Dierks Bentley Proud to Be a Tour Bartender on the Road

Dierks Bentley is a husband, father, singer-songwriter, tour boss, restaurant owner and, at least according to him, a bartender. The 42-year-old says his most important role, at least while on the road is to help people have a good time, with or without imbibing.

“I know what’s going on at my shows. People are coming out to blow off steam and have a great time,” Bentley tells The Washington Post. “I’m kind of like the lead bartender: Jumping up on the bar table, drinking shots with you and singing ballads with you like at an old Irish pub somewhere.”

Bentley’s current Mountain High Tour is sponsored by Twisted Tea, but at his own Whiskey Row restaurant and bar in Nashville, Tenn., any drink is an option. But one of his favorites is, according to Battered and Brewed, the Dierks Dram, made with bourbon, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks and sugar (find recipe here).

Bentley’s Whiskey Row, located on Lower Broadway, has a complete bar, with a full list of craft cocktails, but for Bentley, he was more interested in what the space meant for aspiring artists than for those who wanted to unwind with a cocktail.

“When I first moved to Nashville, Broadway was my second home … I was the first artist to be hired and fired from The Stage,” Bentley says. “It’s surreal to think that now I can just jump in my truck and run over here anytime, and that it might possibly be a place where new artists could get their start.”

The Arizona native is currently headlining his Mountain High Tour, with Brothers Osborne and LANCO serving as his opening acts.

“I just want this to be fun for me at the end of the day,” Bentley says. “I’ve got a lot of great stuff going on and I’m gonna spend the whole summer out there. I’ve got a nine-year-old, a seven-year-old and four-year-old. It’s more than just; it’s not about making money.

“It’s about my life,” he continues. “I want to have a great summer, have a lot of fun, make a lot of great memories, be totally present from the second we get there on-site, thinking of the fans’ experience when they first pull into a tailgate to when they leave and get home safely.”

Find a list of all of Bentley’s upcoming shows on his Mountain High Tour can be found at Dierks.com.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Erika Goldring