Gary, as long as the bend doesn't occur JUST before, JUST after or during a chord change....... Better hope the song doesn't have many changes.

Listen to WHEN most instruments make a big bend... at least 60% of the time it's at a chord boundary, for drama and impact. Try it for yourself... play a nice set of changes, then try to pour yourself into a great guitar solo, or sax solo (or a pedal steel solo!). Count the number of times you wish you didn't HAVE to go back to play the chords

If you are truly playing idiomatically, it will be often.....