Brooks & Dunn Recruit All-Star Guests For Reboot 2

09-16-2024

(The GreenRoom) Brooks & Dunn, the best selling duo of all time, has shaped the genre for over three decades. With a Grammy-winning, course-of-history shifting catalog written mostly themselves, they could rest easy knowing without doubt they left a permanent mark on the American songbook.

But Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have always been the restless type and today announce their forthcoming collaboration project REBOOT 2, available November 15 via Sony Music Nashville. REBOOT 2 is the sequel to their acclaimed 2019 album REBOOT and follows the same format; except this time, a brand new group of today's most engaging artists-from country and beyond-were given maximum creative freedom.

Letting each respective artist choose which song they'd like to lead for the 18-track collection, the duo gave one simple direction: to reimagine the song to fit their own taste and style from the ground up. The album features contributions from Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, Marcus King Band, Megan Moroney, Warren Zeiders, Jelly Roll, Riley Green, The Cadillac Three, Halestorm, Mitchell Tenpenny, The Earls of Leicester, Jake Worthington, Hailey Whitters, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, HARDY, ERNEST, A Thousand Horses and Corey Kent.

"The premise of the project was 'No rules.' For this one, we purposely loosened the screws and turned 'em loose to do whatever they wanted," Dunn explains, "We actually went way off the rails, in a good way."

"This project is a lot more out of bounds," Brooks adds. "Artists were going, 'Would it be okay if we did this?' It was like 'Yeah! Let's do it.' We dealt with rock bands and blues bands and all kinds of genres, all over the place."

Far from a traditional tribute, REBOOT 2 rejects the idea of putting these songs in a historical vault. Instead, it celebrates Brooks & Dunn's lasting influence and versatility, showcasing the multi-faceted ways their music continues to resonate with today's most celebrated artists. With styles ranging from progressive country and classic bluegrass to heavy metal, orchestral pop and beyond, the very fabric of songs most country fans know by heart was transformed - and whether it was '90s grunge, '70s style studio rock or swampy soul, the duo encouraged each artist to throw out the playbook. Never afraid to break with tradition, Brooks & Dunn have themselves followed that advice since their original "Merle Haggard meets The Rolling Stones" blend, but never this boldly. The project's 18 tracks include reinterpreted hits such as "Neon Moon," "Boot Scootin' Boogie," "Play Something Country" and "Believe," resulting in a dynamic and eclectic collection that spans genres and generations.

REBOOT 2 Track List:

"Play Something Country" with Lainey Wilson
"Neon Moon" with Morgan Wallen
"Rock My World (Little Country Girl)" with Marcus King Band
"Ain't Nothing 'Bout You" with Megan Moroney
"Brand New Man" with Warren Zeiders
"Believe" with Jelly Roll
"She Used to Be Mine" with Riley Green
"She Likes to Get Out of Town" with The Cadillac Three
"Boot Scootin' Boogie" with Halestorm
"Ain't No Way To Go" with Mitchell Tenpenny
"How Long Gone" with The Earls of Leicester
"I'll Never Forgive My Heart" with Jake Worthington
"She's Not the Cheatin' Kind" with Hailey Whitters
"Hard Workin' Man" with Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
"Hillbilly Deluxe" with HARDY
"Indian Summer" with ERNEST
"Drop in the Bucket" with Thousand Horses
"Only In America" with Corey Kent