About the Song
A foot-stompin’ love letter to the legends that made country music great.
If there’s one thing Brooks & Dunn have always done right, it’s wearing their influences on their sleeve—and in “Johnny Cash Junkie (Buck Owens Freak),” they crank it up loud and proud. Released on their 2007 album Cowboy Town, this track is more than a catchy tune—it’s a high-octane tribute to the giants of country music who lit the fire for a whole generation.
With the swagger of a roadhouse anthem and a title that says it all, the song blasts out of the gate with a gritty guitar riff and a pounding beat, as Kix Brooks takes the mic to celebrate the raw outlaw spirit of Johnny Cash and the twangy, toe-tappin’ brilliance of Buck Owens. This isn’t polished pop-country—this is a deep cut made for fans who remember the Bakersfield sound, black suits, and songs that told it like it was.
Lyrically, it’s a wild ride of pure fandom, throwing open the barn doors and blasting through the past. “I’m a Johnny Cash junkie, Buck Owens freak, a meat and potato man—up on my country feet.” It’s fast, fun, and unapologetically country to its core.
And yet, under all the attitude, there’s real reverence. Brooks & Dunn aren’t just name-dropping—they’re reminding listeners where their sound came from, and what country music used to feel like before it got slick and shiny. It’s a salute from one era to the legends who built the stage they now stand on.
For die-hard country fans, “Johnny Cash Junkie (Buck Owens Freak)” is more than a song—it’s an anthem. A reminder that no matter how much the genre changes, the roots are still deep, still loud, and still proud.