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14 Artists Who Need to Tour Australia as Soon as Possible

They often say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but countless australian music fans are holding out hope for some of these musical icons., tyler jenke, tyler jenke's most recent stories.

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Australia is often a major touring destination for most artists, but some of the world's biggest names seem to have an aversion to coming down under.

It’s no secret that Australians love their live music. Why, in addition to Melbourne being named the live music capital of the world , Irish icons U2 managed to pull in US $35.7 million from just eight shows in Australia last year. No matter how you slice it, that’s a testament to how much your average Aussie likes a night out with some good tunes.

But spare a thought for some of the most diehard music fans out there who never get a chance to see their favourite acts live. While Aussies never got a chance to see Canadian icons Rush during their lifetime, artists like Madonna and Paul McCartney finally ended local touring droughts of 23 and 24 years, respectively, when they both finally visited a few years back.

However, countless artists remain on the wish-lists of numerous Australian music-lovers. With some of them not visiting for a number of years or even during their entire careers, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the artists who need to add a trip down under to their itineraries, stat!

Frank Ocean

Years Since Last Tour: 7

The story of Frank Ocean’s sole trip to Australia is a bittersweet one, really. Having been named as one of the international acts on Splendour in the Grass’ 2013 lineup, the former Odd Future member was set to be one of the festival’s biggest drawcards. Releasing his Nostalgia, Ultra mixtape in 2011, and sharing  Channel Orange in 2012, things were shaping up to make his Australian visit one for the ages.

Performing in Melbourne on July 25, Ocean kicked off his local tour with a headline show at Festival Hall, but “vocal issues [he] experienced during the show” meant that he was forced to seek medical attention; ultimately leading to the cancellation of his entire tour . This cancellation included a spot on the Splendour in the Grass lineup, and gave Australian fans one lone solo show to remember from his all-too brief visit.

Since then, tour dates have been sporadic at best for the critically-acclaimed musician, leading some to wonder when – if ever – he might return. Thankfully, the release of new music and an impending headline spot on the Coachella lineup indicates that maybe local fans will get another chance to catch him live sometime soon.

Oh, and remember how we said Ocean’s Aussie tour was a bittersweet one? Well, his Splendour cancellation resulted in the call-up of a steadily-rising New Zealand artist named Lorde. We’re not saying this festival appearance was what put her on the path to superstardom , but locals will forever remember seeing Lorde at Splendour before she hit the big-time.

“There are so many people choosing violence and division right now,” Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo said.

In the interest of fairness, this one should be prefaced by saying that it’s not quite Metallica’s fault that we’ve waited seven years for their return, with last year’s planned tour being cancelled due to frontman James Hetfield entering rehab.

For a band like Metallica though, it could almost be expected that it takes them a while to circle back around to country. After all, as one of the most successful metal bands in the world, it’s understandable that their legions of fans around the globe are calling for the group to headline their local stadium. However, the band’s last trek to Australia took place way back in 2013, and while we’re not bitter per se, that  was a total of four North American tours ago.

Having been out on the road on their WorldWired Tour since 2016, Metallica have been busy with close to 200 tour dates around the world. Though they’ve promised a return to Australia at some point, we’re hoping it’ll take place before a new album kicks off a brand new tour cycle.

Years Since Last Tour: 8

While Radiohead have played hundreds of critically-acclaimed shows in countries like their native United Kingdom and even the United States, the only thing Australians are united in is a collective dismay at a lack of the band’s local gigs. Touring the country a total of four times since their formation, it took Radiohead over eight years to return after their 2004 tour, with two albums following in the meantime.

Though Thom Yorke and co. haven’t given a reason why Australia so frequently gets a raw deal with their shows, it appears they do like to try and make up for lost time when they finally return, with the group’s frontman famously playing a DJ set to a packed crowd at Sydney’s Goodgod Small Club back in 2012.

At this stage, there’s no word when you can pencil in a return visit, with drummer Philip Selway recently revealing they’d be taking 2020 off to focus on other projects. “This is kind of the year away from Radiohead, but we will pick that up again,” he explained.

Frank Maddocks/Press

System of a Down

When System of a Down announced heir hiatus back in 2006, fans figured that it would just be a handful of years before the group returned to both the live stage and studio in order to resume their usual touring and recording habits. While their 2011 reformation is yet to boast new music , the group’s live return resulted in their third visit to Australia when they headlined the 2012 edition of the Soundwave Festival .

Serving as a stunning return to form for the metal titans, local fans have been left waiting for news of another tour ever since. Considering they’ve been  somewhat consistent with their touring schedule since reuniting, it’s logical to assume that live dates are set to follow at some point. However, since the’ve never done a headline tour of the country, it’s likely we’ll be waiting until Download Festival announces them as headliner in the coming years.

Janelle Monáe

Despite Janelle Monáe having risen to fame throughout much of the last decade, fans have been bumping her tracks ever since the release of her demo record,  The Audition , way back in 2003. While 2010’s The ArchAndroid brought Monáe the widespread success she so deserved, it eventually resulted in her first-ever visit to Australia back in 2012, which took place as part of the Vivid LIVE festival in Sydney.

Now, almost eight years, and one cancelled tour later , fans appear to be no closer to getting the announcement of a return appearance from the artist. With her most recent album, Dirty Computer , being released in 2018, and numerous acting roles taking place since then, it’s logical to assume she might be a bit too busy to book in an Australian tour these days. While a new set of dates being announced seems closer to a dream than a reality, at least we’ve got those amazing memories of May 2012 to tide us over.

Years Since Last Tour: 12

It feels as though it’s always been in Björk’s nature to reside somewhere just outside of the spotlight of mainstream publicity. Though her music has constantly been a source of praise and inspiration, her live shows have always felt as though they’re designed to be once-in-a-lifetime affairs. Though her ’90s output resulted in two tours across 1994 and 1996, fans had to wait another 12 years before Björk would return; this time sharing a Big Day Out bill alongside Rage Against The Machine.

Famously, fans at the Sydney leg of the tour found themselves somewhat hard done by, with her festival appearance being cancelled due to vocal issues suffered during a headline gig at the Sydney Opera House. Maybe this is why when Björk Digital made its world premiere at the 2016 Vivid LIVE event in Sydney, the artist actually turned up for a pair of DJ sets , and overlooked the rest of the country.

Though three studio albums have arrived since her last full visit to the country, it remains to be seen when Björk might return for a series of headline shows.

Rage Against the Machine

Just like Björk, the last time Australian fans saw Rage Against the Machine on local soil was thanks to the 2008 Big Day Out festival. Having reformed only one year earlier, many were witnessing something that they thought the might never see, while others treated their performances as the life-changing events they truly were.

Though rumours of new music never came to fruition, the eventual split around 2011 gave birth to Prophets of Rage ; a supergroup featuring three quarters of the group (minus frontman Zack de la Rocha), alongside members of Cypress Hill and Public Enemy.

Although Prophets of Rage did make an Australian appearance for the inaugural Download Festival in 2018, last year brought with it the news that Rage Against the Machine had once again reformed for a series of tour dates in 2020. However, while this impressive list of dates is slowly expanding, Australians are still left wanting in regards to when we might see the giants of political rock.

Tony Nelson/Press

Guided by Voices

Years Since Last Tour: 20

If there’s one thing that fans of Ohio indie-rockers Guided by Voices would be painfully aware of, it’s the band’s aversion to touring outside of North America and the UK. In fact, across the 37-year career, the band have barely toured outside of the US, UK, and Canada to the point where most countries boast one solitary visit from the band at some point. Such is the case of Australia, where the group toured in 2000 in support of their 11th album, Do The Collapse .

To be fair, Guided by Voices did split up in 2004, and since 2010 have been relatively consistent with their performances, meaning that the chances of them once again returning to Australia aren’t hopeless. However, with an apparent magnetic attraction to the recording studio rather than the tour bus, it’s unclear when Robert Pollard and his extensive list of collaborators might return to our shores once again.

Epitaph Records/Press

Years Since Last Tour: 22

For over two decades now, it’s been painfully obvious that Rancid don’t have any plans to return to Australia. A shame, really, considering that their first two visits between 1996 and 1998 not only remain a highlight of the ’90s for many punk fans, but also resulted in the romance of frontman Tim Armstrong and Australian Brody Dalle . Ultimately, their separation a few years later seemed to sour Armstrong’s view of Australia, even going so far as to label Melbourne (Dalle’s hometown) as a “tropical London” on the Rancid song of the same name.

Now, 22 years on from their last tour of Australia, fans are still wondering if the band may in fact ever return. Though new records have come forth, an apparently misguided attempt at marketing merchandise to their Aussie fans in 2016 resulted in comments stating that the band “obviously don’t give a fuck about [their] fans down here.” Though it’s doubtful that such language has enticed the band to tour here any time soon, it looks as though any hopes of catching Rancid live will involve airfare costs.

Depeche Mode

Years Since Last Tour: 26

When Depeche Mode released  Violator – their seventh album – in 1990, the English outfit decided to visit Australia for a two-date promo tour. Unfortunately, singer Dave Gahan strained his voice at the Sydney performance, causing the Melbourne date to be cancelled just as doors were set to open. Making it up to fans a few years later, Depeche Mode returned in support of their follow-up,  Songs of Faith and Devotion , in 1994. Since then though, it appears the group aren’t too keen on adding some more stamps to their passport.

Since 1994, Depeche Mode haven’t exactly been a prolific group (releasing just six albums), though their relentless touring schedule have seen them play shows almost everywhere around the world except Australia. Could it be it’s now been far too long for a return tour? Or could their lack of local dates be due to Martin Gore’s comments in 1994 that “Australia is where [they] are least successful”? Either way, it’s looking like fans holding out for a new Depeche Mode tour are set to be let down yet again.

Garth Brooks

His name is synonymous with country music, he’s one of the best-selling artists of all time, and he boasts an amazing 13 Grammy Awards, but one thing Garth Brooks is seemingly unable to achieve is another Australian tour. Performing down under for the first and only time in 1994 as part of his debut world tour, Brooks’ shows were a massive success, but once this international trek wrapped up, his tour dates were mainly confined to North America.

Even a stint as the Brisbane-born Chris Gaines wasn’t enough to convince Brooks to head back down to Australia. Of course, it’s not just Aussies who have been overlooked, with Brooks’ European fans not seeing him perform live since 1998 either, despite a five-date tour of Ireland being planned – and subsequently cancelled – in 2014. Currently, it seems as though Brooks has no intentions of performing outside of his native US, despite the pleas of his legions of fans.

Van Morrison

Years Since Last Tour: 35

It says a lot about an artist like Van Morrison when he’s been on the road with remarkable consistency for over 50 years. Unfortunately, the lion’s share of this touring has seen him perform predominantly in the United Kingdom and the US, with Australia’s sole exposure to his music occurring back in 1985.

Arguably one of the hardest-working musicians in the business today, Morrison’s aversion to coming down under seems to stem from the fact that Australia is so far away. In fact, Bluesfest’s Peter Noble claimed in 2014 that a friendly relationship with Morrison’s agent led to the discovery he’s effectively “wasting [his] time” attempting to lure the Northern Ireland icon down to our shores.

At 74 and with 11 tour dates under his belt this year already, it’s clear that Van Morrison has no plans on stopping touring, but if catching him live is on your bucket list, you might want to start looking at flights.

Years Since Last Tour: 39

When Tom Waits first visited Australia back in 1979, his visit was marred by his now-iconic appearance on  The Don Lane Show which Lane famously claimed “lit up our switchboard for about an hour after the show. And not all with compliments, either.” Two years later, Waits was back, and his month-long tour was just as memorable as the first, with tracks from his 1980 record  Heartattack and Vine on full display.

Since then, it’s been radio silence for his Australian fans, with close to 39 years passing since his last visit. Of course, it’s not as if promoters haven’t been trying to get Waits back down under, with Peter Noble revealing that his frequent attempts to procure the artist had become even less likely in recent years, with the now-70-year-old performer having effectively retired from touring following his last large-scale tour in 2008.

Though he’s not retired altogether (he’s still a semi-active actor ), it’s looking less and less likely that Waits will return to Australia, and even more likely that his diehard fans may have missed their chance to catch him on stage.

Years Since Last Tour: Never Toured

In all honesty, it’s almost amazing that anyone has managed to see Kate Bush live, really, let alone her Australian fans. Though she first rose to fame with the success of  The Kick Inside in 1978, both this record and her  Lionheart follow-up resulted in 1979’s Tour of Life; her sole live trek to date. In addition to TV performances throughout the US and Europe, these 28 shows were critically-acclaimed, but left Bush exhausted and unwillingly to take her music on the road.

Though one-off performances did follow, it was until 35 years later than fans got another chance to catch Bush performing live, with her 22-date Before the Dawn residency at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. Again, attracting critical acclaim and drawing fans from all over the world, these shows have been her last to date, and the ever-reclusive Bush has made no announcements regarding new music or further performances.

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Garth Brooks Eyeing Australia, Europe After North American Tour Wraps

Fans have about 16 months left to catch Garth Brooks in North America, but the singer isn't ruling out more shows, after he explores a few other countries.

Prior to his show at New York City's Yankee Stadium on Friday night (July 8), Brooks explained that there are about 20 North American cities left, and he'll wrap around November 2017. Then he'll head overseas.

"The guys from Australia came up and talked to us, they were very sweet," Brooks tells Taste of Country. "And of course, Europe we (Brooks and Trisha Yearwood ) could probably trade places in Europe. They worship her over there and should."

The tour began in September 2014 with a series of shows in Chicago, and he's continued to play about two cities a month since then. When he's done overseas, he says he's open to playing some special events, like the Houston Livestock Rodeo.

Meanwhile the superstar and Country Hall of Famer continues to work on music for a new album, his second since coming out of retirement. During a separate interview with ToC, Yearwood revealed that her Christmas album with Brooks is finished, but she didn't go as far as to say it'd be released in 2016.

After New York City, Brooks has just two cities on his itinerary: San Antonio, Texas and Bossier City, La. He shared that on Monday he'll begin a series of Monday night Facebook live broadcasts that will take fans in studio with him as he works on new music.

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Garth Brooks Confirms New Album, World Tour

By Andrew Leahey and Joseph Hudak

Andrew Leahey and Joseph Hudak

In a loose, lengthy and at times emotional press conference this morning in Nashville, Garth Brooks confirmed his expected comeback, announcing a new album and world tour. While the bulk of the information shared was kept intentionally vague, Brooks said he has partnered with Sony Music’s RCA Records to distribute the new material and help with radio promotion. The album — as yet untitled, as confirmed by a Sony representative — will be released “around Black Friday,” the retail-centered Friday after Thanksgiving.

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Wearing a Garth Brooks at the Wynn Las Vegas baseball hat and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled, the entertainer’s attire reflected the casual nature of what was nonetheless one of the biggest announcements to come out of Nashville in some time. The return of the Nineties giant, even at age 52, signals major competition for today’s young hitmakers and the antithesis to the “bro country” currently reigning on the charts. Brooks, while praising contemporary country music, stated that his new songs wouldn’t veer toward “bro country” or “hick hop.”

“If you had to put it in a box for me, [it’d be] ‘Garth Music,'” Brooks said, describing his work in the studio. Later, he added the type of content he has been known for — Western fare like “Rodeo” and “Much too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)” — will be well-represented. “You’re damn straight we’ll do cowboys songs on this album.”

Brooks also announced that his catalog will finally be available digitally — “for a stupid price,” he joked. One of the last digital-music holdouts, Brooks will not be working with iTunes however. His website, garthbrooks.com , will be the only place fans can download Brooks’ music. And likely only full albums, as his longtime issue with iTunes was that the digital music purveyor allows users to download individual songs. “When it’s used right, it can do wonders for the artists. And even better, it can do wonders for the songwriters,” he said of digital music. Further information on the digital rollout is expected “within the next two or three weeks.”

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As for the world tour, Brooks will announce the opening city of the trek on July 14th, sharing it personally with a fan who attended one of his Las Vegas full-band performances. Brooks said it’s then up to the fan, named Andy, how he would like to share that information with the world. He is also in talks with Ticketmaster to help sell tickets (presently, garthbrooks.com will be the sole seller) and is pleased by the company’s willingness to help him secure low ticket prices.

“Our job is to go out there and fly the flag for country music,” Brooks said of the tour. He also hinted at the massive production he’ll be bringing along with him. “I’ve seen the world tour stage. It’s phenomenal.”

The press conference doubled as a forum for Brooks to talk at length about the cancellation of his five sold-out concerts in Ireland , originally slated for July 25-29 at Dublin’s Croke Park. A government permit snafu with two of the five shows forced the promoter to cancel the entire run. With reporters from Ireland in the audience, the Oklahoma native addressed them directly and fielded their questions about the ordeal.

“Ireland’s people should never be embarrassed. Most loving people on earth,” Brooks said. “If the prime minister himself wants to talk to me, I will craw, I will swim… I will drop on my knees and beg for those 400,000 people to have fun and come sing.

“If anyone on the planet is sad about [the cancellations], you’re not one-billionth as sad as I am.”

Brooks’ upcoming album, produced by Mark Miller, previously his engineer, will feature many contributions from Nashville’s songwriting community.

“Right now, most of the stuff we’ve been cutting have been outside songs, and you just make them yours,” Brooks said, teasing that the record boasts a song that may eclipse one of his biggest hits. “This [album] holds a song on it that might take the place of ‘The Dance’ for me.”

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Expect Brooks to parse out more information about the upcoming album and, especially, tour in the coming weeks. The Country Music Hall of Famer could barely contain his excitement when talking up his return to the road.

“For those who show up, I hope we give you a show that makes you forget the ones that were in the Nineties.”

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Garth Brooks Hints at Australian, European World Tour Dates

Nothing is set in stone just yet, but Garth Brooks fans across the globe who are feeling a little left out of the country superstar's World Tour  may have something to get excited about.

According to Taste of Country , Brooks is in talks to head overseas once the North American portion of his World Tour wraps up in 2017. Before his shows at New York City’s Yankee Stadium on July 8 and 9, Brooks told media members that he’s got about 20 more cities left to hit in the United States and Canada before heading over to Europe and, perhaps, Australia.

“The guys from Australia came up and talked to us, they were very sweet,” Brooks tells Taste of Country. “And, of course, Europe -- we [Brooks and wife  Trisha Yearwood ] could probably trade places in Europe. They worship her over there, and should.”

For now, Brooks will continue to tour North America and record new music. Forthcoming World Tour stops include  Shreveport-Bossier City, La. , and Anaheim, Calif. , and fans can catch a glimpse at Brooks inside the studio via  Facebook Live  as he works on the follow-up project to 2014's  Man Against Machine . The singer had plans for a follow-up album in 2015 or 2016, but that project has since been delayed so that he can work on writing what he calls “the most Garth thing I have ever done.”

In addition to working on a forthcoming album, Brooks recently announced that he will  lend his name to a SiriusXM radio station  beginning in September.

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GARTH BROOKS IS THRILLED TO HONOR SIR ELTON JOHN AND BERNIE TAUPIN AT THE GERSHWIN PRIZE CELEBRATION CONCERT

Garth Brooks could barely contain his excitement about being asked to honor Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin as they received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at a star-studded celebration concert in Washington, D.C. this week.

“It's one of the greatest, if not the greatest music catalog out there!” Garth says of John’s and Taupin’s extensive body of work. “It’s just years and years and years of hit after hit after hit.”

Garth Brooks' "Friends In Low Places" Build Show on Prime Video - How To Watch In Three Steps

Garth Brooks spent more than a year converting his building at 411 Broadway in Nashville into its current boot-scootin' hotspot, Friends In Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk.

The four-story bar is packed every night with country music fans who want to hear the best bands on Broadway, indulge in the yummiest smash burgers and frothiest drinks as well as comfortably enjoy a birds-eye view of the Neon Neighborhood from the rooftop Oasis.

“Inside Studio G” Returns Live to The Garth Channel!

Garth Brooks has news for fans of “Inside Studio G” – the weekly catch-up on all-things-Garth that can be seen live on his website and his Facebook page can now also be heard live on The Garth Channel !

“ ‘Inside Studio G’ – a Monday night conversation – is back!” the entertainer proclaims in new promos now airing on the radio station, which is part of his SEVENS Radio Network launched last year in partnership with the folks at Tune-In!

Trisha Yearwood Celebrates 25 Years As An Opry Member

Trisha Yearwood celebrated her 25th anniversary as an Opry member Wednesday night at the Grand Ole Opry House, surrounded by an all-female cast of Opry members and friends.

"I have always said that when you're a little girl, and you dream about what you want to do, I always see myself on the Opry stage," Trisha said backstage before the show. “I always thought that was the be-all and end-all."

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Garth Brooks is coming to see his ‘Friends in Low Places’ on new ...

Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks has received every accolade the music industry can bestow on an artist and is the top-selling solo artist in U.S history with over 148 million album sales.

Who Is Garth Brooks?

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on February 7, 1962, Garth Brooks signed with Capitol Records and released his self-titled first album in 1989. His third studio effort, Ropin’ the Wind , was the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. He is the only artist in history to have won seven CMA Entertainer of the Year awards and to have received eight Diamond awards for album sales.

Early Career

Brooks got his start in music singing in bars and clubs while attending Oklahoma State University. In 1987, he moved to Nashville. With help from music manager Bob Doyle, Brooks eventually signed to Capitol Records. His early hits include "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "The Dance."

Commercial Success

Although sales for the singer's first album, Garth Brooks (1989), were good, it would have been hard to predict the amazing success of later releases.

Brooks' second effort, No Fences (1990), spent 23 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Album chart, selling 17 million copies. The album included his bar anthem "Friends in Low Places" and "The Thunder Rolls."

His third, Ropin' the Wind (1991), raked in a record-breaking four million orders before its release, and became the first album by a country singer to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts.

His 1998 release, Garth Brooks Double Live , sold over one million copies in its first week of sales, breaking the previous record.

Other hit albums include The Chase (1992), In Pieces (1993), Fresh Horses (1995), Sevens (1997) and Scarecrow (2001).

Brooks's live concerts have also been extremely successful. An August 7, 1997, concert in New York City's Central Park drew an estimated 850,000 to 1.2 million people.

Retirement and Personal Life

Brooks announced at the end of 2000 that he wanted to spend more time with his family, including daughters, Taylor Mayne Pearl (born 1992), August Anna (born 1994), and Allie Colleen (born 1996). He released Scarecrow in 2001, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It would be his last studio album for over a decade.

Previously married to songwriter Sandy Mahl, Brooks wed fellow country music superstar Trisha Yearwood in December 2005.

Wynn Las Vegas

In 2009, Brooks accepted a three-year stint for a string of performances at the Wynn Las Vegas. The intimate performances given by Brooks — his set only featured Brooks and his guitar, as he shared personal life experiences and the importance of his family— resonated with audiences and proved to be a huge success for the artist. The country star played sold-out shows throughout the entirety of his residency.

For the final show on November 29, 2013, Brooks partnered up with CBS for a live broadcast event. The TV special received 9.33 million viewers and claimed the No. 1 spot in the ratings for the night.

Hall of Fame Honors

New albums and world tour.

In July 2014, Brooks announced an upcoming album and world tour. The singer inked a record contract with Sony Music Nashville for his first studio album since 2001’s Scarecrow . The album, Man Against Machine , came out in November 2014.

In late 2016, Brooks debuted two new projects: His 10th studio album, Gunslinger , as well as a collaboration with his wife on a collection of holiday standards, Christmas Together . Brooks and Yearwood hit the road on the Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood. The tour lasted three and a half years and sold over 6.3 million tickets, making it the biggest North American tour in history.

In November 2019, Brooks was honored with the Entertainer of the Year Award at the CMAs for a record seventh time. That year he also received iHeart Radio’s inaugural Artist of the Decade Award at the iHeart Radio Awards in Los Angeles. It was presented to Garth by Chris Pratt .

Brooks is currently working on his fourteenth studio album, Fun . In March 2019, he hit the road on The Garth Brooks Stadium Tour . For more information on Garth, his upcoming album, tour and more visit garthbrooks.com .

A&E Biography Special 'Garth Brooks: The Road I'm On'

A&E Network’s genre-defining, Emmy Award-winning 'Biography’ franchise premiered the two-part definitive documentary highlighting the prolific career of Brooks, the best-selling solo artist of all time. Garth Brooks: The Road I’m On premiered over two consecutive nights Monday, December 2 and Tuesday, December 3 at 9 pm ET/PT on A&E. The documentary offered an intimate look into Brooks’ life as a musician, father, and man as well as the moments that have defined his decade-spanning career and essential hit songs.

Garth Brooks: The Road I’m On chronicled Brooks' life and career from his early days playing gigs at college bars in Oklahoma and his first unsuccessful trip to Nashville to his record-breaking world tours and balancing family life with global fame. The special highlighted the deeply personal journey and profound legacy of a genre-defining musical figure for the first time. In addition to exclusive interviews with Brooks told his life story for the first time, the documentary featured never-before-seen interviews with Trisha Yearwood, Billy Joel , Keith Urban , George Strait, James Taylor, friend and original bandmate Ty England, songwriter Tony Arata as well as many others from Brooks’ personal and musical family. The documentary also showcased unprecedented access to the seven-time CMA Entertainer of the Year’s current record-setting stadium tour and delved into the stories behind his eight RIAA Diamond Award-winning albums.

"If I was ever going to do a documentary on my life and music, I wanted A&E to do it,” Brooks said. “They have interviewed all of the people who would know what the true stories are so no matter how this turns out, I can't say it isn't the truth."

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1962
• Birth date: February 7, 1962
• Birth State: Oklahoma
• Birth City: Tulsa
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Garth Brooks has received every accolade the music industry can bestow on an artist and is the top-selling solo artist in U.S history with over 148 million album sales.
• Astrological Sign: Aquarius
• Interesting Facts
• In January 2012, Garth Brooks was named the best-selling artist of the Soundscan era, which spans 20 years. The Beatles took spot No. 2.
• The third album released by Garth Brooks in 1991, Ropin' the Wind , was the first album by a country artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us !

• I think my gift truly is I'm an average guy. What I like, an average guy likes. It's that simple. The music that I love, I find that most guys around me love, too.

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

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Garth Brooks tour dates 2024

Garth Brooks is currently touring across 1 country and has 36 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, after that they'll be at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace again in Las Vegas.

Currently touring across

Upcoming concerts (36) See nearest concert

The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

Past concerts

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Recent tour reviews

This is not necessarily a review of Garth’s performance as much as it is a review of the venue. The sound quality inside U.S. Bank Stadium was not the best. I think an outdoor venue, or at least a venue with an open roof, would have been a better choice. I am fully aware that the venue was not made for concerts, but if concert planners are going to start using football stadiums as concert venues, then the sound quality should be considered before booking events, in my opinion. Garth himself was wonderful!

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there are 3 artists that i wanted my kids to see they loved Prince and liked Michael and Garth. had tickets to Prince concert it was 3 weeks after he died my kids had gotten them for my bday which was weekend he passed. I was lucky as hell back when MTV was real music tv and ewas cool not the piece crap it is now when they had contests and shit. I lived in Gillette wyoming and was dating a girl who was friends with this chick from Sheridan and was lucky as hell won contest to have Prince come to her town for the release of Purple Rain and i got to go with the chick i was sleeping with. (i was totally fixing blow her off the day i heard on tv and she called and told me i was going with her) went to sheridan and met him he wasnt as reclusive then as in later years and he was there meet people but he didnt talk to many when Jesse Johnson introduced us he told Prince I was totally a brother somehow trapped in white mans body. he spent atleast 20 minutes there with us and Morris jopined us. I told Prince he was my Idol clear back then and he was interested in how in redneck country i heard his earlier albums told him my brother was black and gaved me all his albums. we had little clique there of 6 guys we called ourseklves the time and had our own names and told him and Morris and they were like maybe everyone in wyoming were hicks. so i totally wanted my kids see him and i never got to see Michael so wanted us go together but Garth believe it or not with No Fences he was his first tour with the Judds and my band Steelwheel had released our album 8 months before Garth and we were Opening for Judds on a 24 date cebtral and northwestern U.S. leg of their tour and Garth opened for us and watching him which i did more every concert so much so few times i had to get help setting up and tuning my set. he was so freaking awesome even back then i told him after 2 nd week that he wouldnt be opening for anyone very long he would be the main artists on his next tour and he was so humble he was like i dont think it be that soon maybe 4th album and i told him he was the first performer i had seen in longtime (told him my goddfather Alice Cooper only one i knew put on a show and thatr he was giving him competiton)tghat cared about the fans and did his best to make everyone feel like they had seen a show and that he did with a much smaller space than shoulda been possible. and he said thanks and that if he did make it big that i would always have tickets to his show and that i just needed to tell whoever was at door that hoss was here with message from his (mom but had to tell them her middle name which i wont say he outa respect but i seen him 4 times after first was his first headling concert and true to his word he had Betty come get me and i was backstage at the 4 concerts and twice in vegas. and my son is a Beatles and hip hop fan but Garth one his favorites and daughter is AC/DC and metal fan but same with Garth and they both loved Prince and we missed Michael and have tickets to the concert Prince was going to do 3 weeks after he died in Minneappolis but i have not gotten them to the Last True Pwerformer of Modern age Garth and i will do whatever it takes to make sure they see him before anything happens to any of us. told them there was Michael , Prince. George, Johnny Merle and Waylon and Garth that were true artists and were Heaven sent to make us happy and of all my heroes Garth last one alive and i will get my kids to see his show cause he puts on a show that even Alice has to take second to and theres never been anyone or never will there be again like him . He and Prince were and are i swear on all i believe are true angels from heaven and God missed Prince and sooner or later hesgonna want his other angel back.

I’ve seen Garth twice before the HLSR show last night. Once when he was an opening act and second just after Friends in Low Places came out. Both of those shows were great, but last nights show was different. Garth seemed like a little kid enjoying every moment. I was working the show for CSC and watching our guest face and reactions were priceless. All I can say is WELCOME BACK GARTH. Oh one more thing, wanna know where was Ty England? I missed him last night.

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Garth Brooks cancels tour as COVID-19 cases rise

"I realize we are still in the fight and I must do my part," he said.

Over the past few months, Garth Brooks has ventured back out on his stadium tour, drawing record numbers of fans. But now, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the in-person fun will have to wait. Brooks has officially scrapped all five of his remaining shows in 2021.

The affected shows include two sold-out stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Cincinnati that Brooks planned to make in September, as well as shows in Boston and Baltimore that were scheduled for October.

Additionally, the singer scrapped a Nashville, Tennessee, show that was supposed to take place earlier this month, but was canceled due to inclement weather.

"In July, I sincerely thought the pandemic was falling behind us," Brooks said. "Now, watching this new wave, I realize we are still in the fight and I must do my part."

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Between the five cities, more than 350,000 tickets will be refunded. No action is required, as Ticketmaster will automatically issue a refund to the original method of payment used to purchase the ticket.

"So, it is with a heavy heart we announce the decision to cancel all five shows, but with a hopeful heart, we will reschedule and start over when this wave seems to be behind us," Brooks added.

Early in August, Brooks warned that he was considering reevaluating his tour. He halted plans to put tickets on sale for a newly scheduled show in Seattle, saying he would take a three-week window to assess the developing COVID-19 situation.

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Fact Check: Garth Brooks Did NOT Announce 'Plans To Permanently Leave The US'

• Mar 15, 2024
• by: Kaiyah Clarke

Did country singer-songwriter Garth Brooks say he would leave the U.S. permanently because he felt there is "No Respect For Me Here"? No, that's not true: The site that originally posted the claim says its satirical articles are "not meant to be taken seriously." Brooks' website states that he is to perform at concerts based in the United States for the rest of 2024.

The claim appeared in a post on Facebook (archived here ) on March 14, 2024. Above a composite image of Garth Brooks and the Statue of Liberty, the caption read:

Garth Brooks Announces Plans to Permanently Leave The U.S., 'No Respect For Me Here'

Below the images, the text in the post added:

This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing:

(Source: Facebook screenshot taken on Fri Mar 15 22:58:36 2024 UTC)

This post is on the Facebook account of the Patriots Network. The account's intro (archived here ) states:

The Patriots Network is a Network of Satire and Parody affiliated with SpacexMania.com

The link in the comment section of the Facebook post led to a March 14, 2024, article on spacexmania.com (archived here ) titled, " Breaking: Garth Brooks Announces Plans to Permanently Leave The U.S, 'No Respect For Me Here.'" This article is listed under the satire category on thespacexmania.com.

A disclaimer on this website under About Satire reads:

Please note that the article under the category 'SATIRE' are satirical in nature and are not meant to be taken seriously. These articles are meant to be humorous and are often entirely made up. We make no claim that the information presented in these articles is true or accurate.

A Google search (archived here ) using the keywords "Garth Brooks" AND "To Permanently Leave," AND "U.S." AND "No Respect For Me Here" produced no results to substantiate the claim on Facebook.

Brooks announced in 2023 that he will begin a new Las Vegas concert residency (archived here ) with "18 new dates in 2024" that will take place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The related Caesars Palace press release (archived here ) remains on the facility's website.

Lead Stories contacted Brooks' public relations representatives about the claim that he is "permanently" leaving the U.S., and will update this article if a response is received.

Additional Lead Stories fact checks that mention Garth Brooks can be read here . Other Lead Stories fact checks that mention SpaceXMania are here .

Kaiyah Clarke is a fact-checker at Lead Stories. She is a graduate of Florida A&M University with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Journalism. When she is not fact-checking or researching counter-narratives in society, she is often found reading a book on the New York Times Bestseller List. Read more about or contact Kaiyah Clarke

Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, misleading, deceptive or inaccurate stories, videos or images going viral on the internet. Spotted something? Let us know! .

Lead Stories is a:

• Verified signatory of the IFCN Code of Principles
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• Member of the #CoronavirusFacts Alliance

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FACT CHECK: Did Garth Brooks Cancel His Tour Over Bud Light Boycott?

A post  shared on social media purports shows a news article that claims Garth Brooks had to cancel the rest of his shows due to low attendance because of the musician’s support of Bud Light.

“His Nashville bar lost all its investors, the grand opening was a flop, he was ousted from next year’s Country Music Awards, Toby Kieth backed out of a show with him in August, and in what was probably the greatest insult, he was booed off the stage…” https://t.co/MQCYJp2llf — 🇺🇸 Carson Krow 🇺🇸 (@carsonkrow) July 10, 2023

Verdict: False

The claim is inaccurate. The report stems from a satirical website.

Fact Check:

Brooks faced backlash after he announced he will be selling Bud Light at his new bar during an ongoing boycott of the beer after they featured a transgender activist in their marketing.   NBC News   reported. Former fans vowed to burn his merchandise from Brooks and one Florida representative said his remarks were “insulting.”

The Twitter post shared an article with a headline claiming Brooks had to cancel his tour. The headline reads, “Garth Brooks Cancels His Remaining Vegas Shows: “People Stopped Coming.”

The caption reads, “His Nashville bar lost all its investors, the grand opening was a flop, he was ousted from next year’s Country Music Awards, Toby Kieth backed out of a show with him in August, and in what was probably the greatest insult, he was booed off the stage…”

The claim is inaccurate. There is no   credible news report   that suggests this claim is accurate. The claim stems from a   satirical website   called America’s Last Line of Defense: The Dunning-Kruger Times. The “ about section “   of the website self-identifies as satire. The disclaimer states, “Dunning-Kruger-Times.com is a subsidiary of the “America’s Last Line of Defense” network of parody, satire, and tomfoolery.” (RELATED: Does Viral Video Show The Nova Kakhovka Dam Being Blown Up?)

This is not the first time a misinformation has been shared online. Check Your Fact recently  debunked  a claim that the judge assigned to Trump’s federal court case was at his rally.

Joseph Casieri

Fact check reporter.

'Woke' Garth Brooks Kicked Out of Toby Keith's Tribute Show?

"reports have emerged of garth brooks being asked to leave toby keith’s tribute show," spacexmania.com reported., jordan liles, published feb. 9, 2024.

About this rating

This claim was made up for a website that says it publishes satirical content.

On Feb. 8, 2024, the SpaceXMania.com website published an article positing that country star Garth Brooks had been kicked out of a tribute for the late singer-songwriter Toby Keith, all for being "woke." Keith had died days earlier on Feb. 5, after a battle with stomach cancer.

Breaking: Garth Brooks Kicked Out Of Toby Keith’s Tribute Show, “Toby Wouldn’t Have Wanted A Woke Person Here” In an event that was meant to unite and celebrate the legacy of Toby Keith, one of country music’s most beloved figures, an unexpected incident has sparked a nationwide conversation about respect, legacy, and the spirit of unity that music embodies. Reports have emerged of Garth Brooks being asked to leave Toby Keith’s tribute show, an event designed to honor the life and music of the late singer. Amid the whispers and echoes of the incident, a phrase stands out: “Toby Wouldn’t Have Wanted That.” This article delves into the complexities of the situation, reflecting on the broader implications for the country music community and its fans.

As of Feb. 9, the story had received over 30,000 combined likes, comments and shares in a Facebook post that was shared by a page that claimed to have affiliation with SpaceXMania.com.

However, the truth was that there was no tribute for Keith where Brooks was asked to leave.

SpaceXMania.com is a website that describes some of its output as being satirical in nature, both on its "About Us" page and as a label above articles.

Garth Brooks' Bud Light Controversy

The basis for the satirical negativity toward Brooks was about past remarks he had made in apparent reference to Bud Light and transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

On June 7, 2023, Billboard.com published an interview with Brooks where he had talked about the plans for his Nashville bar, which was not yet open at the time. During the interview, Brooks appeared to reference a controversy about Bud Light's previous partnership with Mulvaney. Brooks said it was his intention to serve "every brand of beer":

"I know this sounds corny," [Brooks] continued, "I want it to be the Chick-fil-A of honky-tonks … I want it to be a place you feel safe in, I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another. And yes, we're going to serve every brand of beer. We just are. It's not our decision to make. Our thing is this, if you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you're an a–hole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway." A number of artist-owned bars on Lower Broadway, including John Rich's Redneck Riviera and Kid Rock's bar, quit serving Bud Light after the brand partnered with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney earlier this year.

After the interview was published, Brooks received criticism for months. Some of that criticism came from online users who align themselves with right-wing politics.

More about the timeline of events regarding the controversy with Brooks and Bud Light can be found in our previous reporting .

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Bain, Katie. “Garth Brooks Talks Major Label Radio Dominance, How His Nashville Bar Will Serve ‘Every Brand Of Beer’ & Possible New Chris Gaines Music.” Billboard , 7 June 2023, https://www.billboard.com/music/country/garth-brooks-country-live-panel-nashville-interview-melinda-newman-1235348128/.

Liles, Jordan. “Did Garth Brooks Cancel His Bar’s Grand Opening After Bud Light Controversy?” Snopes , 16 June 2023, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/garth-brooks-cancels-bar-grand-opening/.

PerryCook, Taija. “Yes, Toby Keith Has Died.” Snopes , 6 Feb. 2024, https://www.snopes.com/news/2024/02/06/toby-keith-death-2024/.

By Jordan Liles

Jordan Liles is a Senior Reporter who has been with Snopes since 2016.

Article Tags

Past Factory

Garth Brooks: 20 Amazing Facts About The Country Music Legend

Posted: March 20, 2024 | Last updated: March 21, 2024

The best-selling solo artist in the United States, Garth Brooks is a country singer/songwriter, known for his refreshing take on the genre. His success is comparable with the Beatles and Elvis Presley, although his life spans far beyond his work as a musician. Take a look to see what made him such a superstar worldwide, the many records he's broken, his interests other than music, and some undeniable failures he's had along the way. This is the life of Garth Brooks.

He Had Multiple Minor League Baseball Contracts

Garth Brooks had always been an athlete at heart, even earning a track and field scholarship to Oklahoma State University where he threw the javelin. Then, in 1999, the San Diego Padres signed him in a minor league deal and invited him to play with them during spring training.

During the spring, he played left field with a sub-par batting average of .045. The next year, he signed on to play with the New York Mets, trying his hand at baseball once again in 2004 with the Kansas City Royals.

His Mother Was Also A Singer

Although Garth Brooks may be one of the best-known country singers in the world, he isn't the first person in his family to have a career in the music industry. His mother, Colleen McElroy Carroll, was signed with Capitol Records in the 1950s as a country singer.

She recorded under the name Colleen Carroll, releasing a few songs under the label and regularly performing on Ozark Jubilee. Under the encouragement of both his parents, Brooks and his five other siblings became interested in music at a young age.

He Has A Music Alter-Ego

In 1999, Brooks took on the alter-ego of Chris Gaines, a made-up rock and roll musician as a character in the film The Lamb. Although the movie was never completed, Brooks held on to his alter-ego releasing the film's soundtrack, Garth Brooks in...The Life of Chris Gaines or Chris Gaine's Greatest Hits.

Brooks also appeared as Gaines in the television mockumentary Behind the Music and hosted and performed as Gaines on Saturday Night Live. However, the majority of the American public was simply confused by the idea of Brooks playing rock music. Although sales were majorly overestimated, it still managed to earn the No.2 spot on the Billboard 200 chart.

He Set The Bar For Country Artists

In 1991, Garth Brooks managed to accomplish something that no other country music star had done before. His third studio album, Ropin' the Wind , debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart, something that was unheard of at the time.

However, he managed to do it again with his 1997 album Sevens. His other albums Double Live, In Pieces, and Scarecrow all also reached the No.1 spot on the Billboard 200, however, they didn't debut at the top.

He Met His First Wife When He Threw Her Out Of A bar

While in college, Brooks worked as a bouncer at the Tumbleweed Salon. At one point, he had to break up a physical altercation in the ladies' bathroom, leading him to kick one of the patrons out of the bar. Her name was Sandy Mahl, and he would go on to marry her just a few years later.

According to Brooks, "She beat me about nine times close to hell that night, too. I finally got her outside and I just kept noticing how cute she was … I asked her out. She told me to drop dead." The two would wed in 1986 and divorce 15 years later.

He Collaborated With KISS

Garth Brooks is open about his love for rock and roll, with a lot of his live shows in the 1990s being influenced by artists such as Queen and KISS. In 1994, KISS produced an album titled Kiss My [Expletive]: Classic Kiss Regrooved and like a dream come true asked for Garth Brooks to contribute to it.

