The best-selling country music duo Brooks & Dunn are heading back on the road for their REBOOT 2022 TOUR, and they’re bringing a star-studded list of guests with them to the arenas, including Jon Pardi, Walker Hayes, Jordan Davis, Gabby Barrett, Riley green and more.
Last year, the duo finished up the longest-running Las Vegas Residency, “REBA, BROOKS & DUNN: Together in Vegas,” after performing at Caesars Palace for almost seven years. Now once again, they’re trading in hotel rooms for a bus as they head to arenas all over the nation, some of which they haven’t been to in over a decade, and others in over 20 years.
“Vegas is cool…but I like being on the bus,” Brooks told Music Mayhem and other media outlets. “I like seeing what a new city is gonna look like, what those fans are going to be, you know, really just feeling different every night kind of keeps your head in the game.”
“Now coming back and doing this really feels like climbing back on the horse that we almost killed 20 years ago,” Dunn added as they laughed together.
Their next round of shows will look a bit different from their shows in Vegas, where they performed at the same venue for so many years, with the ability to have an over the top setup on stage. Instead of bringing a bunch of glamorous props along for the ride of their two-month tour, they have chosen to take it down a notch. Instead, they will keep the focus on the award-winning music their fans know and love.
“We do have fans that expect us to bring some sizzle, and we’re not laying down, we’re just trying to do something that’s different, that still makes people go, ‘Wow, that’s cool,’” Brooks explained.
“Those are the moments we’re looking for. You don’t have to be so ridiculous. A lot of times, all those crazy things and confetti and all that stuff we did, isn’t what people have been talking about. They’ve been asking us about the music. That was both our biggest fear…with all this nonsense on stage that we have so much fun doing, we’re not going to lose the music here, are we? And it’s funny all these years later. It’s a real compliment. I think Ronnie would agree that you guys are asking about the music and this song and that song and that makes us feel good.”
The “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” duo joked that props from their previous tours, like their inflatable women, were donated to the Rolling Stones, and their giant glitter steel heads have retired and currently reside in their homes as decoration.
Their main goal from the beginning was to make music that would have longevity and to be remembered by that rather than the “tricks and shenanigans” on stage. The REBOOT album they released in 2019 is just one example of how well their music has resonated with their fans since the 90s. When they re-recorded all these hits, they also incorporated some of Nashville’s new hitmakers such as Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, Tyler Booth and more. A few of the artists, included on the record, are also heading on the road with them for a few dates.
“I feel like everybody really fits in, on this tour that we’ve got going. It’s catching a little wave here. It’s fun to see.”
“They’re all good artists in their own right,” Brooks shared. “Looking forward to seeing them on a big stage.”
Being that these Country Music Hall of Famers are known as some of the best in the business, they have plenty of advice to share with the up-and-coming artists that will be joining them. For some opening acts, these venues will mark the biggest crowd they have performed in front of so far. Getting up in front of a crowd that’s significantly larger than these artists are used to can be nerve-racking and overwhelming, but over time, once they feel more established in their career, that fear will hopefully turn into pure excitement.
“I don’t think there are ways you can avoid the nerves of being a new act,” Brooks said. “Walking on stage, everything seems to count. Everything you do wrong will screw up your career, and everything you do right, it’s a big leap. Looking back, I just say chill out and go with the flow, but you can’t do that sort of thing, you just can’t do it. They have to feel like everything’s hanging on every word, every song they do. So I don’t know, take a pill, ride a horse,” he joked.
Their best advice is to just put one foot in front of the other and take things as they come, because you never know what the next day will hold. Although it’s hard to imagine with their 20 No. 1 hits and their record album sales, Brooks & Dunn could have never predicted where they would be today in their career, back when they started out as two starving solo artists.
“We never had it figured out or planned out or mapped out. You just go with the flow, keep your head together, and do what you have to do. Just be glad that you’re there and have an opportunity to do what you love.”
The REBOOT 2022 TOUR will kick off on May 5th in Evansville, IN with Jon Pardi and Tyler Booth, both of which can be heard on the album. With so many hits, it seems near impossible to solidify a set list for the tour, and while they’re still working on it, fans can expect to hear plenty of hits.
Tickets are on sale now at brooks-dunn.com and livenation.com.
REBOOT 2022 TOUR Official Dates:
5/5/22 Evansville, IN – w/ Jon Pardi, Tyler Booth
5/6/22 Grand Rapids, MI – w/ Jon Pardi, Tyler Booth
5/12/22 Brandon, MS – w/ Walker Hayes, Morgan Wade
5/13/22 Huntsville, AL – w/ Walker Hayes, Morgan Wade
5/14/22 Knoxville, TN – w/ Walker Hayes, Morgan Wade
5/20/22 Wichita, KS – w/ Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean
5/21/22 Tulsa, OK – w/ Riley Green, Jackson Dean
5/22/22 Springfield, MO – w/ Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean
6/3/22 Estero, FL – w/ Gabby Barrett, King Calaway
6/4/22 Jacksonville, FL – w/ Gabby Barrett, King Calaway
6/9/22 Lafayette, LA – w/ Jordan Davis, Dillon Carmichael
6/10/22 Bossier City, LA – w/ Jordan Davis, Dillon Carmichael
6/11/22 San Antonio, TX – w/ Jordan Davis, Dillon Carmichael
6/16/22 Savannah, GA – w/ Jordan Davis, Tyler Braden
6/17/22 Greenville, SC – w/ Jordan Davis, Tyler Braden
6/18/22 Nashville, TN – w/ TBD, Tyler Braden*
6/23/22 Charleston, WV – w/ TBD, Tenille Townes
6/24/22 Toledo, OH – w/ TBD, Tenille Townes
6/25/22 Detroit, MI – w/ TBD, Tenille Townes
*On Sale date is March 18
