Nino Munoz/Capitol NashvilleDierks Bentley has put together his biggest stage show yet for the Sounds of Summer tour, launching Friday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. While he’s tried to use video production and pyrotechnics sparingly in the past, Dierks admits, “We kind of just went there on this tour.”
It turns out Dierks took a few cues from his childhood to make sure the Sounds of Summer tour lived up to its name.
“Fireworks were a big part of my summers growing up and explosives and putting half-sticks of dynamite in mailboxes and lighting stuff on fire with gasoline,” Dierks explains. “It’s the Sounds of Summer, so we thought fireworks, you know, pyro would be kind of a cool thing for this tour.”
Dierks isn’t sure he’ll keep all these bells and whistles in the future, but he’s enjoyed himself rehearsing the new show during the past few weeks.
Says Dierks, “It’s the first time for me having this many toys to play with and it’s been a lot of fun.”
The Sounds of Summer tour also includes a special appearance from The Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider, whose character, Bo Duke, is referenced in Dierks’ debut hit, “What Was I Thinkin’.” Dierks and his crew traveled to John’s spread in Louisiana to film an introduction for that song, and the TV star definitely lived up to Dierks’ expectations.
Dierks says of John, “[He] could not have been nicer. To meet one of your childhood heroes and have him be just the funniest, coolest guy — So, down-to-earth, funny. So, it was kind of a dream. It’s just one of those days that just happened, and I can’t believe it happened.”
Look for Dierks to slide on the hood of the General Lee during the “What Was I Thinkin'” opening, too. The Sounds of Summer tour will be on the road through September with special guests Kip Moore, Canaan Smith and Maddie and Tae.
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