Brooks & Dunn News

(7/6/01, 12 p.m. ET) -- Brooks & Dunn have built their thriving career not only on hit records, but on a very busy, almost never-ending tour schedule. The duo has strived to make its stage show so memorable that fans keep coming back year after year, and so far, it has worked.

Throughout the years, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have employed dozens of people to make their show happen from city to city. In addition to pleasing the fans, it's the duo's sense of extreme loyalty and appreciation for these folks that makes Brooks & Dunn hesitant to take a long break from the road.

"When you're out there supporting a minimum of 50 families--that's kids and everything--it's very real and we've had most of these guys for 10 years," Dunn says.

"And the other thing is, a lot of times, you need to take time off to let your career breathe. I mean, when people see you every year, at some point they're gonna quit coming," Brooks adds.

Dunn continues, "They'll burn out."

Brooks adds, "We keep watching this real close, and fortunately, that hasn't really happened to us."

Brooks & Dunn keep close tabs on their fans' reaction to each new stage show, and hope to one day have fans view their yearly tour like they do that of fellow singer and friend, Jimmy Buffett, as Brooks explains, "We watch it real close to see if 'Is this getting tired? Are people getting tired of us?' Your dream gig would be like Buffett, to where it's just an event for people every year to come see you play, and that's something you aspire to. You don't know if that's gonna happen or not--it kinda does or it doesn't--but we're doing everything we can to bring a new, big show to town every year and hopefully they'll still like it."

Brooks & Dunn will tape their very first appearance on PBS's Austin City Limits on August 10; the show will air over the Thanksgiving holiday. Brooks & Dunn's current single, "Only In America," claims the Number 26 spot on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The duo's Neon Circus & Wild West Show, featuring Toby Keith, Keith Urban, and Montgomery Gentry, wraps up on August 5 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania.

-- Margy Holland, Nashville

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