0.' I know I can
years old," Bentley said. He also won't be hiding the Telluride Bluegrass Festi- because of his humbleness bring the party every night.
"As you get older, you real- empty seats while on tour val. The Arizona-born singer and passion for roots music. But on this record I want to
ize the journey itself is the this year: He was one of zeroed in on the theme "He used to come to Sta- find a place to take it even
reward and working your the highest grossing coun- of the album, which was tion Inn and sit in with all higher."q

The Latest: ABC cancels 'Roseanne'

after star's racist tweet

NEW YORK (AP) — ABC has tive viewers because Barr's to Jarrett that she was
canceled its hit reboot of character expressed sup- sorry "for making a bad
"Roseanne" following Rose- port for President Donald joke" about her politics
anne Barr's racist tweet Trump. and her looks. Jarrett, who
about former Obama ad- Barr's tweet suggested that is African-American, ad-
viser Valerie Jarrett. Jarrett is a product of the vised Barack and Michelle
ABC Entertainment Presi- Muslim brotherhood and Obama.
dent Channing Dungey the "Planet of the Apes." Barr's now-deleted tweet
says the comment "is ab- She later apologized "for read:
horrent, repugnant and in- making a bad joke." "muslim brotherhood &
consistent with our values, Roseanne Barr has apolo- planet of the apes had a
and we have decided to gized for suggesting that baby=vj."
cancel the show." former White House adviser Meanwhile, comic Wanda
The "Roseanne" revival this Valerie Jarrett is a product Sykes, who is a consulting
spring was an unexpected of the Muslim Brotherhood producer on "Roseanne,"
major hit for ABC. and the "Planet of the tweeted that she would not In this March 23, 2018 file photo, John Goodman, left,
It was particularly popular Apes." be returning to the show.q and Roseanne Barr arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of
"Roseanne" in Burbank, Calif.
among many conserva- Barr on Tuesday tweeted