Dierks Bentley is nominated for five CMA Awards, including one for Male Vocalist of the Year, making him the top male nominee. But of all his nominations -- which also include ones for Song of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year -- he says it's the Album of the Year nod for his No.1 album 'Riser,' which was released earlier this year, that means the most to him.

"Probably the most special is Album of the Year, just because of the process I put into making this record," he tells Rolling Stone Country, adding that it was his 2010 bluegrass album, 'Up on the Ridge,' that helped point him in the right direction.

'"It's a tornado out there on the road, and you can get lost in what you're doing and [lose] the style of music that really brought you to the game to begin with," he adds. "'Up on the Ridge' took me back to my roots, and every record since then has been a step toward 'Riser.'"

The Arizona native, who co-wrote six of the 12 songs on 'Riser,' says his latest set of tunes is the culmination of lots of hard work and dreams that he harbored for most of his career.

"I feel like every record I've made, I've always given it my all as a songwriter," he explains. "But for some reason, this record came together to make that one album that you always dream of putting out there."

Bentley's Song of the Year nod comes for his single, 'I Hold On,' which went all the way to the top of the charts.

"When you think of the craft of songwriting, being nominated for Song of the Year is really special," he adds. "Every 10 years, something like that comes along, and it all works out. ['I Hold On'] wasn't a song that I was even trying to write. I was just talking about the death of my dad and asked a lot of personal questions about myself."

Bentley won one CMA Award, the Horizon Award, in 2005. He has been nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year twice, in 2006 and 2010. He was also nominated three times for Album of the Year. He received nods for both Single of the Year and Song of the Year in 2012, for his hit tune 'Home.' This is his first nomination for Music Video of the Year, for 'Drunk on a Plane.'

The 48th annual CMA Awards will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday, Nov. 5 at 8 PM ET on ABC.

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