Brooks & Dunn - Done

Yes, I know it's old news, but I haven't commented on it yet, so it's new to me!

Wow - Brooks & Dunn have been around for 20 years? What the heck? Wow - I'm not 35 anymore? What the heck?

What I mean is, my, how time flies!

Well, the duo leaped to the stage (or in Ronnie's case, sauntered) with a song called, Brand New Man, but their second single, to me, was far superior.

Here's Down To My Next Broken Heart:


My all-time favorite Brooks & Dunn song will always be this one. Unfortunately, apparently the duo never bothered to make a video of this beautiful song, sung SUPERBLY by Ronnie Dunn. Here's pictures with music for Neon Moon:



In later years, B&D's output became less prolific, but they still could spring some surprises. Here's a Spanish-tinged song, called, My Heart Is Lost To You:



The boys proved they still had some "kix" left in 'em in 2004, when they released this fine piece of songwriting by Kix Brooks, Red Dirt Road:



I learned the path to heaven
Is full of sinner and believers
I learned that happiness
Ain't just for high achievers

I saw Brooks & Dunn in concert a few years back. People say that they make a strange pair, but frankly, one without the other would make for a very dull, long night at the arena.

There is no doubt that Ronnie Dunn has one of the finest voices in country music - bar none. But there is also no doubt that Kix Brooks is a great songwriter.

More than than, Ronnie is probably one of the most, shall I say, lackadaisical performers ever to shuffle onto the stage, while Kix is a big ball of energy (and probably has to be, considering).

Time will tell what will become of solo acts Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks. They're ready to move on, okay. But I have my doubts.

I leave you with this. Watching this next video, we have to apologize to Billy Ray Cyrus. He didn't SINGLE-HANDEDLY create the line dancing craze. Oh no. If you ever stepped foot inside a honky tonk in the late eighties/early nineties, you had to carefully circumvent the annoying cache of lined-up middle age "cowgirls" who were self-consciously trying to remember all the right steps, so that they wouldn't break the chain, while they danced to:



So long, Brooks & Dunn. Please don't make your farewell tour one of those "cry-fests", like the Judds did.

It was a fun and fast twenty years, wasn't it? Thanks for the fun.

Blast From The Past - Top Country Songs - Part Quatro

Another installment in a continuing series........top country hits of a certain year (a certain year when the music was still good).

This time........1991.

The top song of 1991 was "Don't Rock The Jukebox" by Alan Jackson:



Other number one hits from 1991 were:

Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks - Garth apparently doesn't allow any of his videos to be posted on YouTube. Must be only available at WalMart or something.

Brother Jukebox - Mark Chesnutt (Mark's first number one) - Sorry, video is unavailable, so here's a different Mark Chesnutt song (well, you gotta improvise sometimes. I like this song better anyway.)





Walk On Faith by Mike Reid



I'd Love You All Over Again - another number one from Alan Jackson (I included this song on a mix tape for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. This was also Alan's first number one song.) - 1,470 videos on YouTube for Alan Jackson, and this song is not among them. I guess we'll have to hum it to ourselves (it's in waltz time - and a one, two, three, one, two three.)



Two Of A Kind, Workin' On A Full House - another Garth Brooks selection (well, obviously, this video isn't available, either.)

If I Know Me - George Strait (sorry, this one is a no-go also.)

Meet In The Middle - Diamond Rio (their debut single. Diamond Rio was the first country group to have their debut song go to number one on the charts) - This video IS available on YouTube, but not for embedding. Apparently, record companies do not like free publicity for their artists. So, here is another Diamond Rio song, albeit from 1997:



The Thunder Rolls - Garth Brooks again (never mind)

She's In Love With The Boy - Trisha Yearwood (her first #1) - also unavailable. Like husband, like wife.

You Know Me Better Than That - again, George Strait (sorry, Strait fans)

Brand New Man - Brooks & Dunn (their first #1 hit) - here's a very headache-inducing live performance (I mean visually, not audially.)



Anymore - Travis Tritt


Someday - again, Alan Jackson



Shameless - Garth again (no loss)

My Next Broken Heart - Brooks & Dunn (their record company is awfully possessive, too)

So, to sum up 1991, it was the year of Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Diamond Rio, and, of course, George Strait.