Brooks & Dunn Return to Stagecoach With Emotional, Military-Themed Finale and Surprise Cameo by Lainey Wilson

Brooks & Dunn, Chris Stapleton and Diplo closed out the 2023 Stagecoach Festival — and made the 106-degree heat well worth it.

Early Sunday evening, Brooks & Dunn took the Mane Stage, returning to the desert for the first time in 13 years. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn played a 14-song, hour-long set, which included their biggest hits — “Brand New Man,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Neon Moon,” “My Maria” and “Red Dirt Road,” to name a few.

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Early on, the pair hit a bit of a technical glitch while performing “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone,” with the music cutting out. The pros didn’t pause, continuing on until it was figured it out behind the scenes.

During most numbers, especially “Neon Moon” and “Ain’t Nothin’ ‘Bout Her,” the voices of the crowd were so loud it nearly overtook the singers themselves, and they couldn’t have been more grateful. Brooks took a quick breather about halfway through to pop open a Coors Light and thank the audience for “paying our bills for the last 30 years.”

Overall, Stagecoach had very few special guests — but “Yellowstone” actor Lainey Wilson, who played her own set earlier in the day, came out for the last line of “Cowgirls Don’t Cry,” which Brooks & Dunn recorded and performed live with Reba McEntire. Wilson’s cameo was a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance, but still received rave reviews from the crowd.

Brooks & Dunn closed with “Only In America,” bringing out military men and women from different branches for an emotional final number as red, white and blue streamers shot out of the stage.

The main stage’s Sunday night headliner was Chris Stapleton, fresh off a short Hollywood Bowl performance the night before for Willie Nelson’s birthday celebration. Stapleton performed for 90 minutes and brought out his wife, Morgane, to join him for “Millionaire.”

Finally, Diplo officially shut down the desert with a set on the Palomino stage, returning for the second consecutive year.

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