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    When Ronnie Dunn (72) And Kix Brooks (70) Stormed The Stage At New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, Age Wasn’t Part Of The Conversation — Authority Was. The Opening Notes Of “Brand New Man” Cracked Through The Night, And Suddenly The Neon-lit Streets Of Nashville Turned Into A Living, Breathing Honky-tonk Time Capsule No One Wanted To Escape. Ronnie’s Voice Didn’t Ease Its Way In — It Claimed The Moment, Sharp, Gritty, And Fearless. Kix Flashed That Familiar Grin Like He Knew Exactly What Was Coming Next. And Just Like That, The Years Peeled Away. This Wasn’t Nostalgia Playing Dress-up. This Was Momentum Roaring Back To Life.

    Kelly WhitewoodBy 2 Mins Read

    With the Nashville pedestrian bridge beneath their boots and the downtown skyline glowing behind them, Brooks & Dunn gave fans a dose of pure country nostalgia, firing up the crowd with a performance of their classic hit “Brand New Man.”

    The iconic duo is just one piece of a stacked lineup set to roll out during the five-hour CBS broadcast of New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.

    At Bicentennial Park, headliners Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman will take center stage, joined by CeCe Winans and the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers.

    Across Music City, performances will pop up at multiple locations, featuring Dierks Bentley, Rascal Flatts, Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Zach Top, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, and Stephen Wilson Jr..

    Meanwhile, Dwight Yoakam and Marcus King are set to light up Category 10 — the home of the official Big Bash watch party — with special appearances by Cody Alan and Caylee Hammack.

    Hosting duties for the night are handled by Bert Kreischer and HARDY, with additional appearances from comedian Dusty Slay, Entertainment Tonight correspondent Cassie DiLaura, SiriusXM personality Buzz Brainard, and UFC champion Kayla Harrison.

    Brooks & Dunn Look Back — and Ahead

    Ahead of their New Year’s Eve appearance, Brooks & Dunn reflected on a banner year during an interview with American Songwriter, fresh off the success of their Neon Moon Tour.

    “Life couldn’t be better,” Ronnie Dunn shared — a sentiment Kix Brooks was quick to echo.

    “It’s been really fun,” Brooks said. “Coming off the Brooks & Dunn tour, both of us felt like we could’ve done another 20 shows. It felt like we were just hitting our stride. When you’ve been doing this as long as we have and you catch a wave like that… it feels pretty incredible.”

    Looking ahead to 2026, the duo revealed they’re already deep into work on a brand-new album.

    “It’s going to be massive,” Dunn promised. “So get ready.”

    They’ll also be hitting the road again, with festival dates lined up and appearances alongside Morgan Wallen on his I’m Still the Problem Tour.

    “Right now, people are showing up,” Brooks added. “They still care about the music you made 35 years ago. They still light up when ‘Brand New Man’ starts, and they still get fired up. That’s when you know — it’s on. Let’s go.”

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