Gene Watson’s Peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as ‘the singer’s singer’ – and rightly so!
All of Gene Watson’s Peers, who were contacted during 2020, were most gracious with their time and words.
It is here, within this special part of The Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Don Cook, which he submitted to this site on Thursday 28 May 2020.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to Don Cook who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online ‘celebration of a Lone Star Hero’.
Don Cook
This quote was submitted on Thursday 28 May 2020.
‘In the ‘Pantheon of Texas Country Singers’, Gene Watson stands proudly with the likes of Ray Price (Tuesday 12 January 1926 – Monday 16 December 2013), Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 – Wednesday 13 February 2002), George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) and George Strait.
As a Texan, I am particularly proud of his place in the history of our beloved music’
Thank you, Don Cook, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Don Cook…
Don Cook was born Don Kirby Cook in Carrizo Springs, Texas on Wednesday 25 May 1949, and is a highly acclaimed American record producer and songwriter, whose work is mainly in the field of country music.
A number of distinguished artists have recorded Don Cook’s material, including the following:
• Barbara Mandrell
• John Conlee
• The Oak Ridge Boys
• Mark Collie
• Michael Martin Murphey
• Jann Browne
• Billy Gilman
• Clay Walker
• Highway 101
• Wade Hayes
• Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993)
• Alabama
• New Grass Revival
• Steve Wariner
• Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 – Sunday 29 March 2020)
• Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 – Friday 20 March 2020)
• Brenda Lee
• George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013)
• Lonestar
• Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989)
• Ricky Skaggs
• Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998)
• Tom Jones
• Engelbert Humperdink
• Paul Anka
• Lari Michele White Cannon (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018)
• Deborah Allen
• Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022)
• Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 – Wednesday 13 February 2002)
• The Highwaymen
• Tracy Lawrence
• Vince Gill
• Del McCoury Band
• Reba McEntire
• Ronnie Bowman
• T. Graham Brown
• Lee Greenwood & Suzy Bogguss
• George Strait
• James King (Tuesday 9 September 1958 – Thursday 19 May 2016)
• Roger Whittaker (Sunday 22 March 1936 – Wednesday 13 September 2023)
Don Cook has also had 23 songs of his songs recorded by Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn).
Don Cook’s production work began in the early 1990s, when he worked with Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn).
Don Cook began writing songs at the age of twelve, and recorded his first demo at the age of fourteen.
Don Cook played at various clubs and coffeehouses in Houston, Texas during his teenage years and, after graduating from the University of Texas, he moved to Nashville, through the suggestion of session guitar man, Mark Casstevens.
Through the assistance of Don Gant, Don Cook signed with Acuff-Rose Music.
In the 1980s, Don Cook had several cuts which were released as singles, including ‘Lady Lay Down’ by John Conlee, which was Don Cook’s first Billboard No.1 country music single as a songwriter (No.1 for one week in January 1979).
Don Cook co-wrote ‘Brand New Man’, the first single release by Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn), and was asked to produce for the duo as well.
At first, Don Cook was reluctant, but he was encouraged to keep producing after the commercial success of Brooks & Dunn’s debut album, ‘Brand New Man’ (Arista Records, 1991).
Over time, Don Cook produced most of Brooks & Dunn’s material, including thirteen of their songs, which went to No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart.
Don Cook also produced albums on Mark Collie, Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993), Wade Hayes, Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 – Sunday 29 March 2020), Neal McCoy, Alabama, N’Sync, Lonestar, Neil Diamond, Olivia Newton John (Sunday 26 September 1948 – Monday 8 August 2022), James House, The Mavericks, and Tracy Lawrence.
In 1994, Don Cook was named Chief Creative Officer and Senior Vice President of Sony / ATV Music Publishing.
On Tuesday 17 January 1995, James House saw the release of ‘Days Gone By’ (Epic Records, 1995), which was produced by Don Cook, and included five tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard Hot Country Tracks & Singles Chart:
‘A Real Good Way To Wind Up Lonesome’, which was written by James House, Dale Dodson and John Jarrard (Thursday 7 May 1953 – Thursday 1 February 2001) (No.52, 1994) / this track also reached No.79 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1994, and the Top 10 of the United Kingdom Country Dance Chart in 2014
‘Little By Little’ (written by James House and Rick Bowles) (No.25, 1995) / this track also reached No.27 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1995, and the Top 10 of the United Kingdom Country Dance Chart in 2014
‘This Is Me Missing You’ (written by James House, Monty Powell and Debi Cochran) (No.6, 1995) / this track also reached No.10 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1995, and became James House’s highest-charting single of his career / this track was revived as a hit single in England in 2013, when it reached No.1 on the United Kingdom Country Dance Chart in 2014
‘Anything For Love’, which was written by James House, Phil Barnhart and Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004) (No.49, 1995) / this track also reached No.33 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1995
‘Until You Set Me Free’ (written by James House and Rafe Van Hoy) / this track did not chart on the Billboard Hot Country Tracks & Singles Chart, but it did reach No.90 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1996
James House‘s ‘Days Gone By’ (Epic Records, 1995) also included the following tracks:
‘Only A Fool’ (written by James House, Rafe Van Hoy and Stan Lynch)
‘Silence Makes A Lonesome Sound’, which was written by James House, Phil Barnhart and Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004)
‘Days Gone By’ (written by James House, Holly House and Dean Miller) / this track was also included on the soundtrack to the 1994 movie, ‘The Cowboy Way’
‘Take Me Away’ (written by James House and Wally Wilson)
‘That’s Something (You Don’t See Every Day)’ (written by James House and Allen Shamblin)
Personnel involved in the recording of James House‘s ‘Days Gone By’ (Epic Records, 1995) included the following:
The House Band
John Bohlinger (electric guitar)
Jeanie Cioff (fiddle, background vocals)
Steve Cox (keyboards)
Craig Flynn (bass guitar, background vocals)
James House (lead vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar)
Kenneth Smith (drums)
Additional musicians involved in the recording of James House‘s ‘Days Gone By’ (Epic Records, 1995) included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, slide guitar)
Dennis Burnside and John Barlow Jarvis (piano, Hammond organ)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, mandolin)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘electric hoedown tools’)
David Hungate (bass guitar)
Raul Malo (background vocals on ‘Take Me Away’)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Nikki Nelson (background vocals on ‘Only A Fool’)
John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
John Willis (12-string guitar, baritone guitar, electric guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar, upright bass)
Trisha Yearwood (background vocals on ‘Anything For Love’)
Strings on ‘Until You Set Me Free’ and ‘That’s Something (You Don’t See Every Day)’ were performed by Nashville String Machine and arranged by Dennis Burnside.
James House‘s ‘Days Gone By’ (Epic Records, 1995) reached No.48 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1995, and No.19 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart in 1995.
In 2004, Don Cook retired, but continued to write songs.
Songwriter and Producer Extraordinaire!
Barbara Mandrell recorded Don Cook’s ‘Tonight’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Love’s Ups & Down’ (ABC Records / Dot Records, 1977); the track reached No.5 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1978.
Johnny Rodriguez recorded Don Cook’s ‘Baby, You’re Something’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘Love Me With All Your Heart’ (Mercury Records, 1978).
The Oak Ridge Boys recorded Don Cook’s ‘Cryin’ Again’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Room Service’ (ABC Records, 1978); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1978.
John Conlee recorded Don Cook’s ‘Lady Lay Down’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Rose Colored Glasses’ (ABC Records, 1978); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in January 1979.
Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 – Friday 20 March 2020) recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘The Gambler’ (United Artists Records, 1978).
The Kendalls – Royce Kendall (Wednesday 25 September 1935 – Friday 22 May 1998) & Jeannie Kendall – recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Had A Lovely Time’ (co-written with Sonny Throckmorton) and included the track on ‘Just Like Real People’ (Ovation Records, 1979); this album was re-issued, on CD, by Richmond Records in 1999.
John Conlee recorded Don Cook’s ‘Baby, You’re Something’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘Forever’ (MCA Records, 1979); the track reached No.7 on the Billboard country music singles chart in early 1980.
Debby Boone recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘Love Has No Reason’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1980).
John Conlee recorded Don Cook’s ‘Old Fashioned Love’, which was co-written with Jamie O’Hara (Friday 18 August 1950 – Thursday 7 January 2021), and included the track on ‘Friday Night Blues’ (MCA Records, 1980).
Brenda Lee recorded Don Cook’s ‘You Only Broke My Heart’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Even Better’ (MCA Records, 1980).
Brenda Lee recorded Don Cook’s ‘At The Moonlight’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Even Better’ (MCA Records, 1980).
Brenda Lee recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘Even Better’ (MCA Records, 1980).
Con Hunley recorded Don Cook’s ‘When It Hurts You Most’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘I Don’t Want To Lose You’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1980).
The Oak Ridge Boys recorded Don Cook’s ‘Somewhere In The Night’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Fancy Free’ (MCA Records, 1981).
Paul Anka recorded Don Cook’s ‘Lady Lay Down’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Both Sides of Love’ (RCA Records, 1981).
Alabama recorded Don Cook’s ‘See The Embers, Feel The Flame’ and included the track on ‘Feels So Right’ (RCA Records, 1981), an album which was re-issued by RCA Records in 1987.
Dottie West (Tuesday 11 October 1932 – Wednesday 4 September 1991) recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘Wild West’ (United Artists Records / Liberty Records, 1981) (album cover photo credit: Harry Langdon).
Tom Jones recorded Don Cook’s ‘Lady Lay Down’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Darlin’ (Mercury Records, 1981); the track reached No.26 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1981.
Debby Boone recorded Don Cook’s ‘Tonight’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Savin’ It Up’ (Warner Bros. Records / Curb Records, 1981).
David Frizzell recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘The Family’s Fine, But This One’s All Mine’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1982).
Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded Don Cook’s ‘First Things First’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Lost In The Feeling’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1983).
Lee Greenwood recorded Don Cook’s ‘Somebody’s Gonna Love You’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Somebody’s Gonna Love You’ (MCA Records, 1983); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in November 1983.
In 1983, Lacy J. Dalton saw the release of a non-album single, Don Cook’s ‘It’s A Dirty Job’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy); the track, which was a duet with Bobby Bare, reached No.30 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1983, and was subsequently included on Lacy J. Dalton‘s ‘Blue Eyed Blues’ (Columbia Records, 1987) and Bobby Bare‘s ‘Bare Tracks: The Columbia Years’ (Koch Records, 1999).
Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Don’t Our Love Look Natural’, which was co-written with Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and included the track on ‘A Hard Act To Follow’ (RCA Records, 1984).
Deborah Allen recorded Don Cook’s ‘I’ve Been Wrong Before‘ (co-written with Deborah Allen and Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Cheat The Night’ (RCA Records, 1983); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in April 1984, and No.1 on the Cashbox Country Chart in early 1984.
Johnny Lee recorded Don Cook’s ‘A Little Push’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Workin’ For A Living’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1984).
Charley Pride (Friday 18 March 1934 – Saturday 12 December 2020) recorded Don Cook’s’ ‘Power of Love’ (co-written with Gary Nicholson) and included the track on ‘Power of Love’ (RCA Records, 1984); the track reached No.9 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1984.
Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Get The Picture’ (co-written with Fred Koller) and included the track on ‘Miami My Amy’ (RCA Records, 1985).
Juice Newton recorded Don Cook’s ‘Let Your Woman Take Care of You’ and included the track on ‘Old Flame’ (RCA Records, 1985).
Alabama recorded Don Cook’s ‘Joseph & Mary’s Boy’, which was co-written with Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘Christmas’ (RCA Records, 1985).
Johnny Lee recorded Don Cook’s ‘What’s A Fool Like Me Doing In A Love Like This’, which was co-written with Jamie O’Hara (Friday 18 August 1950 – Thursday 7 January 2021) and Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016), and included the track on ‘Keep Me Hangin’ On’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1985).
In 1986, Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) recorded a demo of Don Cook’s ‘Hopelessly Yours’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Keith Whitley, but the demo was never officially released.
Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 – Wednesday 13 February 2002) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Working Without A Net’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis and Gary Nicholson) and included the track on ‘Will The Wolf Survive’ (RCA Records, 1986); the track reached No.7 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1986.
George Jones(Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Hopelessly Yours’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘Wine Colored Roses’ (Epic Records, 1986).
T. Graham Brown recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Wish That I Could Hurt That Way Again’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Rafe Van Hoy, and included the track on ‘I Tell It Like It Used To Be’ (Capitol Records, 1986); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1986.
Steve Wariner recorded Don Cook’s ‘Small Town Girl’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘It’s A Crazy World’ (MCA Records, 1987); this track, which was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in March / April 1987, was re-recorded by Steve Wariner, who included it on ‘Steal Away’ (SelecTone Records, 2003).
Sawyer Brown recorded Don Cook’s ‘Somewhere In The Night’ (co-written with Rafe Van Hoy) and included the track on ‘Somewhere In The Night’ (Capitol Records / Curb Records, 1987); the track reached No.29 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1987.
Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Julia’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Borderline’ (MCA Records, 1987); the track reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1987.
Reba McEntire recorded Don Cook’s ‘Just Across The Rio Grande’, which was co-written with Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘The Last One To Know’ (MCA Records, 1987).
New Grass Revival recorded Don Cook’s ‘Unconditional Love’ (co-written with Gary Nicholson) and included the track on ‘Hold To A Dream’ (Capitol Records, 1987); the track reached No.44 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1987.
On Tuesday 21 February 2001, New Grass Revival’s ‘Hold To A Dream’ (Capitol Records, 1987) was remastered and re-issued, on CD, by Southern Music Records.
Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) recorded Don Cook’s ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Keith Whitley, and included the track on ‘Don’t Close Your Eyes’ (RCA Records, 1988).
Holly Dunn (Thursday 22 August 1957 – Tuesday 15 November 2016) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Just Across The Rio Grande’, which was co-written with Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Across The Rio Grande’ (MTM Records, 1988).
Del McCoury recorded Don Cook’s ‘Don’t Our Love Look Natural’, which was co-written with Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and included the track on ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ (Rounder Records, 1988).
Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 – Tuesday 4 October 2022) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Who Was That Stranger’, which was co-written with Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004) and Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016), and included the track on ‘Who Was That Stranger’ (MCA Records, 1988); the track reached No.57 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1987.
Charly McClain recorded Don Cook’s ‘Let Your Woman Take Care of You’ (co-written with Gary Nicholson) and included the track on ‘Charly McClain’ (Mercury Records, 1988).
Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Wish I Was Still In Your Dreams’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Still In Your Dreams’ (MCA Records, 1988); the track reached No.4 on the Billboard country music singles chart in early 1989.
Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998) recorded Don Cook’s ‘If You Let Him Drive You Crazy (He Will)’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004), included the track on ‘Next To You’ (Epic Records, 1989).
John Conlee recorded Don Cook’s ‘Hopelessly Yours’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘Fellow Travelers’ (16th Avenue Records, 1989); the track, which reached No.67 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1989, was subsequently included on John Conlee‘s ‘Country Heart’ (Varese Sarabande Records, 2006).
Prior to the release of ‘Hopelessly Yours’, John Conlee included it as the B-side to his 1989 single, ‘Hit The Ground Running’ (written by Bob Fischer and R. Giles), which reached No.43 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1989.
Kix Brooks recorded Don Cook’s ‘Way Up North Around Shreveport’ (co-written with Kix Brooks) and included the track on ‘Kix Brooks’ (Capitol Records, 1989); the album, which was produced by Rafe Van Hoy and Kix Brooks, was re-issued, on CD, by Liberty Records, with a different cover, in 1993.
Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Talk To Me Texas’, which was co-written with Bucky Jones and Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016), and included the track on ‘I Wonder Do You Think of Me’ (RCA Records, 1989).
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘Got To Pay The Fiddler’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Land of Enchantment’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989).
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘Land of Enchantment’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Land of Enchantment’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989).
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘Windsmoke In The Wind’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Land of Enchantment’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989).
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘The Heart Knows The Truth’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Land of Enchantment’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989).
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘Desperation Road’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Land of Enchantment’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989).
Personnel involved in the recording of Michael Martin Murphey’s ‘Land of Enchantment’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989) included the following:
Michael Martin Murphey (vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, concept)
Steve Gibson (arranger, Dobro, guitar, mandolin, background vocals, producer)
Mark Casstevens (banjo, guitar)
Sonny Garrish (steel guitar)
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
David Hoffner (piano, synthesizer)
Joey Miskulin (accordion)
Mark O’Connor, Stuart Duncan and Hoot Hester (Monday 13 August 1951 – Tuesday 30 August 2016) (fiddle)
Bill Miller (flute)
Dennis Burnside (piano, synthesizer)
Charlie McCoy (harmonica)
Roy M. ‘Jr.’ Husky and Craig Nelson (bass)
Eddie Bayers (drums)
Farrell Morris (percussion)
Jim Photoglo, John Wesley Ryles, Ricky Skaggs, Harry Stinson, Gary Janney, Curtis Young and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Michael Martin Murphey’s ‘Land of Enchantment’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989) reached No.33 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1989.
Highway 101, featuring lead vocalist, Paulette Carlson, recorded Don Cook’s ‘Who’s Lonely Now’ (co-written with Kix Brooks) and included the track on ‘Paint The Town’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1989); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in January 1990.
George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 – Friday 26 April 2013) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Six Foot Deep, Six Foot Down’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘You Oughta Be Here With Me’ (Epic Records, 1990); the track was released as a single in 1990, but it did not chart.
Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998) recorded Don Cook’s ‘I’m Falling Heart Over Mind’ (co-written with Tim Menzies) and included the track on ‘Heart Over Mind’ (Epic Records, 1990).
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘Cowboy Logic’, which was co-written with Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Cowboy Songs’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990); the track reached No.52 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1990.
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘Let The Cowboy Dance’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Cowboy Songs’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990); this track reached No.74 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1991.
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘What Am I Doing Here’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Cowboy Songs’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990); this track was released as a single in 1991, but it did not chart.
Personnel involved in the recording of Michael Martin Murphey’s ‘Cowboy Songs’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990) included the following:
Michael Martin Murphey (vocals, guitar, producer, arranger)
Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998), Don Edwards, Jack Hannah, Curtis Stone, Cactus Moser, Jack Daniels, Suzy Bogguss, Paulette Carlson, Red Steagall, Lon Hannah, Dennis Wilson and Curtis Young (background vocals)
Steve Gibson (electric guitar, mandolin, background vocals, producer)
Biff Watson (guitar)
Mark Casstevens (guitar, harmonica)
Paul Franklin and Sonny Garrish (steel guitar)
John McEuen (banjo, mandolin, fiddle)
Dennis Burnside (keyboards)
David Hoffner (keyboards, hammer dulcimer)
Mark O’Connor (fiddle)
Terry McMillan (Monday 12 October 1953 – Friday 2 February 2007) (harmonica)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass)
Craig Nelson (electric bass)
Eddie Bayers and Jerry Kroon (drums)
Michael Martin Murphey’s ‘Cowboy Songs’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1990) reached No.25 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1990.
Roger Whittaker (Sunday 22 March 1936 – Wednesday 13 September 2023) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Just Across The Rio Grande’, which was co-written with Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘You Deserve The Best’ (RCA Records, 1988).
Jann Browne recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Don’t Do Floors’, which was co-written with Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘It Only Hurts When I Laugh’ (Curb Records, 1991).
Lee Greenwood recorded Don Cook’s ‘Hopelessly Yours’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘A Perfect 10’ (Capitol Records, 1991); the track, which was a duet with Suzy Bogguss, and reached No.12 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1991, was nominated, in 1992, for ‘Best Country Vocal Collaboration’ at the Grammy Awards.
Mark Collie recorded Don Cook’s ‘Born & Raised In Black & White’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Born & Raised In Black & White’ (MCA Records, 1991).
Ricky Skaggs recorded Don Cook’s ‘Life’s Too Long (To Live Like This)’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis and Dan Wilson) and included the track on ‘My Father’s Son’ (Epic Records, 1991); the track reached No.37 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1991, and No.15 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks Chart in 1991.
George Strait recorded Don Cook’s ‘Her Only Bad Habit Is Me’, which was co-written with Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and included the track on ‘Holding My Own’ (MCA Records, 1991).
Steve Wariner recorded Don Cook’s ‘Crash Course In The Blues’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis and Steve Wariner) and included the track on ‘I Am Ready’ (Arista Nashville Records, 1991); the track reached No.32 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1992.
