Hot Country Knights surfaced during the 2010s to revive the bombastic country sound of the 1990s in full, complete with mullets, neon outfits, and double entendres. Country superstar Dierks Bentley fronts the six-piece under his alter ego Douglas "Doug" Douglason, who guided the group to its major-label entrance via the 2020 single "Pick Her Up" that paired them with Travis Tritt.
The project first appeared through scattered one-off performances in 2015 before the roster locked into place with singer Doug Douglason, lead guitarist Marty Ray "Rayro" Roburn, steel guitarist Barry Van Ricky, keytar/fiddle player Terotej "Terry" Dvoraczekynski, bass player Trevor Travis, and percussionist Monte Montgomery—each cast as a stage persona carrying an elaborate personal history, Douglason’s being that of a disgruntled former porn actor. After inking a deal with Bentley’s UMG Nashville and serving as opener on arena dates for the singer/songwriter, the band issued its first official recording, the Bentley-produced "Pick Her Up" featuring Travis Tritt, in early 2020. Additional tracks followed, along with an April headlining run of theaters and clubs while they prepared their debut album for release later that year.
