Garth Brooks is one of the most celebrated artists in country music history. Over his twenty year career he released 13 studio albums and participated in various world tours; becoming a Grand Ole Opry member and inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; receiving honors and awards throughout his tenure; as well as becoming one of the best-selling artists of all time with worldwide sales exceeding 200 Million records sold!
Country music icon Alan Jackson has an idyllic retreat on his Tennessee farm where he goes to write songs and clear his head. In this special, he recounts how that spot came about and when he realized music as his career path.
At an early age, Brooks found his musical inspirations varied widely – from traditional country of Merle Haggard and George Jones to introspective singer-songwriter works of James Taylor and Dan Fogelberg to arena rock acts such as Queen and Kiss. These influences would come to define his unique musical style when he took to the global stage.
Brooks was initially rejected from Nashville music scene when he arrived; nonetheless he persevered nonetheless and eventually worked at a cowboy boot store before pitching himself to publishing and record labels. Thanks to his Tulsa upbringing and determination, by 1987 Brooks signed with Capitol Records; his debut album reached second position on country charts and produced two number ones!
Brooks quickly established himself as one of the premier performers worldwide through his athletic, passionate live shows. His concerts became global phenomena as audiences saw him smash guitars, swing from ropes and douse himself with water as he exhorted crowds; often surpassing even legendary acts like U2 and the Grateful Dead ticket sales.
In the 1990s, Brooks released several multi-platinum albums such as The Chase (1992), In Pieces (1993), Fresh Horses (1995) and Sevens (1997). His repertoire was varied as he recorded honky-tonk music, dramatic balladry songs and country rock songs.
In the 2000s, he took a long hiatus from recording to focus on raising three daughters with Trisha Yearwood and later embarking on an epic world tour together. In 2016, he debuted both Gunslinger, his 10th studio album and holiday standards collection as his 10th studio release. In 2005, he released two box sets – The Limited Series and Double Live Live – both of which hit number one on Billboard charts. In 2022, Garth Brooks embarked on a global tour with his wife that would see him perform for nearly 6 million fans over three years and set numerous records globally. It culminated with a spectacular live show in Central Park in New York that was broadcast worldwide to billions. The concert was later released as Garth Brooks: Live in Concert film.