Don't Leave Me in Love
| Don't Leave Me in Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 3, 2001 | |||
| Recorded | 1999–2001 | |||
| Studio | BNA Studios (Franklin, TN) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 34:23 | |||
| Label | Dangling Rope[1] | |||
| Producer |
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| Dierks Bentley chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Dierks Bentley | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Amazon |   [2] |
| Discogs | [3] |
| Rate Your Music |  |
Don't Leave Me in Love is an independently released studio album by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. It was released on June 3, 2001, and was self-funded and distributed through Dangling Rope Records and pre-dates his record deal with Capitol Records and his major label self-titled debut album by two years.[4] As of 2025 Bentley has never re-released the album and also has not added it to any streaming platforms, and with Bentley covering the cost of the album's pressing at the time of its release, less than 5,000 copies were ever created, making the disc a sought-after collector’s item among Bentley fans.[5]
Background and history
[edit]Early career and songwriting
[edit]Bentley moved to Nashville at the age of 18 with the goal of pursuing a career in country music. During his early years in the city, he discovered a passion for bluegrass after visiting the Station Inn, a notable Nashville venue.[6] This experience shifted his focus from mainstream stardom to a more roots-oriented musical approach, and he began performing regularly in Lower Broadway honky-tonks.[7]
Bentley also played at local venues such as Springwater and Market Street Brewery, progressing from unpaid performances to paid gigs. To support himself financially, he worked in the tape library at The Nashville Network, checking out archival footage for documentaries, deepening his exposure to the genre and its history of country music.[8]
Recording and production
[edit]The album was recorded between 1999 and 2001 and marked Bentley’s first commercial release. It was independently funded and released through Bentley's own label, Dangling Rope Records.[9] Bentley co-produced the project with songwriter Mike Ward, with whom he began writing in 1999.[10] The two collaborated regularly for over a year, resulting in the majority of the album’s songs. Bentley wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten tracks. The song "Bartenders, Barstools, Barmaids" was inspired by a night at Springwater where Bentley performed to an empty room aside from the staff.[11]
The project was recorded at BNA Studios in Franklin, Tennessee, and featured a number of respected country and bluegrass musicians, including members of the Del McCoury Band, whom he paid $8,000 USD to play on the album.[12] Notable contributors included John Hughey on steel guitar, Ronnie McCoury on mandolin, Charlie Cushman on banjo, Ray Flacke and Boomer Castleman on electric guitar, and background vocals by Carl Jackson, Jennifer Haley, Lona Heins, and Terry Eldredge. The album was mixed by Luke Wooten at Station West and mastered by Denny Purcell at Georgetown Masters.[13]
According to Bentley, the recording process emphasized feel over precision: "We picked out the players we knew would give us the sort of sound we wanted and then told them ‘play it how you feel it’." The resulting sound blended traditional and contemporary country with bluegrass elements.
Several songs reflect Bentley’s personal experiences and musical influences. "Midnight Radio" references the Grand Ole Opry and 650 WSM, while "Lonesome Why Do You Love Me" explores themes of emotional distance. Early versions of “Whiskey Tears” and “Bartenders, Barstools, Barmaids” appear on this album; the latter was later reworked and released under the title “Bartenders Etc.” on Bentley’s 2003 major label debut with Capitol Records.[14]
Although Bentley self-released the album, he did not heavily promote it due to signing a publishing deal with Sony/Tree Publishing shortly after its completion. At Sony, he met songwriter and producer Brett Beavers through song plugger Arthur Buenahora. Although Beavers did not work on Don't Leave Me in Love, the two began collaborating and recording demos that generated interest from several record labels.[15] A showcase performance led to a deal with Capitol Records, and the two developed a strong creative partnership that would shape Bentley’s future work, with Beavers going on to produce Bentley’s major label debut album with Capitol Nashville in 2003.[16]
Release
[edit]On March 30, 2001, Bentley released the album's title track "Don't Leave Me in Love" as a promotional single via his official website where the single could be purchased via digitally or as a CD single. It was also revealed the album would be released on June 3, 2001.[17]
Composition and sound
[edit]The album’s blend of traditional country, bluegrass instrumentation, and stripped-down acoustic arrangements played a key role in shaping Bentley’s musical identity. Though independently released, it introduced stylistic elements—such as emotionally driven songwriting and roots-based production—that would become staples of his work. These influences have remained present throughout his career, making the album an early blueprint for the sound he would continue to refine on later major-label releases.[18]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Always Be Me" | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Don't Leave Me in Love" | 3:55 |
