(AUDIO) RONNIE DUNN KNOWS VALUE OF CMA AWARDS AND PREDICTS FGL WILL HAVE A BIG NIGHT

Ronnie Dunn knows what it’s like to win a CMA Awards, considering he and his former partner, Kix Brooks, won 17 of them as Brooks & Dunn.  But Ronnie admits that back in 1992 when they won their first award for Vocal Duo of the Year, he didn’t realize just how important winning would be.  “I didn’t know or realize and understand or appreciate the impact that those shows can have on careers, until we showed up and won the first time. Then the next show the next night when you’re out, it’s a completely different reaction to what you’re doing. Even though it’s the same thing, you just won an award on a TV show.”

Of the 17 CMA Awards Brooks & Dunn won, 14 of them were for Vocal Duo of the Year.  Looking at this year’s nominees, Ronnie says, “I think Florida Georgia Line, that’s going to be a hard one to beat for a while.”  He thinks all the nominees are great, but he says, “FGL is strong.”

Ronnie has been nominated for two Grammy Awards as a solo artist, and perhaps will add to his CMA Award legacy with some more nominations in the future, based on his new album, Tattooed Heart, featuring “Damn Drunk,” which he’ll released on November 11th.

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Ronnie Dunn – Brooks & Dunn CMA legacy  :38

“I didn’t know or realize and understand or appreciate the impact that those shows can have on careers, until we showed up and won the first time. Then the next show the next night when you’re out, it’s a completely different reaction to what you’re doing. Even though it’s the same thing, you just won an award on a TV show. Also, for years I was naïve. For five or six years into Brooks and Dunn, I really didn’t understand or know what the Country Music Association was and what all it did. Now I do. It was obviously it played a big hand in our success.”

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Ronnie Dunn – CMA Awards FGL  :13

“I think Florida Georgia Line that’s going to be a hard one to beat for a while. That’s a good bunch. You’ve got Brothers Osborne, Dan and Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Joey and Rory, and Maddie and Tae. FGL is strong. They’re all strong.”