Dierks Bentley enjoys life with his family in the US state of Colorado. At least that's the impression one gets, when watching him on Instagram climb through the impressive Rocky Mountains on his mountain bike. Originally from Arizona, he has begun spending more time there over the past 2 years, making it his escape from the pandemic, but also his new-found home.
A bonding and fondness that saw its first blooming in 2018 when he released his still latest studio album. He called it "The Mountain", as it was wholy created and produced in the small town of Telluride in the southwestern corner of Colorado. A mining town from the 1870s, which today is known as a ski resort and for its film- and bluegrass festivals.
So it was not that big of a surprise, when he also started thinking about creating a music festival of his own. A festival for which the majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains should form the backdrop. Consequentially, the event could only be named Seven Peaks Music Festival. "Let's bring in a country audience, bring in a bluegrass audience, but let them make the traditions", he told The Denver Post in 2018 about the intentions. "I love ’90s country, so that’s going to be involved in there, too." That way Country, Americana and Bluegrass not only describe his own personal influences, but they also defined the musical theme for the new festival.
On Labor-Day weekend of 2018 the first-ever Seven Peaks Music Festival drew several thousand fans to a ranch near Buena Vista in southwest Colorado. A year later it already drew an estimated crowd of 13,000. But just as plans were made to move the festival to a new location in order to accomodate an even bigger crowd, the pandemic stopped everything in its tracks. Organizer Live Nation had to cancel Seven Peaks for 2020 as well as for 2021.
Finally in 2022, the third staging of the event was going to happen on Labor-Day weekend 2022. To do so, it has moved to a new location roughly 44 miles further to the southwest, near the tiny town of Villa Grove with a population of barely 400. Via special permit, the festival could be staged on property owned by a friend of Dierks Bentley and will allow for up to 20,000 visitors. After all Seven Peaks is more of a camping festival, as fans travel from all over the US to stay in tents or campers due to lack of accomodation on site.
Scheduled to perform between September 2nd and 4th, 2022 were among others, such well known artists as Morgan Wallen, Hardy, Ashley McBryde, Old Crow Medicine Show, Caitlyn Smith, Jordan Davis and for the second time running, Tracy Lawrence was invited for the 90s music theme.
And to bring it all full circle, Dierks Bentley took the chance to perform his new single at Seven Peaks. Hinting at a new album release, potentially early next year, 'Gold' is one of the catchiest tunes in a long time. And in addition it fits well with Seven Peaks, making it the joyful reward after having travelled one or the other gravel road.
"I think one of my goals is really … and I think ‘Gold’ speaks to that a little bit, is just being present and being excited about all of it", he told Forbes about the song. "This is where my life is right now. It's pretty crazy and it's all happening at once. You can't put it off. ... So just trying to lean into it and not have a defensive posture is something I always tell myself when it comes to all this stuff."
It ain't easy
Nobody said it would be
You finally find that greener grass
But you're still in the weeds.
Ain't it crazy
All the time that you spend
Drivin' through the rainbow for the pot at the end.
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