Garth Brooks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Garth Brooks
Brooks at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2022
Born	Troyal Garth Brooks (1962-02-07) February 7, 1962 (age 63) Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Other names	Chris Gaines
Alma mater	Oklahoma State University
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Spouse(s)	Sandy Mahl ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 2001)​ Trisha Yearwood ​ (m. 2005)​
Children	3
Musical career
Genres	Country country pop country rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano
Years active	1985–2001 2005–present
Labels	Capitol Nashville Liberty Pearl Lyric Street Big Machine RCA Nashville
Signature

Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is a famous American country singer and songwriter. He became very popular by mixing pop and rock music with country. This made his songs loved by many people, especially in the United States. He has had many hit songs and albums that sold millions of copies. His live concerts have also broken attendance records.

Garth Brooks is the only artist in music history to have nine albums certified as "Diamond" by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This means each album sold over 10 million copies! Some of these albums include Garth Brooks, No Fences, and Double Live. Since 1989, Brooks has released many records, including studio albums, live albums, and Christmas albums. He has won many awards, like two Grammy Awards and 17 American Music Awards. The RIAA also recognized him as the best-selling solo albums artist of the century in the U.S.

Brooks took a break from music from 2001 to 2005 to spend more time with his family. During this time, he still sold millions of albums through Walmart. In 2005, he started performing again, and in 2009, he began a series of weekend concerts in Las Vegas. He signed with Sony Music Nashville in 2014 and started a big world tour with his wife, Trisha Yearwood. This was followed by his Stadium Tour and another Las Vegas concert series. His most recent album, Time Traveler, came out in November 2023.

Garth Brooks is one of the best-selling music artists in the world, having sold over 170 million records. Billboard magazine called him the greatest male solo artist on the Billboard 200 chart of all time. As of 2020, he is the best-selling solo albums artist in the United States. He has sold 162 million units, more than Elvis Presley, and is second only to The Beatles in total album sales. Brooks was welcomed into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012. He also joined the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016. In 2020, he became the youngest person to receive the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Early Life and School Days

Troyal Garth Brooks was born on February 7, 1962, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was the youngest of six children. His father, Troyal Raymond Brooks Jr., worked for an oil company. His mother, Colleen McElroy Carroll, was a country singer in the 1950s. She even recorded music for Capitol Records.

Garth grew up in Yukon, Oklahoma. His family had weekly talent nights where all the children had to sing or perform skits. This is how Garth learned to play the guitar and banjo. As a child, Garth loved sports more than singing. In high school, he played football and baseball and ran track. He even got a scholarship to Oklahoma State University for javelin throwing.

At night, while in college, he worked as a bouncer and played in his own band called Santa Fe. He played whatever songs the college students wanted to hear. In 1984, Brooks graduated with a degree in advertising. His college roommate, Ty England, later played guitar in Garth's band.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out in Music (1985–1989)

In 1985, Garth Brooks began his music career by singing and playing guitar in clubs in Oklahoma. He listened to many types of music, but especially liked rock artists like James Taylor. After hearing a song by George Strait in 1981, Brooks decided he wanted to focus on country music.

A lawyer named Rod Phelps heard Brooks play and offered to help him record his first demo. With Phelps' encouragement, Brooks moved to Nashville in 1987. There, he started meeting people in the music business.

Big Success (1989–1990)

Garth Brooks' first album, Garth Brooks, came out in 1989 and was a huge hit. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. His first number-one song was "If Tomorrow Never Comes". Another hit, "The Dance", also reached No. 1. Its music video helped him reach an even bigger audience. Brooks says "The Dance" is still his favorite song he has recorded. In 1989, Brooks went on his first major tour, opening for Kenny Rogers.

His second album, No Fences, was released in 1990. It stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for 23 weeks! This album became his best-selling, with 17 million copies sold in the U.S. It included his famous song "Friends in Low Places", along with "The Thunder Rolls" and "Unanswered Prayers". All these songs, plus "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House", became No. 1 hits.

