County superstar Dierks Bentley surprised guests at The Heritage Foundation’s 50th-anniversary gala on Friday night by performing at the Gaylord Hotel in National Grand Harbor, Maryland, the Daily Wire reported.
The two-day event, which featured notable figures in the conservative movement like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and gala keynote speaker Tucker Carlson of Fox News, surprised attendees when Dierks Bentley, a 14-time Grammy nominee, took the stage for several songs at the event.
Bentley’s performance was kept a secret from guests ahead of time, the news outlet said.
“What a fabulous night celebrating free thinking and Liberty at @Heritage 50th anniversary celebration,” Congressman Matt Rosendale (R-MT) tweeted. “Entertainment by Dierks Bentley and Tucker Carlson. Even saw my good friend Scot Miller from Billings. What a night!”
What a fabulous night celebrating free thinking and Liberty at @Heritage 50th anniversary celebration.
Entertainment by Dierks Bentley and Tucker Carlson. Even saw my good friend Scot Miller from Billings. What a night! #Heritage50 pic.twitter.com/0Zlp69Xm97
— Matt Rosendale (@MattForMontana) April 22, 2023
The celebration was attended by activists, members of the media, and elected officials to commemorate the organization’s founding in 1973.
“Surprise of the (last half) century, from @Heritage — what a treat,” writer Carolyn Bolton said of Bentley’s performance.
Surprise of the (last half) century, from @Heritage — what a treat #Heritage50 @DierksBentley pic.twitter.com/1R4ydlSx2E
— Carolyn Bolton (@carbolton) April 22, 2023
“I didn’t know I could love @DierksBentley more,” added Heritage communications staffer Gloria Taylor.
.@DierksBentley singing “Home” at the Heritage Foundation 50th anniversary gala here at the Gaylord in National Harbor! pic.twitter.com/T944QsQEWE
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) April 22, 2023
The celebration event was the highlight of a two-day meeting billed as Heritage’s Leadership Summit. The purpose of the event, according to Heritage, was to “demonstrate consensus around big-picture questions facing America and deliver a conservative policy agenda equipped to unite the movement around an offensive strategy to take back our country, restore self-governance, and rebuild key institutions of civil society.”
Before the event, Kevin Roberts, the president of Heritage, lauded the founders of the organization, as well as other individuals within the conservative movement who have contributed to its success.
“Ever since Heritage’s founding 50 years ago, this organization has dedicated itself to advancing conservative policy with world-class research, analysis, and advocacy,” Roberts said. “Today, we celebrate those who had the vision for Heritage and the accomplishments they achieved on behalf of the American people. We equally celebrate the men and women throughout the conservative movement who have worked tirelessly to save our country alongside all of us.”
Bentley has not publicly discussed his political views. However, he has expressed frustration with the federal government and how he believes country music is becoming politicized.
“[What’s happening in country music] is definitely a microcosm of the country at large,” Bentley told Rolling Stone. “There’s a lot of tension, a lot of anger, a lot of mistrust. A lot of fear being used on both sides to build their base.”
