Introduction
Ronnie Dunn’s “Honky Tonk Skin” is a vibrant return to form on his 2022 album 100 Proof Neon, a project steeped in the classic honky‑tonk sound he helped popularize. Released July 29, 2022, the song marks a celebration of barroom rhythms and dancehall storytelling—not merely a nod to nostalgia, but a recharged embrace of the musical roots that shaped him.
Co-written with country stalwart Chris Wallin and Ira Dean (of Trick Pony fame), “Honky Tonk Skin” captures Dunn’s trademark ability to weave compelling narratives into tight, foot‑stomping melodies . The lyrics beckon listeners into the dim lights and sawdust floors of working‑class bars, where Saturday-night sinners become Sunday-morning saints—a storyline Dunn cheekily references from personal history, having been booted from seminary for singing secular music in honky‑tonks .
Musically, Dunn and his team drew heavily from the swagger of 1980s honky‑tonk icons, aiming specifically for Johnny Paycheck and Johnny Lee vibes. This intent is immediate in “Honky Tonk Skin”—it’s a two‑step anthem, with driving steel guitars, punchy drums, and Dunn’s warm but weathered vocals leading the dance . The premise—keep them dancing, keep them drinking, keep the paychecks coming—is a foundational tenet of honky‑tonk culture, and Dunn leans into it wholeheartedly .
“Honky Tonk Skin” isn’t an isolated homage but an integral part of 100 Proof Neon’s concept: reconnecting with the sound that defined Dunn’s “neon era” with Brooks & Dunn in the 1990s, while collaborating with a younger generation. The album bridges generations—another track, “Honky Tonk Town,” features Jake Worthington, symbolizing that lineage.
With “Honky Tonk Skin,” Dunn proudly plants himself back in the neon glow of the honky‑tonk stage, pairing personal history with country tradition and delivering a rollicking introduction to one of his most engaging solo collections in years.