Wouldn't it be nice to start the summer by relaxing, strumming a guitar and thinking up tunes. That's exactly how country music star Ridley Bent has been spending his time.

“I'm just hanging out and getting ready for a little B.C. tour—just writing tunes and making wedding plans,” said Bent.

The country music capital of Canada will host its seventh annual Walk of Stars Gala weekend from May 29 to 31.

Among the talent scheduled to perform at the event are Ian Tyson, Gord Bamford, Kenny Hess and Ridley Bent.

Bent spoke with the Merritt News from his home in Winnipeg, remembering his last visit to Merritt.
“I played the big country festival there,” said Bent.

“It was my first experience with pyrotechnics, so it was really fun.”

Bent's unique voice and lively tunes have earned him many loyal fans and a place among Canadian country music greats.

His latest album, Buckles and Boots, which boasts such hits as Heartland Heartbreak and Nine Inch Nails, was released in 2007, two years after the release of his first album, Blam. The album is as fun as it is original, but where does his inspiration come from?

Bent's diverse life experiences have definitely played a role in his artistic revelations. Born in Halifax and bred in Alberta, Bent spent years pursuing the dream of being a professional skier before he moved to Vancouver, taught himself to play the guitar, and realized his talent as a singer/songwriter.
“Some song ideas just come to me out of the blue,” said Bent. “Or from books, other songs, television, or dreams.”

According to Bent, it's always easier to think up ideas than it is to remember them.

“It's easy to lose ideas,” admitted Bent. “I've trained myself to immediately follow up on ideas.”

Bent says he knows when a tune is going to be a personal favourite, but attributes the labeling of a song as a hit to chance.

“For a song to be a hit, it's often luck,” said Bent.

With a wedding in the near future, Bent is taking some time off this summer to relax and plan ahead.

After his performance in Merritt at the end of May, Bent will have some more free time before returning to B.C. for shows in Duncan and Mission in mid-August.