| 3. | "Midnight Radio" | 3:10 |
| 4. | "Bartenders, Barstools, Barmaids" | 2:41 |
| 5. | "Walking Papers" | 3:47 |
| 6. | "Whiskey Tears" | 3:02 |
| 7. | "Living Single" | 2:56 |
| 8. | "Why Do You Love Me" | 3:22 |
| 9. | "Not Through Loving You" | 3:16 |
| 10. | "Home Is Where the Hurt Is" | 4:07 |
| Total length: | 34:23[19] | |
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[20]
- Dierks Bentley – lead vocals, guitar, songwriting
- Bobby Nicholas – acoustic guitar
- Eric Horner – acoustic guitar
- Jeff White – acoustic guitar
- Charlie Cushman – banjo
- Dave Roe – bass guitar
- Dennis Crouch – bass guitar
- Rick Lonow – drums
- Boomer Castleman – electric guitar (track: 4)
- Ray Flacke – electric guitar
- Jason Carter – fiddle
- Ronnie McCoury – mandolin
- John Hughey – steel guitar
- Carl Jackson – background vocals
- Jennifer Haley – background vocals
- Lona Heins – background vocals
- Terry Eldredge – background vocals
- Ryan McCord – songwriting (track: 5)
- Scott Boyd – songwriting (track: 9)
Technical credits
[edit]- Dierks Bentley – producer
- Mike Ward – co-producer, songwriting (tracks: 3, 7, 8, 10)
- Boomer Castleman – recording
- Denny Purcell – mastering
- Luke Wooten – mixing
- Mark Montgomery – graphic design
- Beverly Bentley – photography
- Coley Kennedy – photography
References
[edit]- ^ "Dierks Bentley's Every Mile A Memory Exhibit Opens This Friday". Country Music Hall of Fame. Country Music Hall of Fame Staff. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
- ^ "Dierks Bentley - Don't Leave Me in Love (Reviews)". Amazon. Amazon Music. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "Dierks Bentley: Don't Leave Me In Love (2001)". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "Bentley: Making Music To Drink To, 2001 Self-Released Album, Record Deal With Capitol Nashivlle, New Self-Titled Albmum". Billboard. Phyliss Stark. August 30, 2003. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Independently released Dierks Bentley album 'Don't Leave Me in Love' from 2001 becomes collectors items amongst his fans". Entertainment Central. Rick Handler. June 2, 2023. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- ^ "Dierks Bentley: Luckily, for me, I found a little bar called the Station Inn where bluegrass music existed — and I found what I was looking for". PBS News. Buddy Squires. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "Dierks Bentley playing bars on Lower Broadway, he was spending his days the same way Alan Jackson did when he first moved to town". Country Music Online. Staff. Archived from the original on July 20, 2004. Retrieved July 20, 2004.
- ^ "Artist Information: Dierks Bentley". opry.com. Grand Ole Opry. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "Dierks Bentley's Every Mile A Memory Exhibit Opens This Friday". Country Music Hall of Fame. Country Music Hall of Fame Staff. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
- ^ Dating At The Opry: The Dierks Bentley Story. Robert K. Oermann. October 8, 2008. ISBN 978-1-59995-184-3. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ "What in the world was Dierks Bentley thinkin'? - A little backstory about country artist Dierks Bentley". Country Standard Time. Jeffrey B. Remz. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2003.
- ^ "Dierks Bentley Paid The Del McCoury Band $8,000 To Play On His 2001 Album "Don't Leave Me In Love"". nucountry.com. Dave. Archived from the original on October 8, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
- ^ "...This Is Dierks Bentley". Dierks.com. Dierks Bentley. Archived from the original on October 8, 2001. Retrieved October 8, 2001.
- ^ "9. "Bartenders, etc." Dierks Bentley (2003)". Udiscover Music. Natalie Weiner. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ "Don't Leave Me In Love. The album brought him to the attention of music publishers and Dierks became a full-time songwriter for Sony/Tree Publishing" (PDF). Playback Magazine. Playback. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 8, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2003.
- ^ "Prior to Dierks Bentley, the singer had released another album, Don't Leave Me in Love, on Dangling Rope". The Boot. Gayle Thompson. Archived from the original on August 23, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ "Purchase Dierks' single, Don't Leave Me in Love (CD or MP3)". Dierks. Dierks Bentley. Archived from the original on March 30, 2001. Retrieved March 30, 2001.
- ^ "Bentley: Making Music To Drink To, 2001 Self-Released Album, Record Deal With Capitol Nashivlle, New Self-Titled Albmum". Billboard. Phyliss Stark. August 30, 2003. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Album Data: Don't Leave Me in Love by Dierks Bentley (2001)". Musicbrainz. Dangling Rope Records. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "Album Credits: Don't Leave Me In Love (2001 Dierks Bentley Album)". discogs.com. Staff. Retrieved June 7, 2025.