Big Timing In A Small Town, 1991 - 2009

Peanut butter and jelly.
Baseball and hot dogs.
Cold beers and Friday nights.
BROOKS and motherfucking DUNN.

Sadly, one great American pairing decided to part ways over the last few months, and BFMH can't help but comment on the passing of a great contemporary country duo.

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn could be counted on for badass videos and nostalgia-filled slow jams, often paired with Reba McEntire, as on the showstopper "Cowgirls Don't Cry." Formed in the first contemporary country Golden Era of 1991, the duo managed to snag a CMT Vocal Duo of the Year for 4 years running from 1992 to 2006, except for the fluke year when Montgomery Gentry took it in 2000 -- and let's face it, they're no B&D.

Alongside a giant single-handed contribution to the world of line dancing with "Boot Scootin' Boogie," B&D could be counted on for beer-raisin' jams from the start, like the classic "Hard Working Man" from 1992, complete with slow-mo rodeo shots. (Subquestion: is this early video of a working man trying to hold on to the metaphoric bull analagous to the entire career of working men Brooks and Dunn????)

"I'm all business from 9 til 5"


Brooks & Dunn - Hard Workin' Man (Official Music Video) - For more amazing video clips, click here

Also, let's note Dunn's killer flame-decorated shirt. Eat that shit, Billy Ray Cyrus.


More recently, B&D have broken down the mind of the country man with songs like "Hillbilly Deluxe," which pairs monster trucks and small-town images with a stronger pop flavor; B&D both got more country and more pop at the same time, like some sort of two-headed CMA-devouring American flag-waving no-shit-taking Top 40 leviathan. Brooks lists off the shit he likes over a country-rock-pop pastiche track (note the banjo), and has no problem getting real stoked on name-checking motherfucking Tastee Freeze.

"Put on a smell good, put on some Skynyrd"



The pop sheen on this track is balanced by a higher percentage of monster truck shots and white girl T&A, a move that Brooks and Dunn may not have invented, but certainly perfected.

I really don't know how to end this post other than with one more B&D jam, the aptly titled "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone," featuring lead vocals from Ronnie Dunn. We certainly will, friends, we certainly will.

Forbes Releases Top Country Earners List; Fleet Foxes Have Eyes On the Prize

Happy Monday, BFMH readers! The July 4th holiday is just a few days away, so best stock up on your Coors Light and Oscar Meyer weenies for the big day, and get ready to wave that flag loud & proud.

Quick thought for today--If there was ever a case for today's more "rootsy" indie-rock type artists to consider going country, Forbes just made that agrument even stronger. Check out the Forbes Top 10 list of Top-Earning Musicians here.***



That's right. Our boys Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, and Toby Keith are our lone cultural warriors amongst the rest of the dreck in the Top 10. Forbes also released the list for the Top-Earning Country Stars as well, which you can check out here.

Here's the top 5:

Chesney (where he rightfully belongs):


Rascal Flatts (our favorite neo-country metrosexuals holding it down):


Toby Keith (more american than you):


Taylor Swift (Top 5 already?? interesting, Forbes. Very interesting.):


Tie for 5th w/ Brooks & Dunn & Tim McGraw (Taylor Swift more popular than these O.G.s? Come on.):




***Fleet Foxes, I'm looking at you. Forget Sub Pop, Capitol Nashville can get you PAID.