Dierks Bentley‘s creative talent was prominently shaped by legendary rockers Van Halen, which made the recent death of the band’s guitarist, Eddie Van Halen, even harder for the country singer.

But in a year as overall tragic and surreal as 2020, Bentley’s mourning of the influential shredder comes with an added weight. It’s the same extra sadness that has accompanied many of this year’s celebrity deaths: the various obituaries getting swallowed up by a news cycle trained on other pressing concerns.

That’s what the “Living” singer indicated in a recent videoconference interview in which Taste of Country took part. The musician started with a caveat, however, for why fans didn’t see him pay tribute to Van Halen online.

“If I was better at social media, I would’ve done a big thing on him,” Bentley says. “As I would’ve done on Charlie Daniels and Kenny Rogers. But when someone passes away, I don’t like the part of my brain that goes, ‘Oh, go to social media.’ That just seems like a weird thing that we’re being programmed to do.”

Still, the country singer admits that he “should’ve done something about Eddie. All my friends texted me because I was the biggest Eddie Van Halen freak there was.”

After all, when Bentley was 13 years old, he “started playing electric guitar because of Eddie Van Halen — he changed my whole life. I stopped listening to country, started listening to rock ‘n’ roll. Trying to learn ‘Eruption’ and ‘Hot for Teacher’ and all the guitar tapping, which I never was very good at.”

The country singer pointed out the unhappy circumstances familiar to anyone who’s lost a loved one since March. With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic still surging throughout the United States, gathering with others to properly pay respects seems like a pipe dream.

“It’s sad, but everything’s sad this year,” Bentley laments. “It’s just another 2020 thing. It’s not really sad when someone passes away — that happens. But just the fact that, like, with Kenny and Joe Diffie and Charlie, country music as a whole can’t stop and honor them. I haven’t seen anything about Eddie on TV at all. We can’t properly honor people at the Opry and have a big celebration out there for Charlie Daniels. That’s the saddest part.”

Dierks Bentley isn’t the only country musician honoring Eddie Van Halen. While the guitarist made his mark in rock, he clearly had devotees in country music, including Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley.

Van Halen died on Tuesday (Oct. 6) at the age of 65 following a battle with throat cancer. Daniels, aged 83, died on July 6 after suffering a stroke. Rogers, 81, died of natural causes on March 20. Diffie’s death on March 29, at the age of 61, was attributed to complications stemming from COVID-19.

Country Artists Remember Eddie Van Halen:

Yesterday @amandashires and I were singing our heavy song and cameras were rolling and I could tell she was feeling some emotions, so I very poorly played a little bit of Eruption to make her smile and it worked. No musician ever brought me more joy than #EddieVanHalen. Grateful.

— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) October 6, 2020

I don't know if dad ever got to meet him, but I got to go backstage to a @VanHalen show in 1986 or 1987 on the 5150 Tour. He will be sorely missed. 2020 has been a helluva year for losses in the music industry. RIP Eddie Van Halen. – CD, Jr. #RIPEddieVanHalen

— Charlie Daniels (@CharlieDaniels) October 6, 2020

My God. Another legend taken away from us…. This is absolutely heartbreaking…. 2020 just keeps on and on and on… RIP peace, one of the absolute greatest of all time, @eddievanhalen #rocknroll #rocklegend #gonetoosoon pic.twitter.com/fNuiU4FeZ1

— Jay DeMarcus (@JayDeMarcus) October 6, 2020

This goes beyond the passing of a great guitarist, but rather is a tremendous loss of a great man who truly helped to change my life and path with his guitar and sound. He helped forge the way for myself and many and will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, Eddie. @eddievanhalen pic.twitter.com/5RXCtC0N91

— Bret Michaels (@bretmichaels) October 6, 2020

Single handedly one of the most influential guitarists of all time. He was a huge part of my soundtrack growing up. Sad sad day. May you rock in peace https://t.co/f7BByYe0S8

— Cassadee Pope (@CassadeePope) October 6, 2020

Eddie Van Halen Year by Year: 1977-2017 Photos

Country Stars Who've Died in 2020:

Source: Dierks Bentley Mourns Eddie Van Halen: ‘He Changed My Whole Life’