Brooks' music was country, but he was also inspired by rock artists like Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. In his live shows, Brooks used a special microphone that let him run around the stage. This made his concerts very energetic, like rock shows. He was inspired by the band KISS and country singer Chris LeDoux. In late 1990, Brooks became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

New Albums and World Tours (1991–1994)

Brooks' third album, Ropin' the Wind, came out in September 1991. It was the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the overall Billboard 200 chart. Songs like "The River" and "What She's Doing Now" were popular. This album helped his first two albums sell even more.

After seeing the riots in Los Angeles in 1992, Brooks co-wrote "We Shall Be Free". This song shared his hope for people to get along. It was the first single from his fourth album, The Chase.

Brooks released his first Christmas album, Beyond the Season, in August 1992. It was the best-selling Christmas album that year.

In 1993, Brooks released In Pieces, which was another big success, selling nearly 10 million copies. That same year, Brooks started his first world tour. He sold out huge venues in the UK, which was a first for an American country artist. He also toured in Europe, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.

In 1994, Brooks honored the band KISS by performing their song "Hard Luck Woman" on a tribute album. He even sang it live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

More Albums and Second World Tour (1995–1998)

In November 1995, Brooks released Fresh Horses. It sold over three million copies quickly. The song "She's Every Woman" became a No. 1 hit.

After this album, Brooks started his second world tour. About 5.5 million people attended his concerts, making it one of the biggest tours of the 1990s.

In 1997, Brooks released his seventh album, Sevens. Before its release, he performed a huge concert in Central Park in New York City. About 980,000 fans attended, making it the largest concert in the park's history. Sevens debuted at No. 1 and became his fourth album to sell 10 million copies. It included a duet with Trisha Yearwood, "In Another's Eyes", and the No. 1 hit "Longneck Bottle".

Brooks' first live album, Double Live, came out in 1998. It was recorded during his second world tour. This album became the best-selling live album of all time, selling 21 million copies.

Chris Gaines and Holiday Album (1999)

In 1999, Brooks created a fictional rock-and-roll musician character named "Chris Gaines" for a movie project. He released an album called Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines as Gaines. Brooks even appeared as Gaines on TV shows. However, the public was confused by the project, and it didn't become as popular as his other work. Despite this, the song "Lost in You" became Brooks' only pop top 40 hit.

On November 23, 1999, Brooks released his second holiday album, Garth Brooks & the Magic of Christmas. It reached No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Taking a Break (2000–2004)

As his career grew, Brooks felt it was hard to balance music and family life. On October 26, 2000, he announced he would retire from recording and performing. His last album before retiring, Scarecrow, was released in November 2001. It still sold well, reaching No. 1 on the charts. Brooks said he would not record or perform until his youngest daughter finished high school.

Comeback and Special Shows (2005–2008)

In 2005, Brooks showed interest in performing live again. He signed a deal with Walmart to sell his music. In November 2005, Brooks and Walmart released an updated The Limited Series box set, which included old albums and new, unreleased songs.

Brooks performed at several benefit concerts in 2005. He also released a new song, "Good Ride Cowboy", as a tribute to his friend, country singer Chris LeDoux. In 2006, he released a duet with Trisha Yearwood, "Love Will Always Win".

In August 2007, Brooks announced a new collection, The Ultimate Hits. Its first single, "More Than a Memory", debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. This was the highest debut for a single in the chart's history.

In November 2007, Brooks performed nine sold-out concerts in Kansas City. All 140,000 tickets sold out in under two hours! In January 2008, he performed five sold-out shows in Los Angeles to raise money for victims of the 2007 California wildfires.

Las Vegas Concerts (2009–2013)

Brooks at the We Are One concert in 2009

In January 2009, Brooks performed at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial concert in Washington, D.C.

On October 15, 2009, Brooks began a series of weekend concerts called Garth at Wynn at the Encore Las Vegas in Las Vegas. This schedule allowed him to have family time during the week and perform on weekends. The shows were acoustic and featured songs that influenced him. His wife, Trisha Yearwood, sometimes joined him.

