Ronnie Dunn Explains Getting Angry at Kix Brooks: “I Took His Hat and Threw It Off Stage”
In a candid and surprising moment of honesty, Ronnie Dunn, one half of the legendary country duo Brooks & Dunn, has finally opened up about a fiery incident that fans never saw—a backstage blowup that ended with Ronnie grabbing Kix Brooks’ signature cowboy hat and throwing it off stage.
The story, long whispered about in country music circles, was recently confirmed by Ronnie himself during a podcast interview reflecting on the duo’s decades-long partnership, which included both triumphs and tensions.
“We were in the middle of a show, and something just snapped,” Ronnie admitted with a wry smile. “I was frustrated—we both were—and I just took Kix’s hat and chucked it like a frisbee into the crowd. He looked at me like I’d lost my mind.”
While fans may picture Brooks & Dunn as the perfect duo—seamlessly blending Ronnie’s smooth vocals with Kix’s high-energy stage presence—the truth, as Ronnie explains, is that their partnership wasn’t always easy.
“You spend that many years touring together, living out of buses, managing egos, creative differences… it’s bound to boil over sometimes. That night, it just did.”
The source of the argument? Ronnie says it wasn’t anything major—just the usual built-up stress of the road. But it marked one of those turning points where both men had to either confront their differences or risk the music suffering.
“We weren’t fighting over music or money. We were fighting because we’re two strong-willed guys with different personalities. I’m more reserved, and Kix is all energy. Sometimes that balance makes magic—and sometimes it blows up.”
Kix, for his part, has since laughed about the incident in interviews, even joking that losing his hat was the most dangerous part of being in Brooks & Dunn.
Despite the tension that night, Ronnie insists that the moment became part of their brotherhood—not a fracture, but a release.
“We cooled down after the show. We had a drink, talked it out, and moved on. That’s what brothers do.”
Brooks & Dunn went on to win countless awards, sell over 30 million albums, and influence an entire generation of country music—proof that even when tempers flare, true chemistry endures.
“We’re different,” Ronnie said. “But we needed each other. That hat-throwing night? Just part of the story.”
And in a career built on songs about heartache, grit, and real life, maybe it’s fitting that even their most explosive moments came from a place of passion and truth.