Kix Brooks

Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Kix Brooks was influenced by a vareity of regional musical styles ranging from Cajun to Blues to Jazz to Country.

Brooks began performing at age 12, then contiuned performing in clubs and at other venues throughout high school.  He also began writing songs at that time.  Eventually he landed in Nashville, where he joined Tree Publishing Company.  Shortly thereafter, artisits like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John Conlee and Highway 101 all scored #1's with Brooks' songs.

In 1990 Brooks teamed with Ronnie Dunn to form Brooks & Dunn, who are the highest selling duo in the history of country music.  They have sold more than 30 million records, won more than 75 major industry awards, had 23 #1 hits, and just set a new record with their 41st top 10 single, breaking a tie with Alabama as the duo or group with the most Top 10 country singles in the 19-year history of Nielsen BDS-monitored airplay.

Never one to let the grass grow under his feet, Brooks ventured into the world of radio in 2006 when he took over the hosting reins of the long-running syndicated radio program, American Country Countdown.  Having recently notched his third year in that chair, Brooks reflected on his reason for joining ACC as host, "I really enjoy what I do for a living.  I love this business. I love the characters and personalities in this business.  At the end of the day, it's all about sharing those stories."  The broadcast industry took note, and in 2009, honored him with the National Broadcasting Personalitly of the Year award, making Brooks the first person to ever win a Country Music Association (CMA) in both the artist and broadcast categories.

Brooks served as President, in 2004 and Chairman, in 2005 of the CMA, he is currnetly an active board member.  Brooks is also on the boards of Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and Avenue Bank, and previously served on teh Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau.  He is the local spokesperson for Monroe harding Children's Home and is a founding parner of Arrington Vineyards in Arrington, Tennesse.  Brooks has been married to his wife Barbara for 27 years and they have two children Mooly, 22 and Eric, 19.