The Unlikely Birth of Brooks and Dunn

In the high-stakes world of Nashville, most legends are born in the studio. For the greatest duo in country music history, the magic actually started over a basket of cheap tortilla chips. Before they were a household name, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were just two men facing the sunset of their solo careers.

The pairing was less of a creative spark and more of a corporate shotgun wedding. Kix Brooks, a Louisiana native with a military school background, had spent years in the Nashville trenches writing hits for other artists while his own solo projects stalled. Meanwhile, Ronnie Dunn was a former Bible college student who had been kicked out for playing in honky tonks. Despite winning a national talent contest, Dunn found himself without a record deal and nearing a dead end.

The man with the plan was Arista Records executive Tim DuBois. He saw two solo artists who were struggling to find their lane and decided to smash them together. He orchestrated a meeting at a local Nashville Mexican restaurant where the two strangers met to discuss a partnership they didn’t initially want. At the time, they weren't looking for fame as much as they were looking for a steady paycheck.

That dinner changed the course of music history. The chemistry was instant, leading to their debut single "Brand New Man" and a staggering run of 20 number one hits. It turns out that two "failed" solo acts were actually the missing pieces to a multimillion-dollar puzzle. Next time you are stuck at a dive bar with a plate of tacos, take a look around. Your biggest win might be sitting at the next table.

Want to learn more about this amazing duo? Check out our audio biography on YouTube here.