Kix Brooks Ready to ‘Steak’ His Claim on Television

Kix Brooks says he doesn’t like to do anything for too long that he doesn’t enjoy naturally. Fine wine and steak are things he’ll always enjoy, but television? The singer and one half of Brooks and Dunn will soon find out, as Season 1 of ‘Steak Out With Kix Brooks’ debuts this weekend.

Since wrapping his legendary career with Ronnie Dunn, Brooks has become known for his wine (Arrington Vineyards) and his radio show. Country fans may also recall he hosted the first of three CMA Awards 10 years ago next week. The thread that ties all his interests together is an opportunity to share his experiences.

“I think part of being a good host is sharing that experience,” he tells Taste of Country. “You're sharing the business that you're in. The friends that you have. You're sharing country music with the fans … When you've seen a movie that really excites you or whatever it is, you look forward to telling someone about it."

This attitude is weaved into the casual demeanor of ‘American Country Countdown,' a show he’s hosted since 2006. Brooks admits he sucked at the job for a long time, but he enjoyed the opportunity to share his perspective and stories.

“I’ve always liked to hear myself talk, I guess,” he half-jokes. “Obviously, the thing I’ve loved about it is getting to hang out with my friends and people I've toured with and talking to them. Then seeing how the songs are doing and bragging on them, songs I like and telling people, ‘Ah man I remember when we did this or that.’ Again it goes back to that sharing thing.”

Brooks doesn’t consider himself a foodie, but says that his love of fine wine has made him a regular customer at exotic restaurants. ‘Steak Out With Kix Brooks’ allows him to visit some of the finest and best-known steakhouses in the country. These are places people name when you ask a local where to get a good steak.

“They're always meeting places,” the 59-year-old says during a phone call from the ACC studios. “All the steakhouses in Nashville, when you go to eat a steak in almost any steakhouse in this town, you'll see twenty people that you know. It's kind of a ... it's a social thing, a good steak is. I like all the things that surround that whole concept. That's kind of part of the idea of the show.”

At first, Brooks and his Cooking Channel crew visit fine dining establishments, but he says he enjoyed visiting restaurants for the every man as well. “We did a place in Louisville. It was some guy that was kind of a Logan type steakhouse," the singer explains. "They've got five restaurants now, so they're just getting started. They did a chicken fried steak, that kind of thing.”

Look for ‘Steak Out with Kix Brooks’ to air on the Cooking Channel on Sunday (Nov. 2) at 8PM ET. As for his musical pursuits, Brooks says he’s writing with an album in mind.

“I’m sort of thinking of hooking up with my Louisiana friends, from Kenny Wayne Shepherd to Wayne Toups and maybe doing a Nashville/Gumbo sort of thing.”

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