Dierks Bentley jams on Tom Petty’s guitar in “American Girl” video

Dierks Bentley jams on Tom Petty’s guitar in “American Girl” video
Courtesy of Big Machine Records

It’s not every day you get to see one of Tom Petty‘s guitars in the flesh, let alone play it. But Dierks Bentley did just that like a country rockstar in the music video for his cover of Tom’s “American Girl.”

Shot at Nashville’s Clementine Hall, the Wes Edwards-directed video features Dierks and his band performing their rendition against golden hour rays, with Tom’s signature Rickenbacker guitar strapped around and played by Dierks. The instrument was flown in directly from Tom’s archives in California.

“Holding an instrument that carries so much musical history and significance was surreal, you could almost feel the stories resonate from it as I played it,” says Dierks. “Tom Petty’s lyrics and delivery were a huge part of what made his music so impactful.”

Dierks’ “American Girl” is the lead track from an all-star tribute album, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty. The project’s release date and track list will be revealed in the coming weeks.

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