Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn struggled separately for years to build careers for themselves in Nashville, but that came to an end when they teamed up as Brooks & Dunn
What Was Brooks & Dunn’s First Album?
Released on Aug. 13, 1991, Brooks & Dunn’s debut album, Brand New Man, was an overnight success, launching them as one of the biggest acts in country music history.
Each of the singer-songwriters had scored modest success as songwriters before they teamed up at the suggestion of Tim Dubois at Arista Records.
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Though both men expressed initial reluctance to the pairing, Dubois’ instincts proved correct; they worked with songwriter Don Cook and producer Scott Hendricks to produce Brand New Man, and they collaborated with Cook on the title song.
How Did Brooks & Dunn’s Brand New Man Do in the Charts?
Released as the lead single in advance of the album on June 10, 1991, “Brand New Man” was a success straight out of the gate, giving Brooks & Dunn their first No. 1 hit on Sept. 7, 1991.
The duo released Brand New Man on Aug. 13, 1991, and the album went on to score them three additional back-to-back No. 1 hits with “My Next Broken Heart,” “Neon Moon” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.”
“Lost and Found” also reached No. 6 from Brand New Man, while the album reached No. 3 on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart.
It was certified Gold on May 26, 1992, and would eventually sell six million copies.
Brooks & Dunn went on to become the top-selling country duo of all time and one of the most awarded acts in country music history, and they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019.
See the Most Played Country Song from the Year You Were Born
Who had the most played country song during the year you were born? This list is a fascinating time capsule of prevalent trends from every decade in American history. Scroll through to find your birth year and then click to listen. Some of these songs have been lost through the years, many of them for good reason!
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes