Dierks Bentley Brings ‘Only The Brave’ Screening To Nashville

Attendees were welcomed by a panel of actors and producers including James Dale, Dierks Bentley, Josh Brolan and Brendan McDonough. Photo: CMT/Instagram

Nashville first responders, actors and music industry were among the invited guests to the advance screening of Only The Brave, a film based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighting operation.

Arizona native Dierks Bentley penned and performed an oroginal song, “Hold The Light,” for the project.

“My involvement with this story began back when this tragic fire happened,” said Bentley. “We heard about it and I worked with my manager, Mary Hilliard, and we decided to play some music in Prescott, [Arizona] about three weeks after this fire in hopes of raising money and spirits—just doing what we do as musicians. It had a profound impact on me and where I first met [original Hotshot] Brendan McDonough and some other folks in the community.

“I was so lucky a few years later to sit in a movie next to director Joe Kosinski and I think it was Mike Mitchell and they offered me the opportunity to be part of writing a song.”

Bentley finished “Hold The Light” with Jon Randall after being started from the pens of Sean [S.] Carey and Joe Trapanese. Bentley recorded the song in the studio in Nashville with many of his bandmates and producer and songwriter Ross Copperman.

“The movie and song is not only about honoring these 19 guys and their families, but goes beyond that—certainly in the country music community with Las Vegas,” concluded Bentley. “It is a timely movie about first responders, who are brave enough to head towards danger when the rest of us are trying to head away.”

Only the Brave will hit theaters Oct. 20.