35 Years Ago Today, Brooks & Dunn Introduced Themselves to the Country Music World With This History-Making Debut Single

In the late 1980s, record producer Tim DuBois invited two singer-songwriters, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, to lunch and suggested they combine their skills. Thus, Brooks & Dunn—country music’s most successful duo of all time—was born. Today marks 35 years since the pairing released their debut single, “Brand New Man”, on June 10, 1991. Co-written with Don Cook, “Brand New Man” launched Brooks & Dunn to country music stardom, accomplishing a feat reached by only one other duo in the genre’s history.

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Brooks & Dunn’s Label Feared This Song Was Too Progressive

The story of a man whose reckless lifestyle involved burning down beer joints until he met the love of his life, “Brand New Man” came from Brooks & Dunn’s first songwriting session with Don Cook.

The title track from the duo’s 1991 debut album, “Brand New Man” reached the top of the country charts three months after its release. This made Brooks & Dunn only the second-ever country music pairing to send a debut single to number one. Diamond Rio had been the first three months earlier with their hit “Meet in the Middle”.

“Brand New Man” was the first of four straight number-one singles from Brooks & Dunn’s freshman album, followed by “My Next Broken Heart”, the classic tearjerker “Neon Moon”, and the ubiquitous line-dancing standard “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”.

The singles’ release order was no accident, either. “[Tim DuBois of Arista Records Nashville] said he was afraid of ‘Boot Scoot’ at the time,” Dunn told Wide Open Country in 2022. “It was too progressive, according to Tim. Didn’t want to come with ‘Neon Moon’ which was a ballad. A shuffle like ‘My Next Broken Heart’ was going to be hard to sell to radio, so we came with ‘Brand New Man.’”

They Have Twice Re-Recorded the Song

The Academy of Country Music’s 18-time Vocal Duo of the Year re-recorded “Brand New Man” with country star Luke Combs for their 2019 album Reboot. That version climbed to number 42 on the Country Airplay chart and number 30 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Five years later, Brooks & Dunn recorded another version of “Brand New Man” with Warren Zeiders for their 2024 album Reboot II.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1994, Brooks & Dunn Became the Best Selling Country Music Duo of All Time]

“We started where most songs don’t by doing the chorus first,” Dunn said of “Brand New Man.” “That doesn’t happen much, so it kind of comes strong out of the box at you.”

Featured image by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images