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Nashville might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Tom Petty, but some of Music City’s biggest hitmakers are coming together the pay homage to the late great rock legend, his music and his influence.
One of the firsts to lay down their offerings is Dierks Bentley, who has shared his banjo-forward take on the ultimate Petty classic, ‘American Girl’.
In order to give the song a country flair, Bentley, along with producer Jon Randall, recruited the who’s-who of session players and brought in musicians like Noam Pikelny on banjo, Andy Leftwich on fiddle and mandolin and Chris Eldridge on acoustic guitar.
Under their tutelage, the high-powered, breakdown-fueled reimagining sounds even more soaring and free-spirited.
“Petty’s southern roots shined through across his songwriting and storytelling,” Bentley shares of the song. “He might not have ever been considered as country, but you can’t go into a bar in Nashville without hearing this song.
"It is one of the greatest songs in a life’s work of great American songs. The spirit of this woman, the idea of such relentless hope – and disappointment – ignites such a spark. Jon and I were driven to make that feeling of American roots stand tall."
The Bentley cover is a part of a forthcoming Tom Petty tribute album, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, set to be released in partnership with the Tom Petty Estate.
The album will see some of country and Americana’s top artists pulling from the hit-riddled Petty catalog for a twanged-up homage to the icon.
Apart from the Petty tribute album, Bentley recently announced that his Gravel & Gold Tour has been extended into 2024 with more than 30 additional dates.
The award-winning entertainer will be joined by an esteemed roster of special guests, including Chase Rice and Lee Brice as direct support, as well as Graham Barham, Tyler Braden, Kaitlin Butts, Mae Estes, Ella Langley, Randy Rogers Band, Zach Top, Tanner Usrey, Bella White and others across various dates.
For more on Dierks Bentley, see below:
