ABC/Mark LevineEven though handling the COVID-19 shutdown with three kids can be a whole lot of work, Dierks Bentley says family time has been a bright spot in an otherwise dark and uncertain time.
“Luckily my kids are at an age — 6, 9 and 11 — they’re at a pretty good age to be homebound,” the singer tells Rolling Stone. “They’re self-sufficient but not overly missing their friends, as 8th graders and up probably would be and are. It’s been awesome family time, trying to find the silver lining for us.”
That family time, of course, involves plenty of music. The singer says that when his kids are in control of the playlist, they’ve been listening to a lot of Lizzo, Maggie Rogers and Sia. For his part, though, Dierks has been gravitating towards bluegrass.
“I love bluegrass music, so Tim O’Brien. Sam Bush radio is pretty good on Spotify,” he adds.
Though he is enjoying the downtime, Dierks says he can’t help from thinking of families that aren’t so lucky.
“I’m just worried about people. The stress, the financial stress that some people must be going through. Conversations around the dinner table worried about paying rent, mortgages and all that,” he reflects. “I hope everyone is hanging in there.”
The singer reiterated the sentiment when he performed virtually for ACM Presents: Our Country, a television special that aired in the time slot originally allocated to the now-postponed 2020 ACM Awards. Dierks delivered a reflective performance of his hit “I Hold On,” a ballad that has taken on a whole new meaning during the pandemic.
“We’re all kind’ve holding on for dear life right now hoping this thing will pass, thankful for a community that comes together when we’re facing a hardship,” Dierks explained at the time.
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
