100 Proof Neon is the fifth solo studio album by American country music artist Ronnie Dunn. The album was released on July 29, 2022, via Little Will-E Records (LWR). It is the first album to be solely produced by Dunn since his 2011 self-titled debut solo album.
| 100 Proof Neon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 29, 2022 | |||
| Studio | Blackbird Studio (Berry Hill, Tennessee) | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 37:36 | |||
| Label | Little Will-E | |||
| Producer | Ronnie Dunn | |||
| Ronnie Dunn chronology | ||||
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| Singles from 100 Proof Neon | ||||
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Background
editDunn first teased the album in February 2022,[1] Dunn said in an interview with Billboard. "They didn't care if it was the best band or not—they looked at the tab at the end of the night, and that's the band they hired back."[2]
Dunn noted that the COVID-19 pandemic gave him the time and space to finally make the kind of record he'd always wanted to.[3]
In May 2022, Dunn officially announced the July 29 release date via Little Will-E Records (LWR).[4]
Dunn co-wrote seven of the album's eleven tracks. "Road to Abilene" draws heavily from Dunn's own college days in Abilene, Texas, when he attended Abilene Christian University.[2] "We used to call it the belt buckle of the Baptist Belt of West Texas...I just got into painting this picture of the music scene in Abilene and dodging the religious, church ethos of the school I went to—and trying to paint pictures of that eternal wind that blows."[2] Dunn also collaborated with Jake Worthington on "Honky Tonk Town", with Dunn praising Worthington's authenticity, comparing his voice to Lefty Frizzell.[2] Dunn also covered "The Blade," the title track to Ashley Monroe's Grammy-nominated album The Blade written by Marc Beeson, Jamie Floyd, and Allen Shamblin.[2][5]
Singles
editOn February 11, 2022, Dunn released the first single, "Broken Neon Hearts."[1] The single was described by Whiskey Riff's Casey Young as a "straight up honky tonk heater."[1] It was written by Dunn alongside Matt Willis and Thomas Perkins.[3] Alongside announcing the album's release date, Dunn released the promotional single "Honky Tonk Town" which featured Jake Worthington.[4]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Broken Neon Hearts" |
| 3:21 |
| 2. | "Honky Tonk Town" (featuring Jake Worthington) |
| 2:59 |
| 3. | "Two Steppers, Waltzes, and Shuffles" |
| 3:03 |
| 4. | "She's Why I Drink Whiskey" | 3:31 | |
| 5. | "Where the Neon Lies" |
| 3:57 |
| 6. | "The Blade" |
| 3:30 |
| 7. | "If Love Ever Comes My Way Again" | 3:10 | |
| 8. | "Somethin' I Can't Have" | 3:42 | |
| 9. | "Honk Tonk Skin" |
| 3:10 |
| 10. | "Road to Abilene" (featuring Parker McCollum) |
| 4:00 |
| 11. | "Good Bartender" | 3:08 | |
| Total length: | 37:36 | ||
Charts
edit| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[6] | 49 |
References
edit- 1 2 3 Young, Casey (February 11, 2022). "Ronnie Dunn Drops Honky Tonk Heater "Broken Neon Hearts," The Lead Single Off New Album '100 Proof Neon'". Whiskey Riff. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Nicholson, Jessica (July 28, 2022). "Ronnie Dunn on New Album '100 Proof Neon' and Country's '90s Resurgence: 'It's Right Back in My Wheelhouse'". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- 1 2 Crone, Madeline (February 18, 2022). ""Broken Neon Hearts": Ronnie Dunn On Nostalgic New Solo Album, Songwriting and the Cyclical Nature of Country Music". American Songwriter. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- 1 2 Iahn, Buddy (May 20, 2022). "Fifth studio record due this summer". The Music Universe. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- ↑ Hopper, Alex (September 22, 2022). "Ronnie Dunn Takes Things Back Home to Texas with '100 Proof Neon' – "I'm Having the Most Fun I've Ever Had"". American Songwriter. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
- ↑ "Ronnie Dunn Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2025.