Introduction
When country icons Brooks & Dunn released “Honky Tonk Stomp” on August 10, 2009, it marked a high‑energy finale to their celebrated run before their announced hiatus. As the duo’s 50th single and the second and final release from their compilation #1s… and Then Some, the track spotlighted their blend of honky‑tonk roots and rock‑tinged swagger .
Penned by Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride, and Bobby Pinson, the song captures the feel of a lively rural party—an uptempo anthem driven by electric guitars and a pounding rhythm section. The title came after Pinson introduced the concept and Dunn suggested “Honky Tonk Stomp” as the perfect encapsulation of its spirit.
The track’s rock edge was amplified by the contribution of Billy Gibbons, frontman of ZZ Top, whose gruff vocals and guitar work bring Texan swagger to the sound. Dunn himself reached out to Gibbons, adding that distinct blues‑rock edge to their country base .
Critics applauded the collaboration: Thom Jurek of AllMusic referred to it as a “barroom and stadium rock killer,” while Roughstock’s Bobby Peacock labeled it the “hardest that B&D has ever rocked” . The music video, directed by Thien Phan, carries through with the energy—filmed at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, it features both artists stomping on painted Cadillacs as the sun sets .
Commercially, “Honky Tonk Stomp” debuted at #97 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaked at #16 on the Hot Country Songs chart, and earned notable video airplay—landing at #47 on GAC’s Top 50 Videos of the Year .
As a standout finale to a legendary duo’s chart‑topping career, the song fuses country and rock in a way that felt fresh in 2009—perfectly capturing the moment Brooks & Dunn rode off into the sunset on “The Last Rodeo.”