On This Day in 1991, Brooks & Dunn Were at No. 1 With the First Song They Wrote as a Duo

On this day (September 10) in 1991, Brooks & Dunn were at the top of the Hot Country Songs chart with “Brand New Man.” It was the lead single and title track from the duo’s debut album. Moreover, it was only the second debut single in country music history to reach the top of the chart. This was also the first song the duo wrote together, giving the world an early look at how well they worked together.

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were both solo singers and songwriters before they became a duo. Tim DuBois at Arista Nashville paired them because he believed they would write well together. Then, he had them record a demo. That’s when he convinced them to become a duo and gave them a record deal.

[RELATED: Brooks & Dunn’s Record Label Thought One of Their Biggest Hits Was “Too Progressive”]

“I had already written ‘Neon Moon’ and ‘Boot Scoot.’ Then, Tim DuBois, along with Clive Davis, was putting the label together and asked us to co-write. I think just to test the waters to see if we could,” Dunn told Wide Open Country. “I had this song idea called ‘I’m a Changed Man.’ Nothing beyond that. I just knew I was going to write the next day with Kix and Don [Cook]. Then, Kix goes, ‘How about Brand New Man?’ I said, ‘Okay, let’s go there and see what happens.’ So, we wrote it, recorded it the next day,” he recalled.

How Brooks & Dunn Chose Their First Single

For Brooks & Dunn, choosing their debut single came down to a process of elimination. Ronnie Dunn recalled that Tim DuBois was “afraid” of releasing “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” at the time. “It was too progressive, according to Tim,” he said. “Didn’t want to come with ‘Neon Moon,” which is a ballad. A shuffle like ‘My Next Broken Heart’ was going to be hard to sell to radio,” Dunn explained. So, they landed on “Brand New Man.”

Their next three singles were “My Next Broken Heart,” “Neon Moon,” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” all of which reached No. 1.

Featured Image by Sherry Rayn Barnett/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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