On Tuesday 13 August 1991, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Brand New Man’ (Arista Records, 1991), which was produced by Don Cook and Scott Hendricks, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Brand New Man’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in September 1991)
‘My Next Broken Heart’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in December 1991)
‘Neon Moon’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in May 1992)
‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for three weeks in August 1992)
‘Lost & Found’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook) (No.6, 1992) / this track was the first Brooks & Dunn single to feature Kix Brooks on lead vocals
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Brand New Man’ (Arista Records, 1991), also included the following tracks:
‘Cool Drink of Water’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook)
‘Cheating On The Blues’, which was written by Kix Brooks, Don Cook and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022)
‘I’ve Got A Lot To Learn’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook)
‘I’m No Good’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook)
‘Still In Love with You’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Brand New Man’ (Arista Records, 1991) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Additional Musicians
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, mandolin)
Mike Chapman and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle)
John Barlow Jarvis (Steinway piano, keyboards)
Terry McMillan (Monday 12 October 1953 – Friday 2 February 2007) (harmonica)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Lonnie Wilson (drums)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Brand New Man’ (Arista Records, 1991) reached No.3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1991 and was certified 6× Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of six million copies.
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Brand New Man’ (Arista Records, 1991)also reached No.10 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1991, and No.5 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1991.
Mario Martin recorded Don Cook’s ‘While I Was Dreamin’ of You’ (co-written with Kix Brooks) and included the track on ‘Keep It On The Country Side’ (DPI Records, 1992).
On Tuesday 5 January 1993, Mark Collie saw the release of his self-titled album, ‘Mark Collie’ (MCA Records, 1993), which was produced by Don Cook, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Even The Man In The Moon Is Crying’ (written by Mark Collie and Don Cook) (No.5, 1992)
‘Born To Love You’, which was written by Mark Collie, Don Cook and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) (No.6, 1993)
‘Shame, Shame, Shame, Shame’ (written by Mark Collie and Jackson Leap) (No.26, 1993)
‘Something’s Gonna Change Her Mind’ (written by Mark Collie and Don Cook) (No.24, 1993)
Mark Collie‘s self-titled album, ‘Mark Collie’ (MCA Records, 1993), also included the following tracks:
‘Trouble’s Comin’ Like The Train’ (written by Mark Collie, Hillary Kanter and Even Stevens)
‘Keep It Up’ (written by Deborah Allen, Mark Collie and Rafe Van Hoy)
‘The Heart of The Matter’ (written by Mark Collie and Don Cook)
‘Linda Lou’ (written by Mark Collie, Hilary Kanter and Even Stevens)
‘Is That Too Much To Ask’ (written by Mark Collie, Don Cook and John Barlow Jarvis)
‘Hillbilly Boy With The Rock & Roll Blues’, which was written by Mark Collie and Ronny Scaife (1947 – Wednesday 3 November 2010)
Personnel involved in the recording of Mark Collie‘s self-titled album, ‘Mark Collie’ (MCA Records, 1993), included the following:
Mark Collie and Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Brent Mason and Brian Franklin (electric guitar)
Bruce C. Bouton (steel guitar, slide guitar)
John Barlow Jarvis (keyboards, piano)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar, upright bass)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Mark Collie (lead vocals)
Deborah Allen, John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Mark Collie‘s self-titled album, ‘Mark Collie’ (MCA Records, 1993), reached No.38 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1993, No.156 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1993, No.6 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart in 1993, and No.8 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1993.
On Tuesday 23 February 1993, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Hard Working Man’ (Arista Records, 1993), which was produced by Don Cook and Scott Hendricks, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Hard Workin’ Man’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.4, 1993)
‘We’ll Burn That Bridge’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.2, 1993)
‘She Used To Be Mine’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in November 1993)
‘Rock My World (Little Country Girl)’ (written by Bill LaBounty and Steve O’Brien) (No.2, 1993)
‘That Ain’t No Way To Go’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for week in June 1994)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Hard Working Man’ (Arista Records, 1993) also included the following tracks:
‘Mexican Minutes’, which was written by Jim Messina and Kent M. Robbins (Wednesday 23 April 1947 – Saturday 27 December 1997)
‘Heartbroke Out of My Mind’ (written by Ronnie Dunn)
‘Texas Women (Don’t Stay Lonely Long)’ (written by Kix Brooks)
‘Our Time Is Coming’ (written by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn)
‘I Can’t Put Out This Fire’ (written by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn)
‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) / this track, which was a remixed dance version of the track originally included on ‘Brand New Man’ (Arista Records, 1993), was produced by Don Cook, Scott Hendricks and Tankersley
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Hard Working Man’ (Arista Records, 1993) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Additional Musicians
Arista Tabernacle Choir (choir)
Bruce C. Bouton (steel guitar)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, mandolin)
Jimmy Gunn (cabasa, percussion)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle)
Terry McMillan (Monday 12 October 1953 – Friday 2 February 2007) (harmonica)
Scott Hendricks (cowbell, percussion)
John Barlow Jarvis (Steinway piano, organ)
Bill LaBounty, John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Dan McBride and Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Jim Messina (background vocals on ‘Mexican Minutes’)
Danny Parks (acoustic guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Hard Working Man’ (Arista Records, 1993) reached No.2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1993, and was certified five-times Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Hard Working Man’ (Arista Records, 1993) also reached No.9 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1993, No.1 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1993, and No.41 on the Canadian RPM Top Albums Chart in 1993.
Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 – Saturday 5 June 1993) recorded Don Cook’s ‘An Old Memory Like Me’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Final Touches’ (MCA Records, 1993).
Lari Michele White Cannon (Thursday 13 May 1965 – Tuesday 23 January 2018) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Now I Know’, which was co-written with Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) and Cindy Greene, and included the track on ‘Wishes’ (RCA Nashville Records, 1994); the track reached No.5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1994.
On Tuesday 19 July 1994, Mark Collie saw the release of ‘Unleashed’ (MCA Records, 1994), which was produced by Don Cook, and included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘It Is No Secret’ (written by Mark Collie and Mike Reid) (No.53, 1994)
‘Hard Lovin’ Woman’ (written by Mark Collie, Don Cook and John Barlow Jarvis) (No.13, 1994)
Mark Collie‘s ‘Unleashed’ (MCA Records, 1994) also included the following tracks:
‘All I Want Is You’ (written by Mark Collie and James House) / this track featured guest vocals from James House
‘Waiting’ (written by Mark Collie, Even Stevens and Hillary Kanter)
‘Ring of Fire’, which was written by Merle Kilgore (Thursday 9 August 1934 – Sunday 6 February 2005) and June Carter Cash (Sunday 23 June 1929 – Thursday 15 May 2003) / this track featured guest vocals from Carlene Carter
‘Rainy Day Woman’ (written by Mark Collie, Don Cook and John Barlow Jarvis)
‘When You Belonged To Me’ (written by Mark Collie, Don Cook and John Barlow Jarvis)
‘God Didn’t Make Me That Strong’ (written by Mark Collie and Don Cook)
‘Lonely Streak’ (written by Mark Collie, Deborah Allen and Rafe Van Hoy)
‘Unleashed’ (written by Mark Collie and Gary Nicholson)
Personnel involved in the recording of Mark Collie‘s ‘Unleashed’ (MCA Records, 1994) included the following:
Deborah Allen (background vocals on ‘Lonely Streak’)
Robert Bailey, Lorelei McBroom, John Wesley Ryles, Suzy Willis and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Bruce C. Bouton (steel guitar on ‘Lonely Streak’)
Mark Capps (Saturday 14 December 1968 – Thursday 5 January 2023) (electric guitar on ‘Ring of Fire’)
Carlene Carter (guest vocals on ‘Ring of Fire’)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Mark Collie (lead vocals, acoustic guitar)
Paul Franklin (steel guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle)
James House (vocals on ‘All I Want Is You’)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano, synthesizer, Hammond B-3 organ)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar, upright bass)
The Nashville String Machine (Carl Gorodetzky, Pam Sixfin, Lee Larrison, Ted Madsen, Conni Ellisor, Alan Umstead, Dave Davidson, Mary K. Vanosdale, Bob Mason and John Catchings) (strings)
Dennis Burnside (strings arrangements)
Mark Collie‘s ‘Unleashed’ (MCA Records, 1994) is notable for being Mark Collie‘s last record for MCA Records before he switched labels to Giant Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records.
On Tuesday 27 September 1994, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Waitin’ On Sundown’ (Arista Records, 1994), which was produced by Don Cook and Scott Hendricks, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘She’s Not The Cheatin’ Kind’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in October 1994)
‘I’ll Never Forgive My Heart’ (written by Ronnie Dunn, Janine Dunn and Dean Dillon) (No.6, 1994)
‘Little Miss Honky Tonk’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in April / May 1995)
‘You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in August 1995)
‘Whiskey Under The Bridge’ (written by Don Cook, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) (No.5, 1995)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Waitin’ on Sundown’ (Arista Records, 1994) also included the following tracks:
‘Silver & Gold’ (written by Michael Lunn and Michael Noble)
‘My Kind of Crazy’ (written by Kix Brooks, Don Cook and Bill LaBounty)
‘If That’s The Way You Want It’ (written by Don Cook, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn)
‘She’s The Kind of Trouble’ (written by Kix Brooks)
‘A Few Good Rides Away’, which was written by Kix Brooks and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Waitin’ on Sundown’ (Arista Records, 1994) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Other Musicians
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle)
John Barlow Jarvis (Steinway piano, Hammond B-3 organ)
Bill LaBounty, John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Waitin’ on Sundown’ (Arista Records, 1994) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1994 (their first album to do so), and was certified three-times Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Waitin’ on Sundown’ (Arista Records, 1994) also reached No.15 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1994, No.1 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1994, and No.31 on the Canadian RPM Top Albums Chart in 1994.
