Country Music

Brooks & Dunn and Marcus King – “Rock My World (Little Country Girl)” | CMA Fest 2025

Introduction

Brooks & Dunn Joins Forces With Lainey Wilson and Marcus King For Electrifying Collaborations At CMA Fest - Music Mayhem

“Rock My World (Little Country Girl)” is a high-energy track written by Bill LaBounty and Steve O’Brien, originally recorded by legendary country duo Brooks & Dunn. Released on December 6, 1993, it served as the fourth single from their sophomore album Hard Workin’ Man. Notably, it was the second single to feature Kix Brooks on lead vocals, and it soared to No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, also crossing over to peak at No. 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 .

Set against the backdrop of early‑’90s country, the song perfectly blended rock-flavored energy with a bluesy swagger. Its lyrics describe a captivating country girl with a T-Top Camaro blasting Johnny B. Goode while mixing Madonna’s attitude with Merle Haggard’s soul. Brooks’s gritty delivery, combined with Don Cook and Scott Hendricks’s dynamic production, made it both radio-ready and memorable.

Fast forward to 2024, Brooks & Dunn reimagined the track for Reboot II, a revival project in which they gave guest artists complete musical freedom. On this version, South Carolina-born blues-rock sensation Marcus King brought his own band and stylistic flair to the studio session, infusing the song with fiery guitar riffs, soulful vocals, and a honky-tonk rock edge . King described adding “a little South Carolina red clay on it” while acknowledging Kix’s legendary bravado—and many critics agree that his electrifying interpretation stands on its own.

The collaboration reached a live peak during the 52nd CMA Fest at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium (June 5–8, 2025), where Brooks & Dunn invited Marcus King onstage for a powerful, crowd-thrilling rendition of “Rock My World (Little Country Girl)” . Widely cited as one of the event’s most standout moments, the performance captured the enduring appeal of the song, bridging its ‘90s roots with fresh, contemporary rock-soul energy .

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“THE CROWD ROSE… AND HE NEVER KNEW IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME THEY DID.” On February 13, 2016, Merle Haggard stepped onto the stage in Dallas looking weary, yet quietly determined — like a man who still had one more story to tell through music. When he began singing “Sing Me Back Home,” his voice carried a gentleness that felt unusually delicate, almost as if the song itself was guiding him through the moment. As the final notes faded into the silence of the hall, the audience slowly rose to their feet. The applause grew louder and louder. Merle bowed — slowly, almost humbly — holding onto that moment just a little longer than anyone noticed at the time. No one in that room realized it would be the last standing ovation he would ever witness. But somehow, that night, the applause didn’t sound like the end of a concert. It sounded like gratitude — a heartfelt thank-you for a lifetime of songs, stories, and memories he had given to the world.

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