In the hunt for success, Dierks Bentley knows he struck gold.
More than 20 years after releasing his debut studio album, the country singer is still living out his dreams by making new music and performing at sold-out venues across the country.
Now, as he releases his 10th studio album Gravel & Gold on Feb. 25, the 47-year-old is acknowledging all the treasures he's found along the way.
"If I had to hand somebody an album and say, ‘This is who I am,'" Dierks told E! News in an exclusive interview, "this would be the one."
In several tracks, the "I Hold On" singer—who shares kids Evie, 14, Jordan, 12, and Knox, 9, with wife Cassidy Black—writes about his busy family life in Nashville.
"The song ‘Something Real' is in a lot of ways where I am in my life right now where we got three kids," he explained. "I travel a lot with my son for travel hockey, as does my wife. My other girls are doing a lot of theater and musicals and just growing up and becoming more independent. You're kind of just hanging on for real life."
So instead of planning romantic vacations without the kids, Dierks and his wife spend any and all free time keeping the house in order.
"I think we both recognize where we are in this part of our life and it's very real, but we appreciate that," he continued. "It's a lot of work. It's a lot of laundry, a lot of dishes, a lot of picking up dog poop, but it's real life and I thrive on that a lot."
However, during the peak of COVID-19 in 2020, the Bentley crew ventured west to Colorado to unplug. The family adventure included riding bikes, going on hikes and skipping rocks in the river. The experience proved to be a source of inspiration as Dierks wrote the track "Sunsets in Colorado" to celebrate the beauty of the great outdoors.
"As a parent, getting a chance to raise those kids so they can see that they can experience that and feel that is special," he noted. "That year off was really special in that way. And it's a feeling I try to carry with me and something I try to bring in my life here in Tennessee as much as possible."
While Dierks tried to keep his family in Colorado as much as possible, the country singer joked, "My wife wanted to come back and as usual, she knows what's best for me."
"This album would not exist if I hadn't come back and I fell back in love with Nashville," he continued. "My mindset as I was making the album was, 'It might be gravel, but it feels like gold.' Changing your perspective on stuff can really change your life."
Now, as Dierks prepares for a summer tour he hopes to announce in the coming weeks, the Flag and Anthem designer also continues to treasure quality time with his kids.
At home, Dierks' daughters continue to introduce him to new tunes from artists like SZA. As for his son, he helps Dierks remember music is just part of his story.
"I'm in my late 40s and I'm doing a lot of travel hockey with Knox and kids is a great equalizer," he said. "I'll be in the Embassy Suites buffet line next to some guy who's a doctor or this guy does construction and we've all had a chance to go out there and chase a dream and now we're all just doing the same stuff as parents."