On this day in 1991, Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were already brand new men. After years of slogging through the muck of the country music industry as solo artists, Arista Nashville chief Tim DuBois introduced Brooks and Dunn. They were seasoned songwriters and performers, and DuBois saw potential in pairing them.
Within three weeks of meeting, they proved him right when they wrote “Brand New Man.” The song was the duo’s first single—and it was No. 1 on this day in 1991. The feat made Brooks & Dunn the second band in country history for their debut song to top the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart—Diamond Rio’s “Meet in the Middle” top the charts a few months earlir.
“It was the first song they ever wrote together,” DuBois told MusicRow in 2021. “It ended up being their first single and ultimately their first No. 1. I heard that song, I knew this was going to work, and offered them a deal on the spot.”
It was the song that sparked one of the most successful duos in country music history – and that led to a Country Music Hall of Fame-worthy career.
The song was a declaration and truth-telling: “Brand New Man,” two possibly jaded middle-aged country singers starting over, stronger together than they had been apart.
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Brand New Man Made Brand New Men
Using “Brand New Man” as the duo’s introduction was an intentional choice. Arista had other options — the honky-tonk anthem “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” or the love ballad “Neon Moon.” But DuBois thought both were too risky. Dunn told Whiskey Riff the label head didn’t want to gamble with something too polarizing.
DuBois chose wisely. Released in June 1991, “Brand New Man” landed at No. 1 on the country radio airplay charts by September 7. Brooks & Dunn became the second group in country music history to go all the way with a debut single.
With that milestone, Brooks & Dunn proved they were not just another record label experiment. They were legitimate.
The Brand New Man album arrived on August 13, 1991, and immediately announced Brooks & Dunn as a force to be reckoned with. Over the next year, it produced four straight No. 1 singles: “Brand New Man,” “My Next Broken Heart,” “Neon Moon,” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.” Their fifth single, “Lost and Found,” climbed to No. 6 – the hit chain enough to make it one of the most impressive debut runs in country music history.
Brooks & Dunn Set Records
The album was a juggernaut – certified seven-times platinum by the RIAA. Their debut album is also their highest-selling album, and it stayed on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart for almost four years.
The Country Music Hall of Fame describes the album as updating “honky-tonk rhythms with classic-rock guitar riffs and dynamic arrangements.” That hybrid approach made Brooks & Dunn stand out in a crowded ‘90s country market. The sales numbers meant Brooks & Dunn were accepted.
Kix Brooks told Whiskey Riff their unique approach was intentional.
“If we were focused on doing anything on purpose, it was branding,” he said.
The cultural impact of Brand New Man extended beyond radio. “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” with its infectious rhythm, helped ignite a national line-dancing craze. On the backs of songs including “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and “Achy Breaky Heart,” honky-tonks across America filled with fans learning choreographed steps to Brooks & Dunn songs.
Brooks & Dunn Reboot
The duo’s image — with Brooks in his cowboy hat and Dunn with his soulful voice — became part of the appeal. They balanced showmanship and substance in a way that connected with traditionalists and younger audiences, who have recently been attracted to the genre.
Nearly three decades later, the power of “Brand New Man” is as bright as neon. In 2019, Brooks & Dunn re-recorded the song with Luke Combs for their collaborative Reboot album. Combs, then one of the hottest rising stars in Nashville, admitted the weight of stepping into such a legendary hit.
“We had been covering ‘Brand New Man’ out on the road,” he told Taste of Country, calling the collaboration “intimidating” but also a career highlight. The duo released Reboot II last year – a second collaborative album of their hits performed by some of today’s brightest up-and-comers.
“Brand New Man,” the single, gave the duo credibility. The album cemented their style, and the cultural wave it sparked carried them into superstardom. After “Brand New Man,” Brooks & Dunn recorded 20 more chart-toppers and sold more than 30 million albums – enough to become the best-selling duo in country history.
“Brand New Man” wasn’t just a song title. It was a prophecy.
(Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock)
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