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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