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Cody Johnson Takes a Walk Down the “Red Dirt Road” With Brooks & Dunn for Achingly Nostalgic ACM Awards Performance

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While the ACM Awards offered country artists a chance to snag awards for Artist of the Year, Duo of the Year, Group of the Year, and even Album of the Year, every star wanted the Entertainer of the Year Award. Encompassing every aspect of being a hit singer, the category welcomed singers like Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, and Morgan Wallen. Although amazing singers, Cody Johnson also landed in the category, hoping to edge out the competition. He did already win Song of the Year for “Dirt Cheap.” And wanting to showcase his talents at the ACM Awards, he received a little help from none other than Brooks & Dunn. 

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Back in 2003, Brooks & Dunn released their album Red Dirt Road. Featuring songs like “Caroline”, “When We Were Kings,” and “Believer”, the hit “Red Dirt Road” captured the attention of fans as it landed on the Hot 100. It was also considered one of the biggest hits from 2003. Jump forward to 2019, Brooks & Dunn released the album Reboot, which included collaborations with Kacey Musgraves, Ashley McBryde, and Kane Brown. But when it came to “Red Dirt Road”, the duo stepped into the studio with Johnson.

Although six years have passed since Johnson and Brooks & Dunn recorded the song, they appeared to never miss a beat as they walked home with the Duo of the Year award. Looking back the “Red Dirt Road”, the hit centered around the narrator remembering fond memories of growing up and the simple life of living in the country, the song also dabbled in lost loves and the longing of that hometown community. 

[RELATED: Kix Brooks Reflects on Recording Classic Brooks & Dunn Songs with Halestorm, The Cadillac Three, and More on ‘Reboot II’]

Brooks & Dunn Remember That “Between Here And There Is Life”

Back in 2004, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn discussed the inspiration behind “Red Dirt Road” and how they wrote it on a bus ride. Dunn said, “We were going to get together and write again, and on that long bus ride – he wrote it [the chorus]. I remember walking up and him singing it and going, ‘Ohhhhh,’ and then we started to arm wrestle as to who was going to get to sing it.”

Recalling his own past memories for motivation, Dunn added, “This is red dirt country. Red dirt road is just symbolic of those experiences … there’s that end where you start, you end down there and between here and there is life.”

As for Brooks, he looked at the song as nothing more than a reminder of past travels and the legacy they created. “It’s just fun to go blow off some steam afterwards and remind yourself where you were, not so long ago. We both played bars for years. We really do appreciate what a long shot this is and how lucky we are. It’s a one-in-a-million shot and we hit the dang lottery!”

(Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

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