Bob DiPiero, Terry McBride, and Craig Wiseman—who’ve collectively written dozens of songs recorded by Brooks & Dunn and other country hit-makers—discuss and perform songs from their catalogs during a 2019 in-the-round performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

DiPiero performs and talks about “Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl,” recorded by Brooks & Dunn, and shares the process of co-writing “Indian Summer” with the Country Music Hall of Fame members: Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn each on separate buses, feet apart, texting lyrics back and forth. DiPiero also sings what became his first #1 song, “American Made,” recorded by the Oak Ridge Boys, and another #1 hit, “Church on Cumberland Road,” recorded by Shenandoah.

Terry McBride performs a few of his co-written Brooks & Dunn hits, including “Cowgirls Don’t Cry,” which featured Reba McEntire; the #1 Brooks & Dunn and McEntire collaboration “If You See Him/If You See Her”; and the #1 “Play Something Country.” McBride also talks about his time as a recording artist with McBride & the Ride, and performs their song, “Sacred Ground,” originally written and recorded by Brooks as a solo artist.

Before performing his #1 hit “Summertime” as he originally wrote it, Craig Wiseman recalls pulling the snowcone-inspired “tutti frutti” out of the first verse, on Kenny Chesney’s request. He also plays “Damn Right I’m Gonna Miss You,” recorded by Brooks & Dunn on their “Cowboy Town” album, and “Hillbilly Deluxe,” the title track to the duo’s 2005 album. Wiseman closes the show with a moving performance of “Believe,” and shares how he and Dunn wrote it, crediting Dunn’s vocal performance with transforming the song into an emotional experience.

Presented in support of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition “Brooks & Dunn: Kings of Neon” (August 9, 2019, through July 26, 2021).

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