Brooks and Dunn’s 'Boot Scootin’ Boogie' returns prominence to line dancing and it's awesome

Western line dancing was brought back to the forefront by the band Brooks & Dunn. The pair used their 1991 hit “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” which has inspired many songs.

The line dance came about when a choreographer named Bill Bader noticed the song which was initially on the Asleep At The Wheel album. He choreographed the dance and started teaching it in Vancouver.

“Boot Scootin’ Boogie” is a fan-favorite song in the country world scene. When the song comes on, fans know exactly how to line dance to it.

Country group Brooks & Dunn brought attention to it and line dancing but it had existed before them. Asleep At The Wheel actually released the song before Brooks & Dunn.

For more on this story go to our Twitter account @amomama_usa. In 1990, the song was featured on their album called “Keepin’ Me Up Nights.”

That’s the version that choreographer Bill Bader first heard. Bader shared that he was initially intrigued by the title,

“I bought the Asleep At The Wheel tape hoping that this song, with such a good name for a line dance, would be suitable for a line dance.”

He started teaching the line dance in Vancouver where it was also known as the "Vancouver Boogie." Soon enough, the dance reached the US and line dancing took off.

However, although Asleep At The Wheel recorded it first, Brooks & Dunn actually had it first. One part of the duo, Ronnie Dunn, was the sole writer of the track.

He wrote it before the duo even existed in the 1980s. Kix Brooks joined him later and they formed the band that landed them a contract with Arista Records.

“Boot Scootin’ Boogie” was recorded for their debut album called “Brand New Man.” In 1992, after three No. 1 singles, they released it again as the fourth single.

That’s when the song hit No. 1 on the charts. The music video featured people line dancing and from there it caught on all over the world.

The song was so famous that it was used every time to set the record for the World’s Largest Line Dance from 1996 to 2000. The video for “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus featured steps from the song.

All of a sudden, line dancing was a hit. It inspired so many songs like the 1990s Bayside Boys remix of “Macarena” which features choreography inspired by the line dancing.

Many other dances used steps from the “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.” They include the “Swamp Thang,” “5, 6, 7, 8” by The Steps and the “Cha Cha Slide.”

At one point, even The Gap was inspired as they used the dance in one of their adverts.