I was already here for Dierks Bentley’s cover of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.” Now, seeing this visual representation of the track has me even more in love with it.
Earlier this year, Bentley released the lead single for the upcoming Tom Petty tribute album, Petty Country. The lineup of artists that are set to appear on this album is stacked with George Strait, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Dolly Parton and more. Bentley kicked off the announcement of the project with his take on “American Girl.”
Tom Petty is an intimidating musician to cover… I mean, he is a 15-time Grammy nominee and Rock & Roll Hall inductee. It’s not like he has a colossal reputation you must live up to, right? All jokes aside, Bentley took the task head-on, belting out the hit song’s lyrics confidently.
Today, Bentley released the accompanying music video for the track, which captures the craftmanship of a lead singer and his band. Shot at the stunning Nashville event venue, Clementine, the dark interior of the old church contrasts perfectly with the golden hour lighting. As the warm light fills the backdrop, Bentley and his crew (which includes Charlie Worsham) capture the magic of what it feels like to be genuinely connected with your band, just like Tom Petty was with his Heartbreakers.
Scenes from the venue are intermixed with Americana-inspired shots that highlight road life and pieces from Petty’s archive, including travel cases and memorabilia. Bentley even plays a piece of history in the video: Petty’s signature Rickenbacker guitar, flown in from his archives in California.
“Holding an instrument that carries so much musical history and significance was surreal, you could almost feel the stories resonate from it as I played it.
Tom Petty’s lyrics and delivery were a huge part of what made his music so impactful.”
Everything about this video captures the warm feeling that the song portrays. Director Wes Edwards knocked this out of the park visually.
You’ll want to watch this a time or two.