Brooks & Dunn Is Leery About Recording New Music
Brooks & Dunn is going through one of those late career resurgences that artists whose music withstands the test of time tend to enjoy about 25 to 30 years after they first came to prominence. Recently announced as one of the 2019 inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame, they’re not just resting on their laurels and soaking up the praise, they’ve been making the best of the renewed interest by playing more together live, and recently releasing the Reboot album, which saw the duo reprise some of their biggest hits with a lot of today’s mainstream country stars. The album debuted at #1 on the country charts, and even launched a minor radio hit via their remake of “Brand New Man” with Luke Combs—the duo’s first Top 30 showing on the charts in a decade.
But those hoping this might be the precursor to new music from Brooks & Dunn may want to temper their enthusiasm just a little bit. While performing last weekend at the Taste of Country Music Festival up in New York State, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were asked about the prospects of new music, and though they both seemed open to the idea of writing new material, they let it be known they were a little leery about going through the album making process.
“I don’t know,” Ronnie Dunn responded. “I don’t know how that works these days. We know how to make records, write songs. But I don’t know how you work the system to get it heard anymore.”
A few years ago, Ronnie Dunn tried to start his own pseudo musical revolution by starting a record label and challenging the conventional wisdom of Nashville and the traditional radio model, though the results were mixed. Dunn then signed to the now defunct NASH Icon record label, which was a partnership between Big Machine Records and Cumulus Media that to launch a massive radio network that would feature more traditional and older artists. Amid the Cumulus bankruptcy, the NASH Icon idea has been mostly place on the back burner, which probably doesn’t help with Dunn’s dismay at the business.
“We’re not a young act trying to get going. There’s a system for that,” Kix Brooks adds. “For us, it’s not like we never talk about writing a song. ‘Hey, I got an idea,’ you know, kicking stuff around like we always have, and if we screwed up and wrote some songs we’d probably record them and put them out.”
“Not to sound cocky, but we can write songs as good as we ever could I think,” added Ronnie Dunn. “It’s just going through the political process of what you have to do like Kix said to make it happen. I don’t know that we have the cast, or the want to. It’s called work.”
Perhaps both men, now in their 60’s, are just fine playing some shows, and keeping the legacy they’ve already forged with their music alive. But you can’t fault Brooks & Dunn fans for hoping the musical output from arguably country music’s most successful duo in history isn’t done yet.
June 14, 2019 @ 10:36 am
I certainly would love it. My albums and DVDs are worn out. By far one of my all time favorites. Play them on long road rides.
June 14, 2019 @ 11:54 am
Disclaimer, I’ve never been a big fan, but I can respect them and somewhat understand what they are talking about. But really, not making music because you don’t know how to get it “heard” anymore? Do you want to make music because you love it or is it just a job only worthwhile if you get a lot of attention? I know there is some grey area in between those 2 concepts, but the quotes above tell me that they only think music is worth it if it’s wildly popular. Thank god there are enough people out there that don’t think that way at all, and make music regardless of what enough people will think.
June 14, 2019 @ 1:47 pm
I think it’s hard for some acts that have been very successful for a long time to come to grips with being at a different stage in their careers. And to be honest I am also ambivalent about new material from some of my favorite classic artists be they country or rock. I love Willie Nelson but I mostly just yawn at his many new releases and maybe I’m missing something but I just can’t get enthused about them. The same goes for rock acts like the Rolling Stones or two of my all time favorites The Who and Paul McCartney.
It’s cool that they still have the creative juices flowing but I have zero problem with them if they don’t for whatever reason and just want to tour behind their amazing catalogues.
June 14, 2019 @ 2:59 pm
I fully agree. I love GnR but them working on a new album doesn’t excite me, nor does someone that’s absolutely legendary like Hank Jr. There does just simply come a time for all musical acts with longevity where they’ve already written the best stuff they ever will. Doesn’t take away from their legacy or what they’ve done, but it’s just a fact of life.
June 14, 2019 @ 5:03 pm
John Prine would be a good exception.
Lucinda Williams too.
June 14, 2019 @ 8:01 pm
let’s not forget that ronnie recorded and released two or three (?) solo records that were all but ignored by radio and which , IMO, had some GREAT writing and singing on them .GREAT .
he’s forgiven for feeling slighted by a business catering to mental midgets , musically speaking , when he can sing and write better than all of these commercial acts .
and yes ..the fact that they don’t need the money plays into the decision to not record when the material gets ignored . there are far more productive , rewarding and satisfying things to do with your time at 60 than try to go head to head artistically with young acts in a business and a market that can wouldn’t know how to even spell that word much less recognize it .
June 14, 2019 @ 9:49 pm
Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion but I don’t buy it. They can still write great songs but now choose not to because of the mental midgets and all? Whatever, they can do whatever they want, just sounds a little convenient to me.
June 15, 2019 @ 12:32 pm
However, Springsteen has proven that even at (almost) 70, he can still put out a fresh and stellar album.
June 15, 2019 @ 5:47 am
Spot on. ‘Get used to it!’ Fact is, there is no music business anymore, even for an act like B & D, with limitless name recognition.
June 14, 2019 @ 2:55 pm
Brooks and Dunn are amazing! Kix with tons of energy and Ronnie with his outrageous voice!
Both blend exceptionally well together. One of may favorite Kix songs is “I Fall.” One of my favorite Ronnie songs is….oh hell…I love em all!!
June 14, 2019 @ 3:24 pm
I don’t think it’s about them wanting attention. I think they want their songs to be played on the radio and at least get a chance for people to hear them. You can’t blame them for not wanting to put the work into an album when radio will give it zero airplay and no one buys music so who’s going to hear it?
June 14, 2019 @ 3:41 pm
I like all the books and games you own music and their new music to keep up the good work and keep on recording
June 14, 2019 @ 5:13 pm
I love new music from my favourite a artists and would be delighted to hear new music from these guys.
‘Damn Drunk’, from Ronnie’s last album, had Kix singing backing vocals, so that’s basically a new Brooks and Dunn song.
June 14, 2019 @ 5:34 pm
I love Ronnie’s song, Damn Drunk with Kix. I think the entire album is wonderful and I am so glad he made it. Thank you Ronnie Dunn.
June 14, 2019 @ 6:13 pm
If you’ve lost the fire in the belly and feel like writing songs is work, I would say then leave that to the hundreds of artists out there that still do, that can’t resist the urge write. There’s too much excellent music out there to listen to all of it anyway.
June 14, 2019 @ 7:42 pm
Why not! George Strait still release some pretty good country songs. I hope that they will have better success than Garth Brooks. I was really hype about his new album, the first in so many years. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I still enjoy the classic Garth Brooks!
June 15, 2019 @ 2:47 am
Though I would like to see new music from them, given the anamosity between them in recent years, and, given the type of crap being recorded in Nashville today. They may need to take their time and carefully weigh the decision.
June 15, 2019 @ 2:58 am
Who can blame them? I wouldn’t trust the Nashville machine at all, they’ve come through some hard times
June 15, 2019 @ 12:41 pm
It’s not like anyone was clamoring for more Brooks & Dunn albums when they broke up. The B&D schtick seemed to have reached the end of the line. Ronnie Dunn tried to go it alone, making more personal and serious music, but that didn’t quite work out. Making another B&D album would have a “pick-me-up-on-your-way-down” feel to it.
June 15, 2019 @ 7:06 pm
“Just put a girl in it”
June 15, 2019 @ 9:21 pm
Not sure what to think about the idea of them writing/recording new songs. I mean, will the new one be as great as “Neon Moon?” Or will it be as bad as that horrid “Boot Scootin’ Boogie?”