Full-Throttle Honky Tonk Heroes Win Favorite Country Duo or Group

Los Angeles: They just finished picking up their 13th Country Music Association Duo of the Year award at Madison Square Garden - where Brooks & Dunn hosted "The 39th Annual Country Music Association Awards" live on CBS - and the full-throttle honky tonkers' winning ways continue: scoring their fifth Favorite Country Duo or Group award at tonight's American Music Awards.

"We never take this stuff for granted," says a clearly jubilant Kix Brooks with a broad smile. "The longer we're out here, too, in a lot of ways the more we appreciate it. because we see so many great acts who're out here with us, and you realize how steep the competition really is. So, this win is even better 'cause it says people are still digging what we're doing. we're still keeping it fresh and people are into it.".

Having just wrapped their sold-out Deuces' Wild Tour - featuring special guests Muzik Mafia mainstays Big & Rich and the ever irrepressible Warren Brothers -- the 4-time Entertainers of the Year are winding up their year in fine fashion. With a stripped-down, heart-rending performance of "Believe" on the CMA Awards that elicited the night's longest standing ovation, the Ronnie Dunn/Craig Wiseman song of faith and redemption reaching so far beyond the traditional/linear definitions of religion, let alone generations and socio-economic realities, has arrived at country radio with a bang.

"Craig came to the studio where we were cutting -- and he said he had an idea that we had to write right now. and boy, am I glad I decided to listen," says Ronnie Dunn of the ballad that has been lighting up switchboards nationwide. "We locked into something. it's hard to describe, but it's powerful."

"Believe" landed at CMT: Country Music Television earlier this week with the meltdown Hot Shot designation. It comes on the heels of "Play Something Country" topping both the Billboard and Radio & Records Country Singles chart and their Tony Brown-produced Hillbilly Deluxe debuting at #1 on Billboard's Country Albums Chart.

"Who knows what's coming next?" says Brooks. "Certainly not us, but when you get little signs like this, it says keep dreaming stuff up. Thanksfully, Ron and I have pretty major imaginations. So there's a good chance there'll be something else up our sleeves before the next tour rolls out. Until then, we've got our families, we've got the holidays, we've got this album that's out there- - just finding the fans. So we've got plenty, and now with this on the heels of our CMA win, it's all pretty happening."

Pretty happening, indeed.