Brooks & Dunn have been entertaining crowds for decades. The duo and their band have played more than 980 concerts in their career.

What does it take to get the Country Music Hall of Famers into the right headspace before a show?

The One Thing That Brooks & Dunn Require Backstage at Every Show

While interviewing Ronnie Dunn for Taste of Country Nights on Demand, I asked the Hall of Famer what is on his backstage tour rider list. His answer was not what you would expect from such a huge superstar.

The “Neon Moon” singer said, “Nothing crazy. I’ve heard their green M&Ms and stuff like that. We never tried to do that.”

Dunn then spilled the beans … or whiskey, if you will:

“Maybe like a little, you know, humble bottle of Blanton’s, or something like that.”

Why Is a Bottle of Whiskey Necessary for Brooks & Dunn Backstage?

Dunn explains, “We all like to take, in the band, like, just a shot, going on. We’d all gather at the box, ya know, most people pray and do things that are righteous, ya know, and we’d shoot whiskey.”

A bottle of Blanton’s looks to go anywhere from $70 all the way up to $300, depending on the exact spirit. While humble for Brooks & Dunn, it’s a little pricey for us normal folk.

This formula has certainly worked for the duo, as they have been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and have 20 No. 1 songs under their belt.

To this day, Brooks & Dunn still hit the road, so if you see them at one of their shows, just know that they just did a shot of whiskey right before they came on.

Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 130 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today’s top stars, like Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, + more!