Like the way country music sounds? You can thank U2

Let me tell you a little story.

February 23, 2013. Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley and Lee Brice are doing a show at Breslin Center at Michigan State. We go back to talk to Dierks and get our picture taken with him and I mention that I'm a fan of his bluegrass cover of U2's "Pride in the Name of Love". That's when Dierks starts talking about the "Dierks Bentley/Bono Mutual Admiration Society". Not only had Dierks done a bluegrass cover of a U2 song, but Bono had been in contact with Dierks about how much he liked Dierks' song "Home". And now they were email "penpals". I had no idea, but I thought it was cool and Dierks seemed honestly geeked up that Bono had thought so highly of the song. (It IS a great song)

I also had no idea just how far U2 had gotten involved with country music and how it had influenced their sound. And not just by listening to it - they were buddies with Roy Orbison and rode around in an ATV with Johnny Cash, while he tried to run over emus on his farm.

Now, thanks to a great article from Rolling Stone, you can see the impact country had on U2 and, in turn, the impact U2 has had on modern country music. In fact, it might not be too crazy to say that U2 might be the bridge between the sound of old country and new country artists like Keith Urban and Dierks and Eric Church.

Take a few minutes and read the article. Yeah, there are a few four-letter words, but it's worth it.

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