On Tuesday 3 January 1995, Wade Hayes saw the release of ‘Old Enough To Know Better’ (Columbia Records, 1995), which was produced by Don Cook, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Old Enough To Know Better’, which was written by Wade Hayes and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) (No.1 for one week in February 1995)
‘I’m Still Dancin’ With You’, which was written by Wade Hayes and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) (No.4, 1995)
‘Don’t Stop’, which was written by Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) and Tom Shapiro (No.10, 1995)
‘What I Meant To Say’, which was written by Don Cook, Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004) and Jim McBride (No.5, 1995)
Wade Hayes‘ ‘Old Enough To Know Better’ (Columbia Records, 1995) also included the following tracks:
‘Don’t Make Me Come To Tulsa’ (written by Don Cook)
‘Kentucky Bluebird’ (written by Don Cook and Wally Wilson)
‘Steady As She Goes’ (written by Don Cook, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn)
‘Family Reunion’, which was written by Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) and Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002)
‘Someone Had To Teach You’, which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002) and Bill Hervey
‘It’s Gonna Take A Miracle’, which was written by Wade Hayes and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022)
Personnel involved in the recording of Wade Hayes‘ ‘Old Enough To Know Better’ (Columbia Records, 1995) included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (slide guitar, pedal steel guitar)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘electric hoedown tools’)
Wade Hayes (lead vocals, background vocals)
Mitch Humphries (piano on ‘Don’t Stop’)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano, Hammond organ)
Patty Loveless (background vocals on ‘Kentucky Bluebird’)
Brent Mason (electric guitar, 6-string bass guitar)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Wade Hayes‘ ‘Old Enough To Know Better’ (Columbia Records, 1995) reached No.19 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1995, No.99 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1995, and No.1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart in 1995.
Ty England recorded Don Cook’s ‘Her Only Bad Habit Is Me’, which was co-written with Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and included the track on ‘Ty England’ (RCA Nashville Records, 1995).
On Tuesday 10 October 1995, Lonestar saw the release of their self-titled debut album, ‘Lonestar’ (BNA Records, 1995), which was produced by Don Cook and Wally Wilson, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Tequila Talkin’ (written by Bill LaBounty and Chris Waters) (No.8, 1995)
‘No News’, which was written by Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004), Phil Barnhart and Mark D. Sanders (No.1 for three weeks in 1996)
‘Runnin’ Away With My Heart’, which was written by Michael Britt, Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004) and Mark D. Sanders (No.8, 1996)
‘When Cowboys Didn’t Dance’ (written by Richie McDonald and Kyle Green) (No.45, 1996)
‘Heartbroke Every Day’ (written by Bill LaBounty, Rick Vincent and Cam King) (No.18, 1996)
Lonestar’s self-titled debut album, ‘Lonestar’ (BNA Records, 1995), also included the following tracks:
‘I Love The Way You Do That’ (written by Don Cook, John Rich and Wally Wilson)
‘What Would It Take’, which was written by Billy Lawson, Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004) and Wally Wilson
‘Does Your Daddy Know About Me’ (written by John Rich, Larry Boone and Paul Nelson)
‘Ragtop Cadillac’ (written by Billy Lawson)
‘Paradise Knife & Gun Club’, which was written by Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) / the original version of this track was recorded by Roy Linwood Clark (Saturday 15 April 1933 – Thursday 15 November 2018), who included it on ‘The Roy Clark Show Live From The Austin City Limits’ (Churchill Records, 1982); Roy Clark’s version of the track reached No.54 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1982
Personnel involved in the recording of Lonestar’s self-titled debut album, ‘Lonestar’ (BNA Records, 1995), included the following:
Lonestar
Michael Britt (electric guitar, B-Bender guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals)
Richie McDonald (lead vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards)
Keech Rainwater (drums)
John Rich (lead vocals, background vocals, bass guitar)
Dean Sams (piano, keyboards, harmonica, acoustic guitar, background vocals)
Additional musicians involved in the recording of Lonestar’s self-titled debut album, ‘Lonestar’ (BNA Records, 1995), included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, slide guitar)
Dennis Burnside (piano, keyboards, B-3 organ)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘assorted hoe-down tools’)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Nashville String Machine (strings)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
John Wesley Ryles and Curtis ‘Mr. Harmony’ Young (background vocals)
John Willis (electric guitar, electric sitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion, hand claps)
Lonestar’s self-titled debut album, ‘Lonestar’ (BNA Records, 1995), reached No.11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1995, No.69 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1995, No.2 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart in 1995, and No.2 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1995.
On Tuesday 24 October 1995, BNA Records released ‘Wherever You Are Tonight’ (BNA Records, 1995), the fourth studio album release by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and the second posthumous album of his career.
‘Wherever You Are Tonight’ (BNA Records, 1995) from Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) consisted of ten songwriter demos, which Keith Whitley had recorded. Keith Whitley’s vocal was the only track kept from those original demos. All new music arrangements were written to renew and dynamically support Keith Whitley’s vocals. The album was released via BNA Records, the label to which Keith Whitley’s widow, Lorrie Morgan, was signed to at the time.
‘Wherever You Are Tonight’ (BNA Records, 1995) by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Wherever You Are Tonight’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), Don Cook and Gary Nicholson (No.75, 1995)
‘Wherever You Are Tonight’ (BNA Records, 1995) by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) also included the following tracks:
‘I’m Losing You All Over Again’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Bill Caswell (passed away on Friday 17 February 2023)
‘Daddy Loved Trains’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Don Cook
‘Tell Me Something I Don’t Know’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), Don Cook and Gary Nicholson
‘Blind & Afraid of The Dark’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 – Sunday 11 January 2004)
‘Buck’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989)
‘Light At The End of The Tunnel’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Don Cook / this track was also recorded by John Anderson, who included it on ’10’ (MCA Nashville Records, 1988)
‘I’m Not That Easy To Forget’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), Don Cook and Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016)
‘Just How Bad Do You Wanna Feel Good’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Bill Caswell (passed away on Friday 17 February 2023)
‘Leave Well Enough Alone’, which was written by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) and Bill Caswell (passed away on Friday 17 February 2023)
Personnel involved in the recording of ‘Wherever You Are Tonight’ (BNA Records, 1995) by Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) included the following:
Pete Bordonali (acoustic guitar, Dobro, mandolin)
Penny Cardin, Tony King, John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
John Catchings (cello)
Mike Chapman (bass guitar)
Michael Douchette (harmonica)
Conni Ellisor, Carl Gorodetzky, Lee Larrison and Alan Umstead (violin)
Sonny Garrish (pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, Dobro, Pedabro)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle)
Jerry Kroon (drums)
Robert Mason (cello)
Ron Oates (piano, synthesizers)
Brent Rowan (electric guitar)
Bruce Watkins (fiddle, mandolin)
Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989) (lead vocals)
Ron Oates (rhythm section arrangements, orchestra arrangements and conducting by Ron Oates)
On Tuesday 16 April 1996, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Borderline’ (Arista Records, 1996), which was produced by Kix Brooks, Don Cook and Ronnie Dunn, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘My Maria’, which was written by Daniel Moore and B.W. Stevenson (Wednesday 5 October 1949 – Thursday 28 April 1988) (No.1 for two weeks in May / June 1996) / this track was the most played song of the year on American country music radio in 1996 according to Billboard magazine
‘I Am That Man’ (written by Terry McBride and Monty Powell) (No.2, 1996)
‘Mama, Don’t Get Dressed Up For Nothing’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.13, 1996)
‘A Man This Lonely’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Tommy Lee James) (No.1 for one week in February 1997)
‘Why Would I Say Goodbye’ (written by Kix Brooks and Chris Waters) (No.8, 1997)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Borderline’ (Arista Records, 1996) also included the following tracks:
‘More Than A Margarita’ (written by Kix Brooks and Chris Waters)
‘Redneck, Rhythm & Blues’, which was written by Ronnie Dunn, Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Lonnie Wilson
‘My Love Will Follow You’ (written by Buddy Miller and Julie Miller)
‘One Heartache At A Time’ (written by Kix Brooks and Tony King)
‘Tequila Town’ (written by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn)
‘White Line Casanova’ (written by Ronnie Dunn)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Borderline’ (Arista Records, 1996) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Additional Musicians
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, slide guitar)
Dennis Burnside (piano, keyboards, Hammond B-3 organ)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, hi-string guitar, mandolin)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘assorted hoedown tools’)
David Hungate, Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Tom Roady (percussion)
John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Borderline’ (Arista Records, 1996) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1996, and was certified twice Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Borderline’ (Arista Records, 1996) also reached No.5 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1996, No.1 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1996, and No.37 on the Canadian RPM Top Albums Chart in 1996.
On Tuesday 25 June 1996, Wade Hayes saw the release of ‘On A Good Night’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1996), which was produced by Don Cook, and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘On A Good Night’ (written by Larry Boone, Don Cook and Paul Nelson) (No.2, 1996)
‘Where Do I Go To Start All Over’, which was written by Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) and Wade Hayes (No.42, 1996)
‘It’s Over My Head’, which was written by Bill Anderson, Wade Hayes and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) (No.46, 1997)
Wade Hayes‘ ‘On A Good Night’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1996) also included the following tracks:
‘Undo The Right’, which was written by Willie Nelson and Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) / this track was originally recorded by Willie Nelson, who included it on ‘And Then I Wrote’ (Liberty Records, 1962)
‘The Room’ (written by Chris Waters and Tom Shapiro)
‘I Still Do’, which was written by Marty Stuart and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022)
‘My Side of Town’, which was written by Don Cook and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022)
‘Our Time Is Coming’ (written by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn)
‘Hurts Don’t It’, which was written by Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004), Jim McBrideand Greg Holland / this track was also recorded by Greg Holland, who included it on on ‘Let Me Drive’ (Warner Bros. Records, 1994)
‘This Is The Life For Me’, which was written by Wade Hayes, Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) and Gary Nicholson
Personnel involved in the recording of Wade Hayes‘ ‘On A Good Night’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1996) included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, slide guitar)
Dennis Burnside (piano, Hammond organ)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘assorted hoedown tools’)
Wade Hayes (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
Dave Hoffner (piano)
David Hungate (bass guitar)
Brent Mason (electric guitar, baritone guitar)
John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Wade Hayes‘ ‘On A Good Night’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1996) reached No.11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1996, and No.91 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1996.
On Tuesday 17 June 1997, Lonestar saw the release of ‘Crazy Nights’ (BNA Records, 1997), which was produced by Don Cook and Wally Wilson, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Come Cryin’ To Me’ (written by Mark D. Sanders, Wally Wilson and John Rich) (No.1 for one week in August 1997)
‘You Walked In’ (written by Bryan Adams and Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange) (No.12, 1997)
‘Say When’ (written by Larry Boone, Paul Nelson and Richie McDonald) (No.13, 1998)
‘Everything’s Changed’ (written by Larry Boone, Paul Nelson and Richie McDonald) (No.2, 1998)
Lonestar’s ‘Crazy Nights’ (BNA Records, 1997) also included the following tracks:
‘Cheater’s Road’ (written by Sharon Vaughn and Jason Sellers) / this track was also recorded by Chalee Tennison, who included it on ‘Parading In The Rain’ (DreamWorks Nashville Records, 2003)
‘A Week In Juarez’, which was written by Sam Hogin (1950 – Monday 9 August 2004), Jim McBride and Phil Barnhart
‘John Doe On A John Deere’ (written by Don Cook, Conley White and John Rich)
‘Say When’ (writen by Larry Boone, Paul Nelson and John Rich)
‘Amie’ (written by Craig Fuller) / this track was also recorded by Pure Prairie League, who included it on ‘Bustin’ Out’ (RCA Records, 1972); Pure Prairie League’s version of the track reached No.27 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1972
‘Crazy Nights’ (written by Chris Waters, Tom Shapiro and John Rich)
‘Keys To My Heart’, which was written by Lonnie Wilson, Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) and Richie McDonald
‘What Do We Do With The Rest of The Night’ (written by Sharon Vaughn, Lonnie Wilson and John Rich)
Personnel involved in the recording of Lonestar’s ‘Crazy Nights’ (BNA Records, 1997) also included the following tracks:
Lonestar
Michael Britt (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals)
Richie McDonald (lead vocals, background vocals)
Keech Rainwater (drums, percussion)
John Rich (bass guitar, lead vocals, background vocals)
Dean Sams (piano, background vocals)
Additional musicians involved in the recording of Lonestar’s ‘Crazy Nights’ (BNA Records, 1997) included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, Dobro)
Dennis Burnside (piano, keyboards, B3 organ)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, mandolin)
Stuart Duncan and Larry Franklin (fiddle)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘assorted hoedown tools’)
David Hungate and Duncan Mullins (bass guitar)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano, B3 organ)
Brent Mason (electric guitar, gut string guitar)
Tom Roady (percussion)
John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Lonestar’s ‘Crazy Nights’ (BNA Records, 1997) reached No.16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1997, No.166 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1997, and No.28 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1997.
On Tuesday 16 September 1997, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘The Greatest Hits Collection’ (Arista Records, 1997), their first greatest hits compilation, which included the following tracks:
‘My Maria’, which was written by Daniel Moore and B.W. Stevenson (Wednesday 5 October 1949 – Thursday 28 April 1988) (No.1 for two weeks in May / June 1996) / this track was the most played song of the year on American country music radio in 1996 according to Billboard magazine
‘Honky Tonk Truth’, which was written by Ronnie Dunn, Lonnie Wilson and Kim Williams (Saturday 28 June 1947 – Thursday 11 February 2016) / this track was new to this collection
‘You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in August 1995)
‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for three weeks in August 1992)
‘He’s Got You’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) / this track was new to this collection
‘Hard Workin’ Man’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.4, 1993)
‘That Ain’t No Way To Go’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for week in June 1994)
‘Rock My World (Little Country Girl)’ (written by Bill LaBounty and Steve O’Brien) (No.2, 1993)
‘Neon Moon’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in May 1992)
‘Lost & Found’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook) (No.6, 1992) / this track was the first Brooks & Dunn single which featured Kix Brooks on lead vocals
‘She’s Not The Cheatin’ Kind’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in October 1994)
‘Brand New Man’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in September 1991)
‘Days of Thunder’ (written by Kix Brooks and Paul Nelson) / this track was previously unreleased
‘We’ll Burn That Bridge’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.2, 1993)
‘She Used To Be Mine’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in November 1993)
‘Mama, Don’t Get Dressed Up For Nothing’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.13, 1996)
‘My Next Broken Heart’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in December 1991)
‘Whiskey Under The Bridge’ (written by Don Cook, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) (No.5, 1995)
‘Little Miss Honky Tonk’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in April / May 1995)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘The Greatest Hits Collection’ (Arista Records, 1997), included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Additional Musicians
Arista Tabernacle Choir (choir)
Bruce C. Bouton (steel guitar, slide guitar, lap steel guitar)
Dennis Burnside (keyboards, Hammond organ, piano)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, mandolin)
Mike Chapman, David Hungate, Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Steve Gibson (acoustic guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle)
Scott Hendricks (cowbell)
Wes Hightower, Bill LaBounty, Liana Manis, Terry McBride, John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
John Barlow Jarvis (Steinway piano, keyboards, Hammond organ)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Tom Roady (percussion)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘The Greatest Hits Collection’ (Arista Records, 1997) reached No.2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1997, and was certified four-times Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘The Greatest Hits Collection’ (Arista Records, 1997) also reached No.4 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1997, No.1 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1997, and No.15 on the Canadian RPM Top Albums Chart in 1997.
On Tuesday 27 January 1998, Wade Hayes saw the release of ‘When The Wrong One Loves You Right’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1998), which was produced by Don Cook, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘The Day That She Left Tulsa (In A Chevy)’ (written by Mark D. Sanders and Steve Diamond) (No.5, 1997)
‘When The Wrong One Loves You Right’ (written by Leslie Satcher) (No.50, 1998)
‘How Do You Sleep At Night’ (written by Jim McBride and Jerry Salley) (No.13, 1998)
‘Tore Up From The Floor Up’ (written by J.B. Rudd and Bob Regan) (No.57, 1999)
Wade Hayes‘ ‘When The Wrong One Loves You Right’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1998) was originally to have been released in 1997 under the title ‘Tore Up From The Floor Up’, with a cover of Glen Campbell’s ‘Wichita Lineman’ (written by Jimmy Webb) serving as the lead-off single.
However, after Wade Hayes‘ cover of Glen Campbell’s ‘Wichita Lineman’ (written by Jimmy Webb) failed to reach Billboard country music Top 40 singles chart, it was replaced with ‘The Day That She Left Tulsa (In A Chevy)’ (written by Mark D. Sandersand Steve Diamond) and the album was re-titled, with ‘Wichita Lineman’ not making the album’s final cut.
Glen Campbell (Wednesday 22 April 1936 – Tuesday 8 August 2017) recorded ‘Wichita Lineman’ (written by Jimmy Webb) and included the track on ‘Wichita Lineman’ (Capitol Records, 1968); the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for two weeks in December 1968 / January 1969.
Wade Hayes‘ ‘When The Wrong One Loves You Right’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1998) also included the following tracks:
‘Are We Having Fun Yet’, which was written by Wade Hayes, Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) and Lonnie Wilson
‘This Is My Heart Talking Now’ (written by Jason Sellers and Lewis Anderson)
‘One More Night With You’, which was written by Wade Hayes, Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022) and Don Cook
‘Summer Was A Bummer’, which was written by Hank Cochran (Friday 2 August 1935 – Thursday 15 July 2010) and Dean Dillon / this track was also recorded by Ty Herndon, who included it on ‘What Mattered Most’ (Epic Records, 1995)
‘If I Wanted To Forget’ (written by Chris Waters and Tom Shapiro)
‘Mine To Lose’ (written by Larry Boone, Paul Nelson and Matt King)
Personnel involved in the recording of Wade Hayes‘ ‘When The Wrong One Loves You Right’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1998) included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Larry Franklin (fiddle, mandolin)
Wade Hayes (lead vocals, background vocals, electric guitar)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano, keyboards, Hammond organ)
Liana Manis, John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Brent Mason (electric guitar, gut-string guitar, 6-string bass guitar)
Joey Miskulin (accordion)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Wade Hayes‘ ‘When The Wrong One Loves You Right’ (Columbia Records Nashville, 1998) reached No.9 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1998, No.92 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1998, and No.22 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1998.
On Tuesday 2 June 1998, the same day upon which Reba McEntire saw the release of ‘If You See Him’ (MCA Records, 1998), Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘If You See Her’ (Arista Records, 1998), which was produced by Kix Brooks, Don Cook and Ronnie Dunn, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘If You See Him / If You See Her’ (written by Terry McBride, Tommy Lee James and Jennifer Kimball) (No.1 for two weeks in June / July 1998) / this track, which was a duet with Reba McEntire, was produced by Tony Scott and Tim DuBois
‘How Long Gone’ (written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill) (No.1 for two weeks in September 1998)
‘Husbands & Wives’, which was written by Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 – Sunday 25 October 1992) (No.1 for one week in December 1998) / the track also reached No.36 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1998 / ‘Husbands & Wives’ was originally recorded by Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 – Sunday 25 October 1992), whose version peaked at No.5 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1966 and was originally included on Roger Miller’s ‘Words & Music’ (Smash Records, 1966)
‘I Can’t Get Over You’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.5, 1999)
‘South of Santa Fe’ (written by Larry Boone, Paul Nelson and Kix Brooks) (No.4, 1999) / this track was the last single to feature Kix Brooks on lead vocals instead of Ronnie Dunn
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘If You See Her’ (Arista Records, 1998) also included the following tracks:
‘Brand New Whiskey’, which was written by Gary Stewart (Sunday 28 May 1944 – Tuesday 16 December 2003) and Mary Lou Stewart
‘Born & Raised In Black and White’ (written by Don Cook and John Barlow Jarvis)
‘Your Love Don’t Take A Backseat To Nothing’ (written by Terry McBride, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn)
‘Way Gone’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘When Love Dies’, which was written by Chuck Cannon and Kent M. Robbins (Wednesday 23 April 1947 – Saturday 27 December 1997)
‘You’re My Angel’, which was written by Greg Humphrey and Michael Smotherman (Wednesday 17 December 1947 – Friday 29 November 2019)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘If You See Her’ (Arista Records, 1998), with the exception of ‘If You See Him / If You See Her’ (written by Terry McBride, Tommy Lee James and Jennifer Kimball), included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar)
Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Dennis Burnside (piano, keyboards, Hammond B-3 organ)
Mark Casstevens and Steve Gibson (acoustic guitar)
Shannon Forrest (drums)
Larry Franklin (fiddle, mandolin)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘assorted hoedown tools’)
Wes Hightower, Liana Manis, John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
David Hungate (bass guitar, tic tac bass)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano, keyboards, Hammond B-3 organ)
Chris Leuzinger (electric guitar)
Brent Mason (electric guitar, gut string guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
The Nashville String Machine (David Angell, David Davidson, Carl Gorodetzky, Lee Larrison, Pamela Sixfin, Alan Umstead, Catherine Umstead and Mary Kathryn Vanosdale) (violins)
Gary Vanosdale and Kris Wilkinson (violas)
John Catchings and Bob Mason (cellos)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s and Reba McEntire’s ‘If You See Him / If You See Her’ (written by Terry McBride, Tommy Lee James and Jennifer Kimball), included the following:
Bobby All (passed away on Thursday 19 March 2009) (acoustic guitar)
Bruce C. Bouton (pedal steel guitar)
Larry Byrom (electric guitar)
Kix Brooks and John Wesley Ryles (background vocals)
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Ronnie Dunn and Reba McEntire (lead vocals)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano, electric piano)
Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Randy McCormick (synthesizer)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
Lonnie Wilson (drums)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘If You See Her’ (Arista Records, 1998) reached No.4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1998, and was certified twice Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘If You See Her’ (Arista Records, 1998) also reached No.11 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1998, No.7 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1998, and No.42 on the Canadian RPM Top Albums Chart in 1998.
Reba McEntire recorded Don Cook’s ‘Steady As She Goes’ (co-written with Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) and included the track on the ‘exclusive collector’s edition bonus EP’ of ‘If You See Him’ (MCA Records, 1998).
James King (Tuesday 9 September 1958 – Thursday 19 May 2016) recorded Don Cook’s ‘I Don’t Do Floors’, which was co-written with Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Bed By The Window’ (Rounder Records, 1998).
Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 – Sunday 29 March 2020) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Don’t Our Love Look Natural’, which was co-written with Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 – Sunday 3 March 2002), and included the track on ‘A Night To Remember’ (Epic Records, 1999).
Alabama recorded Don Cook’s ‘Then We Remember’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Twentieth Century’ (RCA Records, 1999).
Steve Wariner recorded Don Cook’s ‘Since You Walked Away’ (co-written with Steve Wariner and John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Two Teardrops’ (Capitol Records, 1999).
On Tuesday 21 September 1999, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Tightrope’ (Arista Records, 1999), which was produced by Kix Brooks, Don Cook, Ronnie Dunn and Byron Gallimore, and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Missing You’ (written by John Waite, Mark Leonard and Charles Sandford) (No.15, 1999) / this track was a cover of John Waite‘s international pop music hit single from 1984
John Waite’s album, ‘No Brakes’ (EMI America, 1984), resulted in international attention and was a Billboard Top 10 album in the United States, due to the hit single, ‘Missing You’ (written by John Waite, Mark Leonard and Charles Sandford), which was No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1984.
Alison Krauss recorded ‘Missing You’ (written by John Waite, Mark Leonard and Charles Sandford) as a duet with John Waite; the track was included on ‘A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection’ (Rounder Records, 2007) and reached No.34 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2007; John Waite appeared with Alison Krauss on the ‘Tonight Show’ on Monday 5 February 2007 and they performed ‘Missing You’ together.
Alison Krauss’ ‘A Hundred Miles Or More: A Collection’ (Rounder Records, 2007), which featured duets with Sting, Brad Paisley, John Waite and James Taylor, reached No.10 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2007, No.3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2007, and No.38 on the United Kingdom Albums Chart in 2007.
‘Beer Thirty’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.19, 1999)
‘You’ll Always Be Loved By Me’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.5, 2000)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Tightrope’ (Arista Records, 1999) also included the following tracks:
‘Goin’ Under Gettin’ Over You’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) / this track reached No.60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart as a result of unsolicited play as an album cut
‘Temptation No.9’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘Hurt Train’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride)
‘Can’t Stop My Heart’ (written by Kix Brooks, Chris Waters and Tom Shapiro)
‘Too Far This Time’ (written by Ronnie Dunn)
‘I Love You More’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘Don’t Look Back Now’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook)
‘All Out of Love’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride)
‘The Trouble With Angels’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘Texas & Norma Jean’ (written by Kix Brooks and Lewis Anderson)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Tightrope’ (Arista Records, 1999) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Other Musicians
Robert Bailey, Kim Fleming, Vicki Hampton, John Wesley Ryles, Dennis Wilson and Curtis Young (background vocals)
Bruce C. Bouton (lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar)
Mike Brignardello and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Larry Byrom and Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Larry Franklin and Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Paul Franklin (pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar)
Rob Hajacos (fiddle, ‘assorted hoedown tools’)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano, keyboards, B-3 organ)
B. James Lowry and Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Steve Nathan (keyboards)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Tightrope’ (Arista Records, 1999) reached No.6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1999 and was certified ‘Gold’ by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Tightrope’ (Arista Records, 1999) also reached No.31 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1999, and No.6 on the Canadian RPM Country Albums Chart in 1999.
On Tuesday 20 June 2000, Billy Gilman saw the release of his debut album, ‘One Voice’ (Epic Records Nashville, 2000), which included three tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘One Voice’ (written by Don Cook and David Malloy) (No.20, 2000) / this track was produced by Don Cook, David Malloy and Blake Chancey
‘Oklahoma’ (written by John Allen and David Vincent Williams) (No.33, 2001) / this track was produced by David Malloy and Blake Chancey
‘There’s A Hero’ (written by Don Cook and John Barlow Jarvis) / this track was released as a single in 2001, but it did not chart / this track was produced by Don Cook and Blake Chancey
Billy Gilman’s debut album, ‘One Voice’ (Epic Records Nashville, 2000), also included the following tracks:
‘Little Things’ (written by Bobby Goldsboro) / this track was produced by Don Cook and Blake Chancey
‘I Think She Likes Me’ (written by Bob Regan and George Teren) / this track was produced by Don Cook and Blake Chancey
‘What’s Forever For’ (written by Rafe Van Hoy) / this track was produced by Don Cook and Blake Chancey
‘Spend Another Night’ (written by Skip Ewing and David Malloy) / this track was produced by David Malloy and Blake Chancey
‘Little Bitty Pretty One’ (written by Robert Byrd) / this track was produced by Don Cook and Blake Chancey
‘The Snake Song’ (written by Bobby Braddock) / this track was produced by David Malloy and Blake Chancey
‘I Wanna Get To Ya’ (written by Gary Baker, Frank J. Myers and David Malloy) / this track was produced by David Malloy and Blake Chancey
‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’, which was written by Tammy Wynette (Tuesday 5 May 1942 – Monday 6 April 1998), Billy Sherrill (Thursday 5 November 1936 – Tuesday 4 August 2015) and George Richey (Saturday 30 November 1935 – Saturday 31 July 2010) / this track was listed as a ‘bonus track’ / the original version of this track was recorded by Tammy Wynette, who included it on ‘Til I Can Make It On My Own’ (Epic Records, 1976); Tammy Wynette’s version of the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in April 1976
Personnel involved in the recording of Billy Gilman’s debut album, ‘One Voice’ (Epic Records Nashville, 2000), included the following tracks:
Mark Casstevens and Jerry McPherson (gut string guitar, acoustic guitar)
Eric Darken and Tom Roady (percussion)
Larry Franklin (fiddle, mandolin)
Billy Gilman (lead vocals)
Carl Gorodetzky (string contractor)
Wes Hightower, Liana Manis, Anthony Martin, Cindy Richardson-Walker and Lisa Silver (background vocals)
Jim Horn (horn arrangements, tenor saxophone)
John Barlow Jarvis (keyboards)
Blair Masters (drum loops)
Greg Morrow (drums)
The Nashville String Machine (strings)
Jimmy Nichols (keyboards, background vocals)
Steve Patrick (trumpet)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
Charles Rose (trombone)
Brent Rowan (electric guitar)
Harvey Thompson (tenor saxophone)
Robby Turner (steel guitar)
Bergen White (string arrangements)
Billy Gilman’s debut album, ‘One Voice’ (Epic Records Nashville, 2000), reached No.2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2000.
On Tuesday 12 September 2000, Wade Hayes saw the release of ‘Highways & Heartaches’ (Monument Records, 2000), which was produced by Don Cook, Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included three tracks, which were released as singles on the Billboard hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Up North (Down South, Back East, Out West)’ (written by Jill Wood and Danny Wells) (No.48, 2000)
‘Goodbye Is The Wrong Way To Go’ (written by Shawn Camp and Will Smith) (No.45, 2000)
‘What’s It Gonna Take’ (written by John Rich and John Barlow Jarvis) / this track was released as a single in 2000, but it did not chart
Wade Hayes‘ ‘Highways & Heartaches’ (Monument Records, 2000) also included the following tracks:
‘Life After Lovin’ You’ (written by Billy Burnette and Brett Beavers)
‘She Used To Say That To Me’ (written by Jim Lauderdale and John Scott Sherrill)
‘Up & Down’ (written by Terry McBride and Marv Green)
‘You Just Keep On’, which was written by Shawn Camp, Herb McCullough (Thursday 18 May 1944 – Tuesday 5 May 2015) and Taylor Dunn
‘That’s What Honky Tonks Are For’, which was written by Don Cook and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022)
‘You Were, You Are, You’ll Always Be’ (written by Lewis Anderson and George Teren)
‘I’m Lonesome Too’ (written by Shawn Camp and Gary Scruggs)
Personnel involved in the recording of Wade Hayes‘ ‘Highways & Heartaches’ (Monument Records, 2000) included the following:
Bruce C. Bouton (steel guitar, keyboards)
Mark Casstevens and Biff Watson (acoustic guitar)
Chad Cromwell and Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Paul Franklin (electric guitar, steel guitar, slide guitar)
Sonny Garrish (steel guitar)
Rob Hajacos and Aubrey Haynie (fiddle, mandolin, ‘assorted hoedown tools’)
Wade Hayes (electric guitar, lead vocals, background vocals)
John A. Hobbs (Saturday 11 February 1928 – Wednesday 12 June 2019) (keyboards)
John Barlow Jarvis (organ, piano)
Chris Leuzinger and Brent Mason (electric guitar)
Liana Manis, John Wesley Ryles and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Brian Siewart (string arrangements)
Reese Wynans (organ, piano)
Wade Hayes’ ‘Highways & Heartaches’ (Monument Records, 2000) reached No.55 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2000.
On Tuesday 17 April 2001, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Steers & Stripes’ (Arista Records, 2001), which was produced by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Mark Wright, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You’ (written by Tom Shapiro and Rivers Rutherford) (No.1 for six weeks in April / May / June 2001) / according to Billboard magazine, this track was the most played single of the year on American country music radio in 2001 / this track also reached No.25 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 2001
‘Only In America’ (written by Kix Brooks, Don Cook and Ronnie Rogers) (No.1 for one week in October / November 2001)
‘The Long Goodbye’ (written by Paul Brady and Ronan Keating) (No.1 for one week in March 2002)
‘My Heart Is Lost To You’ (written by Brett Beavers and Connie Harrington) (No.5, 1992)
‘Every River’ (written by Kim Richey, Angelo Petraglia and Tom Littlefield) (No.12, 1992)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Steers & Stripes’ (Arista Records, 2001) also included the following tracks:
‘The Last Thing I Do’ (written by David Lee Murphy and Kim Tribble)
‘Go West’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘Good Girls Go To Heaven’ (written by Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride and Shawn Camp)
‘When She’s Gone, She’s Gone’, which was written by Tom Douglas and Wayland D. Holyfield (Sunday 15 March 1942 – Monday 6 May 2024)
‘Unloved’ (written by Steve Diamond and Keith Follesé)
‘Deny, Deny, Deny’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘Lucky Me, Lonely You’ (written by Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride and Shawn Camp)
‘I Fall’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook)
‘See Jane Dance’ (written by Charlie Crowe)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Steers & Stripes’ (Arista Records, 2001) included the following:
Bob Bailey, Kim Fleming, Vicki Hampton, Gene Miller, Kim Richey, Chris Rodriguez, John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson and Trisha Yearwood (background vocals)
Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
J.T. Corenflos (Wednesday 6 November 1963 – Saturday 24 October 2020) and Kenny Greenberg (electric guitar)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Greg Davis (banjo)
Dan Dugmore (acoustic guitar, steel guitar)
Shannon Forrest (drums)
Paul Franklin (steel guitar, Dobro)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar)
Brent Rowan (electric guitar, gut string guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
Mindi Abair (saxophone)
Steve Nathan (keyboards, synthesizer, piano, B3 organ)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
The Nashville String Machine (strings arranged and conducted by David Campbell)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Steers & Stripes’ (Arista Records, 2001) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2001, and was certified ‘Platinum’ by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Steers & Stripes’ (Arista Records, 2001) reached No.4 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2001.
On Tuesday 8 May 2001, Billy Gilman saw the release of ‘Dare To Dream’ (Epic Records Nashville, 2001), which was produced by Blake Chancey, David Malloy and Don Cook, and included the following tracks:
‘She’s My Girl’ (written by Brian Baker, Zack Turner and Lonnie Wilson)
‘Our First Kiss’ (written by Bonnie Baker and Bob DiPiero)
‘Elisabeth’ (written by Kim Patton-Johnston and Liz Rose)
‘I’ve Got To Make It To Summer’ (written by Don Cook and David Malloy)
‘My Time On Earth’ (written by Tommy Conners, Adam Hughes and David Vincent Williams)
‘You Don’t, You Won’t’ (written by David Bassett and Michael Himelstein)
‘She’s Everything You Want’ (written by Mary Danna, Michael Gerald Lunn and David Malloy)
‘God’s Alive & Well’ (written by David Malloy and Bruce Roberts)
‘The Woman In My Life’ (written by Don Cook, Bob Regan and Leslie Satcher)
‘Almost Love’ (written by Tom Douglas and Marcus Hummon)
‘Some Things I Know’ (written by Sally Barris and Burton Collins)
‘Shamey, Shamey, Shame’ (written by Randle Chowing, Mark Morton and Alan Ross)
Personnel involved in the recording of Billy Gilman’s ‘Dare To Dream’ (Epic Records Nashville, 2001) included the following:
Mark Casstevens and Billy Panda (acoustic guitar)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Billy Gilman (lead vocals)
Mike Haynes (trumpet)
Jim Horn (baritone saxophone, horn arrangements)
David Hungate and Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
John Barlow Jarvis (keyboards)
Alison Krauss (vocal ad-libs)
Michael Lunn and Brent Rowan (electric guitar)
Greg Morrow (drums)
The Nashville String Machine (strings)
Jimmy Nichols (keyboards, background vocals)
Greg Piccolo and Havey Thompson (tenor saxophone)
Leslie Satcher, The Slugs, Cindy Richardson-Walker and Lonnie Wilson (background vocals)
Robby Turner (steel guitar)
Bergen White (string arrangements)
Billy Gilman’s ‘Dare To Dream’ (Epic Records Nashville, 2001) reached No.6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2001, and No.45 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2001.
On Tuesday 8 October 2002, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘It Won’t Be Christmas Without You’ (Arista Records, 2002), which was produced by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Mark Wright and Greg Droman, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Hangin’ ‘Round The Mistletoe’ (written by Kostas) (No.47, 2002)
‘It Won’t Be Christmas Without You’ (written by Steven Busch, Ronnie Dunn and Jerry Lynn Williams) (No.41, 2002)
‘Rockin’ Little Christmas’ (written by Deborah Allen and Bruce Channel) (No.57, 2003)
‘Winter Wonderland’ (written by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith) (No.57, 2003)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘It Won’t Be Christmas Without You’ (Arista Records, 2002) also included the following tracks:
‘Blue Christmas’ (written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson)
‘Santa’s Coming Over To Your House’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook)
‘The Christmas Song’, which was written by Mel Tormé (Sunday 13 September 1925 – Saturday 5 June 1999) and Robert Wells (Sunday 15 October 1922 – Monday 28 September 1998)
‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’, which was written by John Frederick Coots (2 May 1897 – Monday 8 April 1985) and James Lamont ‘Haven’ Gillespie (6 February 1888 – Friday 14 March 1975)
‘Who Says There Ain’t No Santa’ (written by Kix Brooks, Larry Boone and Paul Nelson)
‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’, which was written by Kim Gannon, Walter Kent and Buck Ram (Thursday 21 November 1907 – Tuesday 1 January 1991)
‘White Christmas’, which was written by Irving Berlin (11 May 1888 – Friday 22 September 1989)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘It Won’t Be Christmas Without You’ (Arista Records, 2002) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Additional Musicians
Deborah Allen, Bekka Bramlett, Bruce Channel, Lisa Cochran, John Wesley Ryles and Harry Stinson (background vocals)
David Campbell (string arrangements, conductor)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Shannon Forrest (drums)
Paul Franklin (steel guitar)
Barry Green (trombone)
Kenny Greenberg, Brent Mason and Brent Rowan (electric guitar)
Mike Haynes and Steve Patrick (trumpet)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle, mandolin)
Jim Horn (baritone saxophone)
B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar)
The Nashville String Machine (strings)
Steve Nathan (keyboards, Hammond organ, piano)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) (bass guitar)
Denis Solee (tenor saxophone)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘It Won’t Be Christmas Without You’ (Arista Records, 2002) reached No.12 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2002, No.81 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2002, and No.7 on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums Chart in 2002.
Olivia Newton-John (Sunday 26 September 1948 – Monday 8 August 2022) recorded Don Cook’s ‘Bad About You’ (co-written with James House and Olivia Newton-John) and included the track on ‘2’ (BMG US, 2002); the track was a duet with William Richard Thorpe (Friday 29 March 1946 – Wednesday 28 February 2007).
Steve Wariner re-recorded Don Cook’s ‘Small Town Girl’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Steal Away’ (SelecTone Records, 2003); the original version of this track was recorded by Steve Wariner, who included it on ‘It’s A Crazy World’ (MCA Records, 1987); Steve Wariner‘s original version of this track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in March / April 1987.
Engelbert Humperdink recorded Don Cook’s ‘Nothing A Little Love Won’t Cure’ (co-written with Larry Boone, Rick Bowles and Tommy Dunbar) and included the track on ‘Definition of Love’ (Hip-O Records, 2003).
On Tuesday 15 July 2003, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Red Dirt Road’ (Arista Records, 2003), which was produced by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Mark Wright, and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
‘Red Dirt Road’ (written by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in August 2003)
‘You Can’t Take The Honky Tonk Out of The Girl’ (written by Bob DiPiero and Bart Allmand) (No.3, 2004)
‘That’s What She Gets For Loving Me’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.6, 2004)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Red Dirt Road’ (Arista Records, 2003) also included the following tracks:
‘Caroline’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Charlie Crowe)
‘When We Were Kings’ (written by Kix Brooks and Gary Nicholson)
‘Feels Good Don’t It’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride)
‘I Used To Know This Song By Heart’ (written by Jerry Lynn Williams)
‘Believer’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Craig Wiseman)
‘Memory Town’ (written by Kix Brooks and Rafe Van Hoy)
‘She Was Born To Run’, which was written by Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride and Kenny Beard (Thursday 26 February 1959 – Sunday 1 October 2017)
‘Til My Dyin’ Day’ (written by Kix Brooks and Paul Nelson)
‘My Baby’s Everything I Love’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook)
‘Good Day To Be Me’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘Good Cowboy’ (written by Nile Rodgers and Jimmie Vaughan)
‘Holy War’ (written by Ronnie Dunn)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Red Dirt Road’ (Arista Records, 2003) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals, tambourine)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Additional Musicians
Robert Bailey, Bekka Bramlett, Perry Coleman, Vicki Hampton, Wes Hightower, John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson, Crystal Taliefero, Russell Terrell, Dan Tyminski, Christopher Willis and Dennis Wilson (background vocals)
Pat Buchanan and John Jorgenson (electric guitar)
Mark Casstevens and B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar)
J.T. Corenflos (Wednesday 6 November 1963 – Saturday 24 October 2020), Charlie Crowe, Brent Mason and Lou Toomey (electric guitar)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Jerry Douglas (Dobro)
Dan Dugmore (acoustic guitar, steel guitar, Dobro)
Shannon Forrest (drums)
Paul Franklin (steel guitar)
Kenny Greenberg (acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
Aubrey Haynie (fiddle)
Jim Hoke (harmonica, accordion)
Clayton Ivey (piano)
Bill Kenner (mandola)
Steve Nathan (piano, keyboard, Wurlitzer, Mellotron, Hammond B-3 organ)
Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023) and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, National guitar)
Mark Wright (tambourine, background vocals)
Reese Wynans (Hammond B-3 organ)
Jeff Coffin, Jim Horn, Samuel Levine and Steve Patrick (horns performance)
Jim Horn (horns arrangement)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Red Dirt Road’ (Arista Records, 2003) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2003 and was certified ‘Platinum’ by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Red Dirt Road’ (Arista Records, 2003) also reached No.4 on the included the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2003.
Karen Lynne recorded Don Cook’s ‘Hopelessly Yours’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘Second Wind’ (Shoestring Records, 2003); the track was a duet with Grant Richardson.
On Tuesday 2 October 2007, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘Cowboy Town’ (Arista Records, 2007), their final album, which was produced by Kix Brooks, Tony Brown and Ronnie Dunn, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart:
‘Proud of The House We Built’ (written by Ronnie Dunn, Marv Green and Terry McBride) (No.4, 2007)
‘God Must Be Busy’ (written by Clint Daniels and Michael P. Heeney) (No.11, 2007)
‘Put A Girl In It’ (written by Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip) (No.3, 2008)
‘Cowgirls Don’t Cry’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.2, 2008) / this track also reached No.1 on the Canadian RPM Country Chart in 2007 / an alternative version of this track, which featured Reba McEntire, was sent to American country music radio while the single was climbing the Billboard country music chart and she started to be credited on the charts, thus making this their second duet together after ‘If You See Him / If You See Her’ in 1998 / Reba McEntire was also featured in the music video for ‘Cowgirls Don’t Cry’, which premiered in late 2008
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Cowboy Town’ (Arista Records, 2007) also included the following tracks:
‘Cowboy Town’ (written by Ronnie Dunn, Larry Boone and Paul Nelson)
‘Johnny Cash Junkie (Buck Owens Freak)’ (written by Ronnie Dunn, Larry Boone and Paul Nelson)
‘The Ballad of Jerry Jeff Walker’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero) / this track featured guest vocals from Jerry Jeff Walker (Monday 16 March 1942 – Friday 24 October 2020)
‘Tequila’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride)
‘Drop In The Bucket’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘Drunk On Love’ (written by Darrell Brown and Radney Foster)
‘Chance of A Lifetime’ (written by Kix Brooks and Bob DiPiero)
‘American Dreamer’ (written by Kix Brooks, Brett Beavers and Don Cook)
Personnel involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Cowboy Town’ (Arista Records, 2007) included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals, background vocals)
Kix Brooks (lead vocals, background vocals)
Additional Musicians
Robert Bailey, Haley Dunn, Kim Fleming, Vicki Hampton, Wes Hightower, Jeff Kersey, Wendy Moten, Kim Parent, Pat Peterson, John Wesley Ryles, Harry Stinson, Crystal Taliefero and Russell Terrell (background vocals)
Eddie Bayers and Paul Scholton (drums)
Larry Beaird and Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
Mike Brignardello, Larry Paxton, Alison Prestwood, Michael Rhodes (Wednesday 16 September 1953 – Saturday 4 March 2023), Jimmie Lee Sloas and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Tom Bukovac and Kenny Greenberg (acoustic guitar, electric guitar)
J.T. Corenflos (Wednesday 6 November 1963 – Saturday 24 October 2020), Brent Mason, Jerry McPherson, James Mitchell and Lou Toomey (electric guitar)
Chad Cromwell, Owen Hale and Chris McHugh (drums)
Eric Darken (percussion)
Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin, Gary Morse and Russ Pahl (steel guitar, lap steel guitar)
Rob Hajacos, Aubrey Haynie and Hank Singer (fiddle)
Tony Harrell (keyboards, Hammond organ, piano)
John Barlow Jarvis (piano)
Terry McBride(bass guitar, background vocals)
Reba McEntire (vocals on ‘Cowgirls Don’t Cry’)
Greg Morrow (drums, percussion)
Jimmy Nichols (Fender Rhodes, keyboards, Hammond organ, piano)
Rex Schnelle (electric guitar, percussion)
Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, mandolin)
Ilya Toshinsky (banjo, acoustic guitar)
Jerry Jeff Walker (Monday 16 March 1942 – Friday 24 October 2020) (vocals on ‘The Ballad of Jerry Jeff Walker’)
John Willis (banjo)
Reese Wynans (Hammond organ, piano)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Cowboy Town’ (Arista Records, 2007) reached No.4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2007, No.13 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2007, No.23 on the Australian ARIA Charts in 2007, No.1 on the Australian Top Country Albums Chart in 2007.
On Monday 10 August 2009, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) announced through their official website, that Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were going their separate ways, as of 2010.
On Tuesday 8 September 2009, Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) saw the release of ‘No.1s…& Then Some’ (Arista Records, 2009, which featured twenty-eight past hit singles, along with two new recordings, on a two-disc CD:
Disc 1
‘Honky Tonk Stomp’ (written by Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride and Bobby Pinson) (No.16, 2009) / this track featured guest vocals from Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and was previously unreleased
‘Brand New Man’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in September 1991)
‘Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You’ (written by Tom Shapiro and Rivers Rutherford) (No.1 for six weeks in April / May / June 2001) / according to Billboard magazine, this track was the most played single of the year on American country music radio in 2001 / this track also reached No.25 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 2001
‘Hillbilly Deluxe’ (written by Brad Crisler and Craig Wiseman) (No.16, 2006)
‘How Long Gone’ (written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill) (No.1 for two weeks in September 1998)
‘She’s Not The Cheatin’ Kind’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in October 1994)
‘A Man This Lonely’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Tommy Lee James) (No.1 for one week in February 1997)
‘Rock My World (Little Country Girl)’ (written by Bill LaBounty and Steve O’Brien) (No.2, 1993)
‘Red Dirt Road’ (written by Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in August 2003)
‘The Long Goodbye’ (written by Paul Brady and Ronan Keating) (No.1 for one week in March 2002)
‘You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in August 1995)
‘If You See Him / If You See Her’ (written by Terry McBride, Tommy Lee James and Jennifer Kimball) (No.1 for two weeks in June / July 1998) / this track was a duet with Reba McEntire
‘She Used To Be Mine’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in November 1993)
‘That Ain’t No Way To Go’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for week in June 1994)
‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for three weeks in August 1992)
Disc 2
‘Indian Summer’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Bob DiPiero) (No.16, 2009) / this track was previously unreleased
‘Play Something Country’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.1, 2005)
‘My Next Broken Heart’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1 for one week in December 1991)
‘Cowgirls Don’t Cry’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.2, 2009) / this track featured guest vocals from Reba McEntire
‘Lost & Found’ (written by Kix Brooks and Don Cook) (No.6, 1992) / this track was the first Brooks & Dunn single which featured Kix Brooks on lead vocals
‘Little Miss Honky Tonk’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in April / May 1995)
‘It’s Getting Better All The Time’ (written by Don Cook and Ronnie Bowman) (No.1, 2004)
‘We’ll Burn That Bridge’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.2, 1993)
‘He’s Got You’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride) (No.2, 1997)
‘Only In America’ (written by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Don Cook) (No.1, 2001)
‘I Am That Man’ (written by Terry McBride and Monty Powell) (No.2, 1996)
‘Husbands & Wives’, which was written by Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 – Sunday 25 October 1992) (No.1 for one week in December 1998) / this track also reached No.36 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1998 / the original version of this track was recorded by Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 – Sunday 25 October 1992), who included it on ‘Words & Music’ (Smash Records, 1966); Roger Miller’s version reached No.5 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1966
‘Neon Moon’ (written by Ronnie Dunn) (No.1 for one week in May 1992)
‘My Maria’, which was written by Daniel Moore and B.W. Stevenson (Wednesday 5 October 1949 – Thursday 28 April 1988) (No.1 for two weeks in May / June 1996) / according to Billboard magazine, this track was the most played song of the year on American country music radio in 1996
‘Believe’ (written by Ronnie Dunn and Craig Wiseman) (No.8, 2005)
Personnel involved in the recording of ‘Honky Tonk Stomp’ and ‘Indian Summer’ included the following:
Brooks & Dunn
Kix Brooks (background vocals)
Ronnie Dunn (lead vocals)
Additional musicians involved in the recording of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Honky Tonk Stomp’ and ‘Indian Summer’ included the following:
Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar)
J.T. Corenflos (Wednesday 6 November 1963 – Saturday 24 October 2020), Kenny Greenberg and Bryan Sutton (electric guitar)
Shawn Fichter and Lonnie Wilson (drums)
Billy Gibbons (electric guitar, background vocals on ‘Honky Tonk Stomp’)
Wes Hightower (background vocals)
Tim Lauer (keyboards)
Gary Morse (steel guitar)
Larry Paxton (bass guitar)
Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Brooks & Dunn’s ‘No.1s…& Then Some’ (Arista Records, 2009) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2009, No.5 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 2009, and No.10 on the Canadian Country Albums Chart in 2009.
Michael Martin Murphey recorded Don Cook’s ‘What Am I Doing Here’, which was co-written with Michael Martin Murphey and Chick Rains (Wednesday 5 November 1941 – Friday 21 January 2022), and included the track on ‘Lone Cowboy’ (Western Jubilee Recording Company, 2010).
Clay Walker recorded Don Cook’s ‘Where Do I Go From You’ (co-written with Clint Daniels and Ryan Tyndell) and included the track on ‘She Won’t Be Lonely Long’ (Curb Records, 2010); the track reached No.26 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 2010.
On Tuesday 17 April 2012, Brooks & Dunn’s ‘No.1s…& Then Some’ (Arista Records, 2009) was re-released and re-packaged as ‘The Essential Brooks & Dunn’ (Arista Nashville Records, 2012). Both albums have an identical track listing. Brooks & Dunn’s ‘The Essential Brooks & Dunn’ (Arista Nashville Records, 2012) peaked at No.59 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart the week of Saturday 12 May 2012.
THE ROYS (Lee and Elaine Roy) recorded Don Cook’s ‘There’s A New Kid In Town’, which was co-written with Claude Putnam Jr. and Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘Bluegrass Kinda Christmas’ (Rural Rhythm Records, 2014).
Lorrie Morgan recorded Don Cook’s ‘Wherever You Are Tonight’, which was co-written with Gary Nicholson and Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘A Picture of Me: Greatest Hits & More’ (Cleopatra Records, 2016).
Lorrie Morgan recorded Don Cook’s ‘Hopelessly Yours’, which was co-written with Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 – Sunday 30 October 2016) and Keith Whitley (Thursday 1 July 1954 – Tuesday 9 May 1989), and included the track on ‘A Picture of Me: Greatest Hits & More’ (Cleopatra Records, 2016).
Wade Hayes recorded Don Cook’s ‘Julia’ (co-written with John Jarvis) and included the track on ‘Old Country Song’ (Conabor Records, 2017).
On Monday 18 March 2019, at 10:00am Central, Bill Cody of Nashville’s WSM 650AM announced that the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum inductees for 2019, would be Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) (Modern Era), Jerry Bradley (Non Performer) and Ray Stevens (Veteran Era).
Sideline recorded Don Cook’s ‘Crash Course In The Blues’ (co-written with John Barlow Jarvis and Steve Wariner) and included the track on ‘Breaks To The Edge’ (Mountain Home Music Company, 2020).
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