Ronnie Dunn fought through back issues to deliver a killer show with Kix Brooks
Brooks & Dunn honky-tonked their way through a hits-filled set at Merriweather Post Pavilion outside DC on Thursday (June 13th). The duo have been on their Reboot Tour for the last several years, and show no signs of slowing down.
The duo kicked off their set with “Brand New Man” as their iconic steer skeleton head flashed in the background. The crowd drowned out B&D as the pulsing light turned up to 11 and encouraged a frenzy. “Put a Girl In It” had the dudes in the crowd shouting at the top of their lungs as they danced with their women. “My Next Broken Heart” and “We’ll Burn That Bridge” were pure barroom toe-tappers, and “Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up For Nothing” showcased the duo’s ability to rock out hard, three-plus decades into their career.
Brooks and Dunn’s ubiquitous harmonies redefined “neotraditional” country in the 90s, and their sound is as ever-present today as it was back then. This is evident on 2019’s Reboot album, where guests including Luke Combs and Tyler Booth join the duo in reimagining their classics. As well, B&D have guest starred on songs by artists who claim them as major sonic influences, such as Comb’s beer drinking-earworm “1, 2 Many.”
It helps that the pair sound the same as they did in the 90s. Dunn has been labeled one of the most iconic voices in country music. And it is a voice that has stayed in the same impeccable shape for decades. Pair it with Kix’s harmonies and occasional lead vocals, and you have a recipe for lasting success.
Kix Brooks took lead on “You’re Gonna Miss Me” and “Lost and Found.” His voice is as twangy as Dunn’s is pleasantly nasal. While he no longer sports a headset, Dunn still bounds across the stage with ample energy. And a testament to his ability to improvise: a mild back issue that saw Dunn leave the stage momentarily left Brooks to perform “She Likes To Get Out of Town.” Dunn returned immediately after, right as rain. He rallied like a cowboy does. It is tattooed on his arm, after all.
The taste of the country music listener has turned back toward the neotraditional sound of the 90s. The room was filled with fans from across generations–both Brooks and Dunn are in their late 60s–as millennials and their parents shared in a sound that is enjoying a resurgence among the younger generations who grew up on “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and related steel-and-fiddle heavy music.
Brooks & Dunn are invested in this classic country sound, as their hand-picked openers compliment that honky-tonk ‘tude. Ernest got his start with country-hip-hop-rap music, but has found success with a more traditional sound. “Flower Shops” in particular echoes George Jones with its lyrical twists and turns that give a fresh take on the irony of heartbreak. And legendary singer-songwriter David Lee Murphy trotted out some of his best-known co-writes before ending with his anthemic “Dust on the Bottle.”
Brooks & Dunn decided almost 15 years ago to retire. It appears the itch to boot-scoot was too strong, as the duo disbanded with the silly notion of giving up performing with a residency in Vegas featuring frequent collaborator Reba McEntire. Kix told the crowd that “Red Dirt Road” is his favorite song he co-wrote with Ronnie. It was clear that their red dirt road has a long way to go before it ends. And country music is all the better for it.
