Brooks & Dunn Broke up Back in 2009, and Many Want to Know What Caused the Split

Country duo Brooks & Dunn have been a major part of country music for decades and even appeared at the 2024 CMAs. The duo first broke into country in the 1990s, and they produced a string of hits throughout that decade and into the 2000s.

In 2009, though, the duo announced that they were calling it quits, leading many to wonder what led to that decision. Thankfully, they've since reunited to make another album together and two, but even so, many are still wondering what led to that initial breakup. Here's what we know.

Brooks & Dunn announced their break up in a statement in August of 2009.

"After 20 years of making music and riding this trail together, we have agreed as a duo that it’s time call it a day," Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn said. "This ride has been everything and more than we could ever have dreamed … We owe it all to you, the fans. If you hear rumors, don’t believe them, it’s just time."

The two released one final album and also embarked on a farewell tour following that announcement, but by 2010, they were officially over.

Although their statement made it clear they didn't want to play into rumors that there was tension between them, interviews that they gave afterward clarified that they were not actually on the best of terms when they decided to break up.

"Looking back, we should have just taken a break and let all the dust settle under us," Dunn explained to USA Today in 2009,

"There have always been hurt feelings. There have always been opinions," Brooks added.

Ultimately, their breakup came down to disagreements over song choices. "We both knew this was probably it," Brooks explained.

"He called back the next day and said, 'I don’t want to do this anymore,'" Brooks continued. "And I was in agreement. I really was. I was willing that day to try and work it out, but when he said, 'This is it, I really think it is,' I said, 'I think it is, too' … I was and still am totally at peace with it. It’s a good time for us to stop."

In a separate interview with People when the duo reunited for the first time in 2015, they clarified that while they didn't hate each other, it was simply time to take a break.

“There was never a rift,” Dunn explained. “We [broke up] because we’d been doing it for over 20 years and felt like we’d accomplished everything that we could.”

“We ran out of gas,” Brooks added. “We needed a break, you know.”

“After four or five years of having dinner and vacationing, we thought, ‘Gosh, if we can come out here and golf and eat some great dinners in one of the greatest venues in the world, then yeah,’" Brooks continued.

Now, the two seem to be back together. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder.