I was excited to debut my new project, COWBOY BAND, with two performances on December 1 in Las Vegas to kick off National Finals Rodeo.

It's not enough that I get to perform regularly as Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn) in a hit Las Vegas tribute show, and that I also enjoy being 'just me' from time to time...I want the best of both worlds. So I've put together the COWBOY BAND project as a way to combine the Ronnie Dunn tribute with some of my other favorite music - classic country and southern rock and a healthy helping of original songs from my solo career, The Rat'lers, and IronHorse.

That's what COWBOY BAND is all about – during the course of the show, I will switch personas vocally and visually from Ronnie Dunn to Ronnie Keel. The material consists of all the popular Brooks & Dunn classics (“My Maria,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Neon Moon” etc.); hit songs from Dunn’s #1 solo album like “Bleed Red,” Song Of The Year Nominee “Cost Of Livin’” and the signature opening song “Singer In A Cowboy Band.” Before I hit the stage and during the wardrobe change, my band delivers the hottest current country hits, and when I get back up we mix it up with the aforementioned free-for-all - a blend I like to refer to as “reckless redneck rock & roll.”

The new project performed for the first time as a showcase artist in the popular “Toast Of The Town” variety show in the Sam’s Town Live! showroom on Thursday December 1st. That evening, COWBOY BAND began our 10-day run during National Finals Rodeo in Roxy’s Buckin’ Bull Honky Tonk inside Sam’s Town.

I want to stress that my portrayal of Ronnie Dunn both as a solo act and as one half of Brooks & Dunn will remain a staple of our “Country Superstars Tribute” at the Golden Nugget, which features a rotating cast of the best country tribute artists in the business.