Kix Brooks
Encyclopedia
Leon Eric "Kix" Brooks III (born on May 12, 1955 in Shreveport
, Louisiana
, USA
), is an American country music
artist, best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn
.
institution in Sewanee
, Tennessee, Brooks attended Louisiana Tech University
in Ruston
, where he was a theatre arts major. He moved to Alaska
to work for his father on an oil pipeline
for one summer and then returned to Louisiana Tech to finish his education. He then moved to Maine
and wrote advertising for a company owned by his sister and brother-in-law.
, and Kix moved to Nashville in the early 1980s
. His then girlfriend (now wife Barbara, with whom he has a son and daughter) followed shortly thereafter. He began working for Tree Publishing as a staff songwriter. He recorded his first solo single, Baby, When Your Heart Breaks Down, for Avion in 1983 but returned to songwriting after its failure. He also released an album, Kix Brooks
, in 1989 on Capitol Records. This album also featured the song "Sacred Ground
", which became a #2 country hit for McBride & the Ride
in 1992.
He is one half of country music duo Brooks & Dunn
. Brooks usually provides backing vocals on their songs and singles. The singles featuring Brooks on lead vocals include, "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone
", which went to Number One, Lost and Found, and "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)
." He has not sung lead on any of the duo's singles since 1999's "South of Santa Fe".
On August 10, 2009, Brooks & Dunn announced to their fans, via their website that they intended to disband after 20 years of touring. According to the short statement released on their web site, Brooks & Dunn intend to release a greatest hits album, tour throughout the rest of 2009, and have a farewell tour in 2010.
awards and Academy of Country Music
awards than any act in the history of country music. They have won the Country Music Association Vocal Duo Of The Year award every year since they debuted in 1991 except in 2000 when the honor went to Montgomery Gentry
, and in 2007 and 2009 when it was awarded to Sugarland
. They have sold over 30 million records and continue to be one of the most consistently successful touring acts on the concert circuit.
, a syndicated radio countdown show based on Mediabase
country charts. Brooks succeeded the show's former host, Bob Kingsley
. Brooks is also co-owner of Arrington Vineyards with winemaker Kip Summers, and businessmen Fred Mindermann and John Russell. Arrington Vineyard is a winery
located outside of Nashville
.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), is an American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist, best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
.
Early life
Brooks grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana. He has one sister, one half-sister, one half-brother and his father adopted one son of his third wife. He attended Riverside Elementary for grades K-5. After graduating from the former Sewanee Military Academy, an EpiscopalianEpiscopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
institution in Sewanee
Sewanee, Tennessee
Sewanee is an unincorporated locality in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States, treated by the U.S. Census as a census-designated place . The population was 2,361 at the 2000 census...
, Tennessee, Brooks attended Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, where he was a theatre arts major. He moved to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to work for his father on an oil pipeline
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
for one summer and then returned to Louisiana Tech to finish his education. He then moved to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and wrote advertising for a company owned by his sister and brother-in-law.
Musical career
His father urged him to pursue his desire to become a musicianMusician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and Kix moved to Nashville in the early 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
. His then girlfriend (now wife Barbara, with whom he has a son and daughter) followed shortly thereafter. He began working for Tree Publishing as a staff songwriter. He recorded his first solo single, Baby, When Your Heart Breaks Down, for Avion in 1983 but returned to songwriting after its failure. He also released an album, Kix Brooks
Kix Brooks (album)
Kix Brooks is the solo debut album by American country music artist Kix Brooks. It was released on Capitol Records in 1989, two years before he joined Ronnie Dunn in the duo Brooks & Dunn. The album was re-released in 1993 on compact disc via Liberty Records...
, in 1989 on Capitol Records. This album also featured the song "Sacred Ground
Sacred Ground (song)
"Sacred Ground" is a country music song, co-written and originally recorded by American singer Kix Brooks, prior to his joining Ronnie Dunn in the duo Brooks & Dunn. Brooks' version was issued in 1989 as a single, and was included on his 1989 self-titled debut album.A second version was recorded...
", which became a #2 country hit for McBride & the Ride
McBride & the Ride
McBride & the Ride was an American country music band initially composed of Terry McBride , Ray Herndon and Billy Thomas . The group was founded in 1989 through the assistance of record producer Tony Brown...
in 1992.
He is one half of country music duo Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
. Brooks usually provides backing vocals on their songs and singles. The singles featuring Brooks on lead vocals include, "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone
You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone
"You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music duo Brooks & Dunn. It was released in June 1995 as the fourth single from their third studio album, Waitin' on Sundown. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles &...
", which went to Number One, Lost and Found, and "Rock My World (Little Country Girl)
Rock My World (Little Country Girl)
"Rock My World " is the title of a song written by Bill LaBounty and Steve O'Brien, and recorded by American country music duo Brooks & Dunn. It was released in December 1993 as the fourth single from their album, Hard Workin' Man, as well as the second single to feature Kix Brooks on lead vocals...
." He has not sung lead on any of the duo's singles since 1999's "South of Santa Fe".
On August 10, 2009, Brooks & Dunn announced to their fans, via their website that they intended to disband after 20 years of touring. According to the short statement released on their web site, Brooks & Dunn intend to release a greatest hits album, tour throughout the rest of 2009, and have a farewell tour in 2010.
Awards
Brooks and Dunn have won more Country Music AssociationCountry Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards and Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
awards than any act in the history of country music. They have won the Country Music Association Vocal Duo Of The Year award every year since they debuted in 1991 except in 2000 when the honor went to Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
, and in 2007 and 2009 when it was awarded to Sugarland
Sugarland (band)
Sugarland, an American country music duo, is composed of singer–songwriters Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush . Sugarland was founded in 2002 by Kristen Hall with Bush and ultimately became a trio after hiring Jennifer Nettles as lead singer...
. They have sold over 30 million records and continue to be one of the most consistently successful touring acts on the concert circuit.
Other achievements
Since January 2006, Brooks has hosted American Country CountdownAmerican Country Countdown
American Country Countdown, also known as ACC or American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks, is an internationally syndicated radio program which counts down the top 30 country songs of the previous week, from No. 30 to No. 1, according to the Mediabase country chart...
, a syndicated radio countdown show based on Mediabase
Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for radio and record industry professionals...
country charts. Brooks succeeded the show's former host, Bob Kingsley
Bob Kingsley
Bob Kingsley is an American country music radio personality and host of the nationally syndicated programs "Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40" and "Bob Kingsley with Today's Hit Makers."...
. Brooks is also co-owner of Arrington Vineyards with winemaker Kip Summers, and businessmen Fred Mindermann and John Russell. Arrington Vineyard is a winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
located outside of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Kix Brooks Kix Brooks (album) Kix Brooks is the solo debut album by American country music artist Kix Brooks. It was released on Capitol Records in 1989, two years before he joined Ronnie Dunn in the duo Brooks & Dunn. The album was re-released in 1993 on compact disc via Liberty Records... |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 1983 | "Baby, When Your Heart Breaks Down" | 73 | Kix Brooks |
| 1989 | "Sacred Ground Sacred Ground (song) "Sacred Ground" is a country music song, co-written and originally recorded by American singer Kix Brooks, prior to his joining Ronnie Dunn in the duo Brooks & Dunn. Brooks' version was issued in 1989 as a single, and was included on his 1989 self-titled debut album.A second version was recorded... " |
87 | |
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
||||
| 1990 | "Tomorrow's World" | Various | 74 | Non-album song |