Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn emerged as a defining Nashville act whose fusion of melodic country composition and booming arena-rock energy reshaped the genre throughout the 1990s. Their expansive arrangements anchored memorable choruses with driving beats and amplified guitars, a combination that retained its taut edge even on slower material. This approach propelled their breakthrough 1992 release “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” into a signature anthem of the decade, igniting the widespread line-dancing phenomenon that swept through country venues. In 2001 they scored their most enduring success with “Ain’t Nothing ’Bout You,” a rousing declaration of affection that held the summit of the Billboard country survey for six weeks; the duo maintained a presence among the format’s top performers until 2009, ultimately becoming the best-selling country pair ever. After parting ways at the close of the 2000s, they resumed occasional joint performances during the 2010s and mounted a comprehensive return in 2019 via Reboot, an album of updated renditions of their catalog recorded as collaborations with contemporary country artists. They extended the concept with the 2024 follow-up Reboot II.

Leon Eric “Kix” Brooks, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Ronnie Gene Dunn, born in Coleman, Texas, reached Nashville via contrasting paths. Brooks grew up near Johnny Horton and began performing with the country icon’s daughter when he was twelve; after a stint on the Alaskan oil pipeline he relocated to Maine, where he played ski resorts and regional clubs before heading to Nashville in the early 1980s. There he achieved recognition as a songwriter, supplying material to John Conlee, Highway 101, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, though his own early singles on small labels in 1983 and a self-titled solo album in 1989 attracted little notice. Dunn had performed with traditional string ensembles since his teens yet initially aimed for the ministry; after enrolling at the conservative Abilene Christian University he was dismissed for continuing to appear in local bars, prompting him to commit fully to music. He moved to Tulsa, fronted a house band, and cut sides for a regional imprint between 1983 and 1984. In 1988 he won a songwriting competition that awarded a Nashville recording session; producer Scott Hendricks forwarded several of Dunn’s compositions to Arista executive Tim DuBois, who sensed a natural fit between Dunn and Brooks, introduced them, and urged them to write and demo material together. Impressed by the results, DuBois signed the newly formed Brooks & Dunn to Arista.

Their first album, Brand New Man, arrived in 1991 and proved an immediate triumph. The title track, “My Next Broken Heart,” “Neon Moon,” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” each reached number one on the country charts, the last of these becoming an inescapable smash that helped popularize line dancing nationwide. Brand New Man ultimately surpassed five million copies sold and established the duo as major stars, while their touring reinforced a reputation for flamboyant stage productions. The 1993 follow-up Hard Workin’ Man sustained their momentum with five Top Five country singles: the title song, the chart-toppers “She Used to Be Mine” and “That Ain’t No Way to Go,” and the number-two entries “We’ll Burn That Bridge” and “Rock My World (Little Country Girl).” It too moved more than four million units, and before its singles cycle concluded the pair had already delivered the 1994 set Waitin’ on Sundown. Five additional Top Ten hits emerged, among them the number ones “She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind,” “Little Miss Honky Tonk,” and “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone,” plus “I’ll Never Forgive My Heart” and “Whiskey Under the Bridge.” Waitin’ on Sundown earned double-platinum certification and affirmed their blockbuster standing.

Commercial supremacy persisted with 1996’s Borderline, another double-platinum release that yielded further leaders in “My Maria,” a version of the 1972 B.W. Stevenson pop hit, and “A Man This Lonely,” along with the number-two single “I Am That Man.” The 1997 compilation The Greatest Hits Collection introduced new tracks “Honky Tonk Truth” and “He’s Got You,” both of which climbed to the Top Five. Further chart success arrived with 1998’s If You See Her, which, though not platinum, contained the Roger Miller cover “Husbands and Wives” and “How Long Gone,” both number ones, plus the Top Five “I Can’t Get Over You.” After such unbroken prosperity, 1999’s Tight Rope represented their nearest brush with diminished returns. While production experiments and a cover of John Waite’s “Missing You” signaled risk-taking, other portions suggested formulaic repetition; the album managed only one Top Ten single, “You’ll Always Be Loved by Me,” and failed to reach gold status.

Responding to softening sales, Brooks & Dunn devoted extra care to 2001’s Steers and Stripes, which revived their fortunes through three number-one singles: “Ain’t Nothing ’Bout You,” “Only in America,” and “The Long Goodbye.” The following year they released their debut holiday project, It Won’t Be Christmas Without You. They ventured further stylistically with 2003’s Red Dirt Road, a narrative sequence that functioned as both personal history and homage to their origins. The boisterous Hillbilly Deluxe reached the Top Ten in 2005, and 2007 brought Cowboy Town on Arista Records. The duo concluded their initial run with the Last Rodeo farewell tour that extended into 2010, an announcement paired with the 2009 compilation #1s…And Then Some.

Both members explored solo endeavors in the early 2010s before reuniting for a series of Las Vegas shows in 2015. That engagement ignited a full resurgence capped by the 2019 album Reboot, a chart-topping collection of reinterpreted hits recorded with younger country artists. One track, “Brand New Man” featuring Luke Combs, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Beginning in 2021 they toured in support of Reboot while preparing a second volume along identical lines; Reboot II appeared in 2024 and included contributions from Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, and Jelly Roll.