Brooks & Dunn

Ronnie Dunn and Kirk Brooks were introduced to each other in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1989 by producer Tim DuBois. Initially destined to write songs for others, the duo soon emancipated themselves and became a full-fledged band under the name Brooks & Dunn. Released in August 1991, the album Brand New Man quickly became a neo-traditional country phenomenon, reaching number ten on the Billboard charts (number 3 on the country chart). Despite variable quality, subsequent albums Hard Workin' Man (1993), Waitin' on Sundown (1994), Borderline (1996) and If You See Her (1998) are all major commercial successes. Released in September 1999, Tight Rope was the first setback in the duo's career, and their first album to go gold. On the brink of separation, Brooks & Dunn bounced back artistically and commercially in 2001 with Steers & Stripes. In 2002, the duo sacrificed themselves to the tradition of the Christmas song album with It Won't Be Christmas Without You. The 2000s saw the release of Red Dirt Road (2003) and Hillbily Deluxe (2005), which continued to place Brooks & Dunn in the firmament of neo-traditional country. The lassitude that emerged at the start of the decade caught up with the duo after Cowboy Town in 2007. Brooks & Dunn parted company amicably after The Last Rodeo tour. The pair then tried the mixed joys of a solo career, eventually announcing their return as Brooks & Dunn in 2015. The duo call on contemporary country stars such as Brett Younk, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett and Kacey Musgraves to give their hits a new lease of life on the album Reboot , released in April 2019. This renaissance continues in 2024 with Reboot 2, featuring contributions from Morgan Wallen, Marcus King, Jelly Roll, Halestorm and Corey Kent.