Brooks & Dunn to Be Honored With 2026 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award

Brooks & Dunn are set to be honored in a big way. Today, the Country Music Association announced that the iconic country music duo has been selected as the 2026 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer emphasized the fact that only a few artists have had the impact on country music that Brooks & Dunn have. Kix and Ronnie are the most awarded duo in the genre’s history, spent more than three decades in their careers and along the way have impacted generations of both fans and artists.

“We are proud to celebrate everything they’ve given to this genre and the mark they continue to leave on its future,” Trahern added in her statement.

The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for artists who have made an extraordinary and lasting impact on Country Music. The prestigious honor recognizes artists who have reached high levels of success through their music, live performances, philanthropy and contributions to the genre and who have achieved record sales and achieved impressive streaming stats.

There’s no denying that Brooks & Dunn have far surpassed these requirements. The pair first joined forces in 1990 and have since evolved into one of the most influential duos in Country Music. Throughout their career, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have earned 20 No. 1 hits, more than 60 charted singles, over 40 Top 10 hits and sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Their signature sound has helped shaped the genre through iconic hits like “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Neon Moon,” “My Maria” and “Believe.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Country Music Association (@cma)

Their impressive list of accomplishments includes two GRAMMY Awards, 58 CMA Award nominations and 20 CMA Awards, including 16 wins for Vocal Duo of the Year. They also hosted the CMA Awards from 2004 to 2006 and have been inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Their success has extended to the stage as well, with the duo selling more than 17 million concert tickets throughout their career.

Even though they have spent more than three decades in this business, they continue to find ways to connect with new generations of fans, such as the viral resurgence of “Neon Moon” on TikTok. Their 2019 album REBOOT featured collaborations with some of today’s biggest names including Luke Combs, Kacey Musgraves, Thomas Rhett and Ashley McBryde, while REBOOT II followed in 2024 and featured even more collaborations with Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Hailey Whitters and Marcus King.

Beyond their musical accomplishments, both members of the duo have dedicated their time and resources to various charitable causes, supporting areas including music education, children and families, veterans, cancer research and communities across the country.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Grand Ole Opry (@opry)

Fans will get to tune in to see them accept the honor as part of a special tribute during “The 60th Annual CMA Awards,” which will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, Nov. 18 on ABC, Disney+ and next day on Hulu.  

Previous recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award include Willie Nelson (2012), Kenny Rogers (2013), Johnny Cash (2015), Dolly Parton (2016), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Charley Pride (2020), Loretta Lynn (2021), Alan Jackson (2022), George Strait (2024) and Vince Gill (2025).