In 2013, Brooks released Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences, a collection of songs that shaped his music style. In December 2013, he announced plans for a new world tour starting in 2014.

New Album and World Tour (2014–2015)

Brooks' tour with Trisha Yearwood in 2014

In February 2014, Brooks announced concerts in Dublin, Ireland. Due to high demand, three more shows were added, selling 400,000 tickets. However, all concerts were canceled due to issues with local residents.

On July 10, 2014, Brooks announced he signed with Sony Music Nashville. He also confirmed plans for a new album and a world tour. Tickets for the world tour went on sale fifteen days later.

On September 3, 2014, Brooks released his comeback single, "People Loving People". The next day, he made all his studio albums available digitally for the first time. He chose to release them through his own new digital music store, GhostTunes. His album Man Against Machine was released in November 2014. GhostTunes later closed in 2017, and Brooks' music moved to Amazon Music.

New Music and Streaming (2016–2017)

On October 13, 2016, Brooks released "Baby, Let's Lay Down and Dance", the first single from his album Gunslinger. This album was released in November 2016 as part of The Ultimate Collection through Target. Brooks also released a holiday duet album with Trisha Yearwood, Christmas Together.

After years of not wanting his music streamed online, Brooks launched a streaming channel on Sirius XM Radio. He also made a deal to stream his entire music collection on Amazon Music.

Stadium Tour and Recent Ventures (2018–Present)

Brooks performing in 2020

On June 19, 2018, Brooks released a new single, "All Day Long", from his 2020 album, Fun. In August 2018, Brooks announced his Stadium Tour, which would visit stadiums across North America. He performed the first concert at the University of Notre Dame's football stadium in 2018.

In June 2019, Brooks released "Dive Bar", a duet with Blake Shelton. He also went on a promotional tour, performing in small "dive bars" across the U.S.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed informal concerts on Facebook Live. Millions of people watched these shows. They also performed a concert broadcast on CBS and donated $1 million to relief efforts. In June 2020, Brooks performed a concert broadcast at 300 drive-in theaters.

Brooks released his album Fun on November 20, 2020. On January 20, 2021, he sang "Amazing Grace" at the inauguration of Joe Biden, calling it a "statement of unity."

On April 30, 2022, Brooks performed at Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium. When he sang "Callin' Baton Rouge", the crowd's excitement caused the university's seismograph to register it like an earthquake!

On November 14, 2022, Brooks announced his second concert residency, Garth Brooks/Plus ONE, in Las Vegas. His most recent album, Time Traveler, was released in November 2023.

On November 24, 2023, Brooks headlined an Amazon Music Live concert special at his Nashville bar. On January 9, 2025, Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed "Imagine" at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter.

The G-Men Band

Most of Brooks' recordings have featured the same studio band, known as the "G-Men". This group includes Bruce Bouton (steel guitar), Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar), Mike Chapman (bass guitar), Rob Hajacos (fiddle), Chris Leuzinger (electric guitar), Milton Sledge (drums), and Bobby Wood (keyboards). Mike Chapman passed away on June 13, 2016.

Other Activities

Playing Baseball

In 1998, Brooks started his Touch 'em All Foundation with Major League Baseball. He also tried a short career in baseball. He signed with the San Diego Padres for spring training in 1998 and 1999. He also played with the New York Mets in 2000 and the Kansas City Royals in 2004. In 2019, he returned to spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates to promote his charity.

Pearl Records

In 2005, Brooks started his own record label called Pearl Records. He has released several albums through Pearl Records, including his 2014 and 2016 studio albums.

Allentown Studios

In 2010, Brooks bought a recording studio called Jack's Tracks, where many of his albums were made. In 2012, he renamed it Allentown Studios.

GhostTunes (Former Digital Music Store)

In September 2014, Brooks created GhostTunes, his own digital music store. It featured his music and songs from other artists. GhostTunes allowed artists to get fair payments for their music. In March 2017, GhostTunes closed and merged with Amazon Music.

Personal Life

Brooks with his wife, Trisha Yearwood, at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards

Brooks graduated from Oklahoma State University, where he was on the track and field team for javelin throw. He later earned his MBA degree from Oklahoma State in 2011.

Brooks married songwriter Sandy Mahl on May 24, 1986. They had three daughters: Taylor Mayne Pearl (born 1992), August Anna (born 1994), and Allie Colleen Brooks (born 1996). Brooks and Sandy separated in 1999 and divorced in December 2001.

Brooks married country singer and cookbook author Trisha Yearwood on December 10, 2005. Trisha has included recipes inspired by Garth in her cookbooks. In July 2013, Brooks became a grandfather when his daughter August had a daughter named Karalynn.

Helping Others (Charitable Activities)

In 1999, Brooks started the Teammates for Kids Foundation. This organization helps charities that support children. It has different divisions for baseball, hockey, and football.

Brooks also raises money for many other charities, including those for children and famine relief. With Trisha Yearwood, he sang for the Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast telethon to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. He also performed five sold-out Garth Brooks: Live in LA benefit concerts in Los Angeles in January 2008. These concerts raised money for those affected by the 2007 California wildfires.

Brooks and Yearwood have supported Habitat for Humanity for many years. In December 2010, Brooks played nine shows in Nashville to help victims of the May 2010 Nashville flood. Over 140,000 tickets were sold, raising $5 million.

On July 6, 2013, Brooks joined Toby Keith for a benefit concert for victims of the 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes. Many other artists performed at the sold-out show. In 2015, Brooks performed a sold-out concert in Brazil to benefit a cancer hospital.

Awards and Records

Brooks receiving the "Grammy on the Hill Award" in the Oval Office in 2010

Brooks has won a record 22 Academy of Country Music Awards. He has also won 2 Grammy Awards from 13 nominations, along with many Billboard Music Awards and Country Music Association Awards. He was welcomed into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012. He is also in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.

In 2020, Brooks received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. At 57, he was the youngest person to get this award. Also in 2020, Cher gave Brooks the Billboard Icon Award. In 2021, Brooks was honored at the 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors.

Sales Records

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Brooks was the best-selling solo artist of the 20th century in America. This led to some debate, as many believed Elvis Presley had sold more. Brooks himself said he thought Presley had sold more.

The RIAA later updated how they count sales. Under the new rules, Elvis Presley became the best-selling solo artist, making Brooks number two. However, after his album Man Against Machine was certified Platinum, Brooks' sales again surpassed Presley's.

In 2012, Brooks officially passed The Beatles as the top-selling music act of the past 20 years. In May 2014, Brooks became the best-selling album artist in the U.S., ahead of The Beatles. In September 2016, Brooks became the first artist in music history to have seven "Diamond Award" albums, meaning each sold over 10 million copies.

In June 2021, Brooks won the Pollstar award for "country touring artist of the decade" (2010s).

Other Honors

In 2014, Brooks received the Arkansas Traveler certificate, an honorary title from the state of Arkansas.

Discography

• Garth Brooks (1989)
• No Fences (1990)
• Ropin' the Wind (1991)
• Beyond the Season (1992)
• The Chase (1992)
• In Pieces (1993)
• Fresh Horses (1995)
• Sevens (1997)
• Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines (1999)
• Garth Brooks & the Magic of Christmas (1999)
• Scarecrow (2001)
• Man Against Machine (2014)
• Christmas Together (with Trisha Yearwood) (2016)
• Gunslinger (2016)
• Fun (2020)
• Time Traveler (2023)

Filmography

Concert Tours and Residencies

• The Garth Brooks World Tour (1993–1994)
• The Garth Brooks World Tour (1996–1998)
• Garth at Wynn (2009–2014)
• The Garth Brooks World Tour (2014–2017)
• Dive Bar Tour (2019)
• The Garth Brooks Stadium Tour (2019–2022)
• Garth Brooks/Plus ONE (2023)

See also

In Spanish: Garth Brooks para niños

• List of best-selling music artists
• List of best-selling music artists in the United States
• List of highest-grossing concert tours