Dierks Bentley’s Alter Ego Douglas Douglason & Hot Country Knights
Move over Chris Gaines and Earl Dibble’s Jr., there’s a new alter ego in the country world, and he’s a soft-core porn semi-star sporting a mullet and playing cheesy 90’s country rock in the country music equivalent of a hair metal band. Douglas “Big Rhythm Doug” Douglason and his band Hot Country Knights is apparently a real thing, or a fake thing that’s pretending to be real, even if the hairdos are not. And if you squint real hard and can see thru the joke shop wigs, dated duds and mustaches, you can see the familiar eyes of Dierks and his backing band peering back at you through the 20-year fog of bad memories and foolish fashion choices.
Other members of the Hot Country Knights include Trevor Travis, Barry Van Ricky, Shelton Van Ricky, Dillard “Monte” Montgomery, Cade “Bonesy” McCoy, Vinnie “Frenzy Fingers” Pompanelli, and Terotej “Terry” Dvoraczekinsky. And yes, apparently Terotej “Terry” Dvoraczekinsky is Russian, because a few days ago he posted on the Hot Country Knights Facebook page, “привет народам! Добро пожаловать на нашу Ñтраницу facebook онлайн! вам нравитÑÑ Ñто…вы любите Ñто…вам хотите, чтобы некоторые больше его.”
That roughly translates to, “Hi peoples ! Welcome to our facebook page online ! you like it … you love it … you want some more of it.”
Trevor Travis also makes it a point to point out he’s the lead bass player, just like Scott Borchetta in his hair metal band.
A YouTube account attributed to Hot Country Knights posted a YouTube video on January 15th simply titled “Re-Introducing,” featuring the band strutting out of a venue/studio to the tune of Travis Tritt’s 1990 song “Put Some Drive in Your Country.” The “re-introducing” might be alluding to the fact that Douglas “Big Rhythm Doug” Douglason is actually nothing new. As Rita Ballou of Rawhide and Velvet pointed out, here’s what appears to be Big Rhythm Doug performing “All My Exes” with Cody Canada back in 2007. So there’s that.
Even more interesting, it looks like this alter ego is gearing up for a full on album release, or something along those lines, very soon. Or at least that’s what they want it to look like. On what appears to be an album cover, there is a Capitol stamp on it (Dierks’ label), so maybe we’ll get a bigger taste of Douglas “Big Rhythm Doug” Douglason sooner than later.
“I’m working on a little something something with my guys in the band. It’s a little side project a little bit of a ’90s country cover band. We specialize in ’90s country, which was a great era in country music,” Dierks told People Magazine recently, and apparently there’s going to be a special invite-only debut event for the band on February 25th at The Stage in Nashville. So yes, this really is a real fake thing, and they even have carried out the bit to give each member of the band their own back story (see below).
Sadly, it still may sound better than what Music Row is schlepping out in the present day. I can’t wait for the invariable Bro-Country parodies that the future will be using to lambast the present day 20 years from now.
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All pictures and info from the Hot Country Knights Facebook Page.
Douglas “Big Rhythm Doug” Douglason: Armed with his shockingly attractive mustache and mullet, Douglas “Doug” Douglason set out for the bright lights of Hollywood at age 18, sure to be the next big thing. However, as fate would have it, his fully functional diphallia turned out to be the up and coming trend in Silicone Valley. Known as “Big Rhythm” for his size, longevity, and steadiness of performance and working under the name “Dustin Strange,” Doug immediately became a hugely below average star in the adult-jpeg-straight-to-fre
Terotej “Terry” Dvoraczekinsky: My name Terotej Dvoraczekinsky. I from small village outside Chekhov, Russia. Where I grow up, country music very unpopular, but I in love with steel guitars and twang sound very young. I was disappoint to my village and mother Russia greatly. I marry girl but she leave me in 1989 for potato farmer, so I move to Americas to become country music sensation. I work as janitor in Nashville club where I meet Big Rhythm Dougs. As they says in the show business, the rest history!
Dillard “Monte” Montgomery is a highly trained drumist, born and raised in Los Angeles California. He is claimed to be one of several love children from the internationally known game show host Monty Hall of “Lets Make A Deal” fame. With his newly donned professional stage name, “Monte”, coined after his absentee celebrity father, Montgomery turned down gig offers from the bands Pearl Jam, Rush, U2, and others, but answered an ad for a “hand model” in Nashville. Going with his gut, he moved to Nashville. There are several different accounts of what occurred next when Monte met Big Rhythm Doug on what ended up being an adult film shoot and joined the Hot Country Knights, achieving country music history in the process. Monte is endorsed by Suave hair care products.
