Brooks & Dunn had one heck of a 2024.
Not solely did the best-selling nation duo of all time discover themselves using one other wave of resurgence fueled by their considerably shock win for vocal duo of the 12 months on the CMA Awards in November, but in addition discovered the music of their previous being celebrated as soon as once more courtesy of their album REBOOT II.
“We had no plans of doing it once more,” Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks, 69, instructed ipromiseyoumedia of the preliminary conversations surrounding a follow-up to their ultra-successful 2019 album REBOOT, which included collaborations with artists comparable to Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett and Cody Johnson. “We simply figured, ‘that was cool and that was profitable and that was good and I am glad it labored,’ however that was about it.”
However finally, discuss of a follow-up to REBOOT reignited, particularly contemplating the success of revamped album cuts comparable to “Neon Moon,” a crazy-popular collaboration with Kacey Musgraves. And whereas REBOOT actually introduced out the most effective of the artists discovered on it, Brooks & Dunn say they had been able to take issues even additional on REBOOT II, which was launched final fall.
“This time, we received within the studio and turned them free,” remembered Brooks & Dunn’s Ronnie Dunn, 71, in an interview with ipromiseyoumedia concerning the open artistic route that awaited the artists featured on their newest album. “You decide your track, you’re taking the strategy, and we’ll go along with you wherever you wish to go. No guidelines.”
This no-guardrails perspective took the stress off everybody concerned, a stress that the legendary duo put of their rear view mirror a very long time in the past. “We’re not nervous about radio guidelines or no matter,” says Dunn. “In the event that they wished to have a guitar participant play for 16 or 32 bars, let’s go.”
Actually, the award-winning nation duo inspired the artists to carry their very own bands to the desk, following within the footsteps to what Musgraves had finished beforehand on REBOOT’s model of “Neon Moon.”
“Our producer [Dann Huff] had an awesome studio band put collectively for us if that is what the act wished to do, however principally, in the event that they didn’t wish to try this they usually had a band they beloved, they introduced them in there,” explains Brooks.
And so, they did simply that. Marcus King introduced in his personal band for “Rock My World (Little Nation Woman)” and Jelly Roll actually packed the studio bringing in a 70-piece orchestra and a 30-person choir for “Imagine.” “It was like a seminar of unchained creativity,” says Brooks of the album recorded over the course of a 12 months.
In some ways, Brooks & Dunn admit that they had been simply alongside for the trip. “We simply needed to dangle on and leap in and are available ready for something,” remembers Dunn.
However even they weren’t ready to listen to what got here out of Megan Moroney on “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You.” “[Megan] was out touring with us for 2 years I feel, and we by no means heard that voice come out of her — that sultry, horny voice,” says Brooks. “It felt like she’d been up on a three-day bender smoking Camel cigarettes. They’d already form of had that concept and type of had all that labored up.”
And as a lot as Brooks & Dunn revered an artist who turned the track on its head, so did they respect when artists caught just about to the unique – comparable to Morgan Wallen’s model of “Neon Moon.”
“He stated he did not need mess with it,” says Brooks. “I assume in his opinion, it was already finished.”
And whereas the nation duo will get set to kick off their Neon Moon Tour on March 13 in Lubbock, Texas with opener David Lee Murphy, Dunn and Brooks each agree that there are another issues on their thoughts for 2025.
“We now have to cease and remind ourselves that we’re songwriters and we have to play with that somewhat bit,” Dunn concludes. “So, we’re going forwards and backwards with another stuff.”