Trevor Travis: Raised by a single mother and 9 older sisters, Trevor Travis is a born ladies’ man. He spent the bulk of his youth enrolled in home economics, hair styling, and massage classes before picking up the bass at age 13. Trevor’s first taste of fame was on the Ricki Lake episode “Mom, You Can’t Stop Me from Having Sex in the House—You Do It, Too.” He caught the ear of Big Rhythm Doug in 1993 after breaking into song when he was awarded the “Most Failed Paternity Tests” honor on a later episode “Did You See Yesterday’s DNA Show? Want to See What Happened After the Show? Stick Around…(Part 2).” The planets aligned in 1995 when Big Rhythm Doug treated Trevor to an Italian feast of endless salad and breadsticks, introducing him to Frenzy Fingers, who in turn treated them to an herbal dessert behind the dumpster courtesy of OG busboy Shelton Van Ricky.
Cade “Bonesy” McCoy: Was born to a son of a 3rd generation 2nd tier hog farmer who abandoned him as an infant on a stoop of a Manhattan flat. His extremely wealthy adoptive parents showered him with shallow love and money. It was a tough life for Cade. After years of getting everything he ever wanted and bored with his Juilliard piano training, he thought to himself, “There has to be less to life.” Following his bliss, Bonesy loaded up his Miata and drove to Nashville to cover the smooth, hairy sounds of 90’s country. Dreams can come true…if you have enough money.
Barry Van Ricky: Steel guitarist Barry Van Ricky, twin brother of deceased original HCK steel player, Larry Van Ricky, was raised in a musical family, going on to play lead recorder with his sister Sherry in a post-industrial experimental band that focused primarily on Roger Miller covers. The duo experienced little to no success in the late 70s and broke up after Sherry gave birth to her first child, Shelton Van Ricky, a product of their penultimate East Coast tour. After Larry’s mysterious death in July of 1996, Barry replaced his brother on stage behind the biscuit board, saying, “I hope you rot in h*ll, you no-talented S.O.B.”
Vinnie “Frenzy Fingers” Pompanelli: World renowned flautist Vinnie “Frenzy Fingers” Pompanelli is a Nashville native. A child prodigy, he was leader of the top grossing Jethro Tull cover band “Lungs of Aqua.” By age 12, his soaring 8+ minute flute solos and awe inspiring phalange dexterity earned him the moniker, “Frenzy Fingers.” When Lungs of Aqua disbanded in 1983, Vinnie relocated to LA, trying to find a home for his fluted hands in the burgeoning glam metal scene, but failed miserably. Desperate and destitute, he put the flute away and moved back home to pursue his second passion: cooking. Before long, his culinary skills led him to the esteemed position of Head Chef at Olive Garden. It was here that a chance encounter with Big Rhythm Doug and Trevor Travis would change country music forever. Unable to find a willing guitarist in Nashville, the duo courted Vinnie, knowing his vague familiarity with the instrument would easily be remedied by his passion, hunger, and hair. Incredibly, Vinnie quickly became one of the city’s best, just below average axe slingers.
January 22, 2015 @ 11:17 am
This is hilarious! but while we’re on the subject, why is Chris Gaines such a laughingstock? lots of country artists have had cross-genre alter egos. Buck Owens and George Jones both recorded rockabilly under the monickers of Corky Jokes and Thumber Jones, respectively, and Ferlin Husky did a split personality routine with Simon Crum, after all.
January 22, 2015 @ 11:18 am
“Thumper, not Thumber” stupid thumbs
January 22, 2015 @ 11:20 am
“Corky Jones” not jokes… this keyboard is infuriating
January 22, 2015 @ 2:11 pm
Corky Jones and Thumper Jones are strictly pseudonyms, used by Owens and Jones to release rockabilly records without alienating country fans. They aren’t characters, just names on a record label.
Simon Crum and Ben Colder were characters created by Ferlin Husky and Sheb Wooley in order to keep their comedy material separate from their serious tunes.
If Garth Brooks had just a rock album and done some shows as Chris Gaines, people would have gotten it. The problem was with the strange back story he created for Gaines. Had he followed through with the feature film that the character was developed for it might have made a little more sense to the masses.
January 22, 2015 @ 8:56 pm
He’s a laughing stock because Garth is super God damned weird and Chris Gaines wasn’t funny or satirical, he was creepy as hell.
January 24, 2015 @ 9:09 am
Best country-ish (Cowpunk) alter ego – Farmer Jason, a kids music version of Jason Ringenberg of Jason and the Scorchers. Seriously, if your kid’s Disney soundtracks are driving you nuts, pick up a Farmer Jason album. You are welcome.
January 22, 2015 @ 11:39 am
“Sadly, it still may sound better than what Music Row is schlepping out in the present day. I can”™t wait for the invariable Bro-Country parodies that the future will be using to lambast the present day 20 years from now.”
Even Dierks is bored with ‘ modern’ country music . Guess this is his way of biting the hand that feeds him while he runs away and joins the circus . I was always certain he recorded ” Drunk On A Plane” at gunpoint . Bet he couldn’t wait to cash the cheques and buy that Rod Stewart-meets-Simon LeBon hairpiece to hide out .
I kid … Dierks always includes a few REAL writes on his records . If ONLY there were far fewer pander-ers monopolizing the charts…” what a wonderful world this would be ” .
January 22, 2015 @ 11:57 am
LOL. This is funny stuff right here. Way to keep it light Dierks.
January 22, 2015 @ 12:00 pm
“I can”™t wait for the invariable Bro-Country parodies that the future will be using to lambast the present day 20 years from now.” Isn’t the current batch bro-country doing that now? They seem like self-parodies set out there to help us recall just how horrid they are in present time.
January 22, 2015 @ 12:01 pm
“3rd generation, second tier hog farmer…”
I laughed so hard at the video all four times!!!
This is the best thing to come out of Nashville since someone announced they were leaving. It’s the perfect combination of ZZ Top and Napoleon Dynamite!!
January 22, 2015 @ 12:39 pm
Let’s hope it’s quality cover material and not just the equivalent of a parody album. It is nice to see some self-awareness in modern country music, though!
January 22, 2015 @ 12:43 pm
Am I the only one that’s actually quite excited for this? If they actually release music in the style of ’90s country I’ll be the first to buy the CD. ’90s country is way better than today’s and Dierks could probably make some good songs in that style. I would love for these guys to become a phenomenon in the country world.
January 22, 2015 @ 12:46 pm
These back stories are pretty hysterical. 😀
January 22, 2015 @ 2:12 pm
Love it. Love it. Love Love Love it.
January 22, 2015 @ 3:00 pm
They look (and will probably sound) 20 times more country than most mainstream acts out today. If they make good country I’ll buy it, parody or not.
January 22, 2015 @ 3:08 pm
Corny.
January 22, 2015 @ 3:28 pm
They’re aware it’s corny. That’s why there doing it, it isn’t meant to be taken seriously. But again, still more country than most of the stuff out now.
January 22, 2015 @ 3:38 pm
Exactly. This is to 2015 what Hee Haw was to 1969-1993
January 22, 2015 @ 9:05 pm
I get why they are doing it and still think it’s corny…as silly and unappealing as Drunk on a Plane.
January 22, 2015 @ 4:16 pm
Reminds me of Lester “Roadhog” Moran and the Cadillac Cowboys… AKA The Statler Brothers.
January 22, 2015 @ 5:08 pm
That looks pretty funny. Spinal Tap of country. Hope the music is descent
January 22, 2015 @ 5:10 pm
Sorry bout the typo
January 22, 2015 @ 6:28 pm
Haaaaaaaaaaaa! 😀 THAT is fantastic!!!
January 22, 2015 @ 7:21 pm
Pretty sure the other 2 guys are The Brothers Osborne as Dierks’ backing band only has 5 people.
January 22, 2015 @ 7:51 pm
The backstories remind me a bit of the Traveling Wilburrys~ George Harrison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynn~ kind of hoky for the humor, but pretty decent (or at least serious attempts at) songwriting…and it worked for the Ramones ( granted, 180° from country, but a long lived “joke” that produced classics in its “genre” in this day…
January 22, 2015 @ 8:10 pm
Dierks has a decent voice. I might be cool to hear him sing Country music for the first time.
I love 90’s Country.
The first half of that decade is arguably one of the top 5, five-year periods in Country music history. As a matter of fact, I’d probably go in this order:
1). ’60-’64
2). ’70-’74
3). ’50-’54
4). ’85-’89
5). ’90-’94
January 22, 2015 @ 11:27 pm
“For the first time”…..hahaha Clint why you always raining on everyone’s parade. If you wanna hear some of dierks country songs look up “Whiskey Tears”, “Draw Me A Map”, “Gonna Get There Someday”, “Modern Day Drifter”, “Good Man Like Me” or “Bad Angel” with miranda and JJ. If those songs aren’t country music then what else would you call them
January 23, 2015 @ 12:14 am
There are two kinds of Country music lovers who visit this sight, the kind who are dissatisfied with current mainstream country but are pleased and give praise when they see a change being made or find an alternative in the underground country world and then there’s kind who are dissatisfied with current mainstream country but no matter what positive changes are made or alternatives presented will always dismiss it as not as good as “the good ole days.”
Clint is the second kind.
January 23, 2015 @ 12:31 am
I agree. I am 22 and choose not to listen to our “country” station here. I do prefer a lot of red dirt guys (RRB, Wade Bowen, Josh Abbott, Turnpike etc.) as well as canadian acts like Corb Lund & Tim Hus. However good music is good music and if it’s well written and makes you feel something then who cares how old or classic it sounds. I bet there are a lot of big mainstream guys who wish the were in sturgill’s shoes right now.
January 23, 2015 @ 12:51 am
Absolutely, I feel the exact same way; old, new, mainstream, independent, underground, Texas Scene, doesn’t matter, good country music is good country music, no matter the source or era. Cool to see someone my age on here, I’m 25 myself.
January 23, 2015 @ 5:58 am
Not so fast Joshua.
Trigger wrote an article on a kid named Mo Pitney, who really impressed me. I’m excited to hear this kid’s album. I could actually give you numerous examples of newer Country music that I like.
Just because I believe nothing will be as good as the good ol days, doesn’t mean that I don’t hear newer music that comes really close.
January 23, 2015 @ 11:20 am
Well see, that’s flawed reasoning. Why can’t newer country ever be as good as older country? Granted that, yes, right now, at least in mainstream country, the product is generally far below par when in comparison to previous generations of country, it doesn’t mean that it’ll never get there again. Right now it does look grim, but there’s always hope, and I do believe that the quality of the music is on a ever so slight rise.
On the other hand (a little Randy Travis for ya there) I believe the independent scene is as live and well as any great mainstream era in country music. To me, guys like Aaron Watson, are making country music as good as any country that’s ever been, save for the all all all time greatest stuff.
I’m not sure how old you are, I’m sure much older than me with an extensive knowledge on the history of country music that’d make me jealous, but I did grow up on Hank Sr., George Strait, and Alan Jackson, so I do have some perspective as to how good country music once was.
January 23, 2015 @ 11:44 am
Also, sometimes I wander if you’re Clint Black and have become bitter and ornery because you quit your career early.
I love Clint Black.
January 23, 2015 @ 1:05 pm
Yes the “good old days” were great, but not everyone kept it as 100% pure country as most people like to insist. I have a few Waylon live DVD’s and one of them has a lit up sign that says “ROCK SHOW” above the stage. Waylon also played a root/5th country bass line mixed to a rock drum beat vs. something more traditional such as a shuffle or even a waltz (for most of his later stuff). I love Waylon and all of the classic country singers as much as the next fan, but not every single song they released was lyrical gold by any means.
January 23, 2015 @ 2:08 pm
Yea, I do believe that is something people forget is that many great artist also had duds and also did stuff that was genre bending or breaking. Having bad songs is a given, it happens for various reasons mostly because not everything can be great. But I think the difference in regards to genre bending music from previous generations in comparison to many modern mainstream artists is that the previous generations never forgot or disrespected their roots. In many modern mainstream songs artists will namedrop a country legend, but it’s done less in tribute to the roots of country music and more in saying, “Hey look at me, look how country I am, I heard a Conway Twitty song….once.”
Back then, they were evolving country in positive directions, today mainstream country shows no interest for the wellbeing of art form and straight up shoves dirt in it’s face.
If Waylon labeled one of shows as “Rock” and then actually played rock, then, beuno! That’s been my whole real contention with much of the crap on mainstream radio, is not that this music is being made, is that it’s being passed off as country when it clearly isn’t. The genre SHOULD evolve but not at the expense of ripping it’s roots out the ground. Just as few as 10 years ago, the music on the radio was country, albeit subpar country for the most part, at least it was country. It’s insane to see how far the sound has been modified in just a few years to appeal to as many people as possible.
January 22, 2015 @ 10:04 pm
Anybody remember the Cactus Brothers?
January 23, 2015 @ 12:15 pm
I wonder what the real Monte Montgomery will think of this? He is a true guitar god! Don’t believe me then check out his Little Wing cover on YouTube !
January 29, 2015 @ 9:14 pm
See, y’all keep mentioning Chris Gaines. When I saw that clip, I immediately thought of Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers, AKA Hot Rize.
Dierks is a big bluegrass fan, and I know he’s aware of Red Knuckles. He played up at Telluride with Del McCoury back when Hot Rize was first seriously pondering a reunion, when Red Knuckles also made an appearance.
They were a throwback to the heyday of western swing in the high plains, with a tongue firmly planted in their cheeks. The only difference between ol’ Big Doug and Red Knuckles is that Dierks probably has a better budget for wigs.
March 9, 2015 @ 5:57 pm
I love egotistical dierks you really have done so well musicaly and artistically have enjoyed your music for years. Hey try to get to florida we love you hear to great job
March 9, 2015 @ 6:20 pm
i swear i commented on this article..
March 9, 2015 @ 6:23 pm
never mind, it was the other one.