Of course, Brooks jumped on the opportunity and sang lead vocals on the track "Hard Luck Woman." He also had a chance to perform the song on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.

He Supposedly Turned Down Films Where He Wasn't The Star

According to Lisa Sanderson, a former production partner, Garth Brooks doesn't like being out-done by anyone. During a lawsuit she filed against Brooks, she claimed that he turned down the role of Private Jackson in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan for fear of being in the shadow of Matt Damon and Tom Hanks.

Sanderson continued that he also turned down a role in Twister because he was afraid that the tornado would be the real star of the show.

He Tried To Donate Part of His Liver

When his long-time friend and fellow country musician Chris LeDoux (whom he mentions in the song "Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old") was diagnosed with liver cancer, Brooks stepped up to the plate. He offered LeDoux a portion of his own liver to help him fight the disease.

Unfortunately, Brook's liver was incompatible, although LeDoux was able to undergo a transplant in 2000. He then went on to release two more albums before passing away in 2005.

He Co-Founded A Charity

In 1999, Brooks founded the Teammates for Kids Foundation which partners with professional athletes and celebrities to help provide funding for children's hospitals. The program also helps to fund educational programs for underprivileged youth, as well as creating "Child Safe Zones."

In addition to his foundation, Brooks has been involved in countless fundraisers and other charities of all kinds. He also frequently performs at benefit shows worldwide and is a strong supporter of Habitat For Humanity.

Controversy With Elvis Presley

According to the Recording Industry of America, Brooks was named the best-selling solo artist of the 20th century in the United States. However, this statement did not sit well with a lot of fans and music lovers who were firm in their belief that Elvis Presley had sold more records.

Their argument was that Elvis had been ripped-off due to faulty RIAA certification methods during his career. Although Brooks is proud of his numerous accomplishments, he went on to state that he thought Elvis sold more records as well.

He's A Strong Supporter Of Gay Rights

In a 1999 interview Brooks stated, "if you're in love, you've got to follow your heart and trust that God will explain to us why we sometimes fall in love with people of the same sex."

In 2000, he also made an appearance at the Equality Rocks benefit concert for gay rights where he performed a duet with George Michael. Brooks' half-sister Betsy Smittle was also a lesbian, and Brooks credits her with being his inspiration for supporting same-sex marriage.

He Has A Masters Degree

In 1984, Brooks graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in advertising, possibly a skill that helped him grow his band and become as successful as he is. However, his education doesn't stop there.

He eventually returned to school and in 2011, he received his Masters of Business Administration from Oklahoma State University. Unlike other celebrities and musicians who earn degrees later in life, this one was legitimate and not an honorary degree.

One Of His Verses Was Omitted From A Song

"The Thunder Rolls" was a major single from Brooks' 1990 album No Fences. However, most people don't know that there was a third verse was omitted from the recording. The verse describes a woman who grabs a gun from a dresser to either kill herself or her abusive husband. Yet, that doesn't stop him from performing it live which fans go crazy over.

When it came to making a music video, Brooks wanted to act out the third verse of the song in order to bring the edited and unedited versions together. This led to CMT banning the music video and Brooks selling a collection of unedited music videos for big bucks.

Garth Isn't His First Name

Believe it or not, Garth isn't actually Brooks' first name. He was actually named Troyal Garth Brooks, after his father, Troyal Raymond Brooks Jr. He was born on February 7, 1962, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was the youngest of his parent's children.

Eventually, he made the transition from by Troyal to Garth, possibly as a way to be more individualistic instead of being known as Troyal Brooks III. Also, Garth Brooks sounds better for a country music star.

He Threatened To Not Perform The National Anthem At The Superbowl

At the Super Bowl in 1993, Garth Brooks almost walked out of his performance of the National Anthem. At the time, Brooks had been told that his video "We Shall Be Free" would be played during the broadcast.

The song was written as a response to the L.A. riots with the video showing images of the KKK, flags burning, and more, which the network deemed as too controversial. So, Brooks reportedly left the stadium with 45 minutes to kickoff. Although the network scrambled to find a performer, Brooks eventually got his wish, his video was played, and he sang the National Anthem.

The United Kingdom Loves Him Just As Much

Although Garth Brooks was out-of-this-world popular in the United States, surprisingly, he saw just as much success in the United Kingdom. While on his world tour in 1993, Brooks managed to sell out incredibly large venues such as Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre and London's Wembley Arena.

He was so popular across the pond that the English DJ Nick Barraclough started calling him "Garth Vader" because he was invading the charts. English tribute bands even began to form after Brooks blew through.

He Played For Almost One Million People

Nicknamed "Garthstock," on August 7, 1997, Brooks played a free concert in Central Park that grew to be the largest concert ever held there. Then-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani's office assumed that the concert would only bring in an audience of around 300,000 because of the areas limited affinity to country music.

However, after the show, the New York City Fire Department estimated that there were approximately 980,000 in attendance. The show was filmed and broadcast live by HBO with Billy Joel and Don McLean performing as special guests.

He Turned Down A Major Award

By 1996, there was no denying that Garth Brooks was on top of the world, and had accumulated more than his fair share of awards and accolades. So many, in fact, that at the 1996 American Music Awards, he turned down the Favorite Artist of the Year award.

In a post-show interview, he admitted that he thought Hootie and the Blowfish were more deserving. He commented, "I've been around [the country] talking to retailers . . . and every one of them credits Hootie [& the Blowfish] for keeping them alive in 1995 and I couldn't agree more. So I thought that's who shoulda won."

He Held A 23-Hour Autograph Session

On the 25th anniversary of the CMA music festival in 1996, Garth Brooks made a last-minute decision to attend. Unsurprisingly, upon his arrival, his booth was swamped by thousands of fans either to get a look at the country singer or get his John Hancock.

However, instead of waving the masses away as some might do, Brooks sat down and began what turned out to be a 23-hour autograph signing in which he didn't take a single break. Now that's a real dedication to fans!

He Retired For His Family

Although Brooks' career was at an all-time high, it was also creating issues with his home life. He talked about retiring from music in 1992 and 1995 but continued to return to touring each time. However, on October 26, 2000, Brooks announced his retirement from recording and touring.

That same evening, he reached his goal of selling 100 million records in the United States. He officially retired after the release of his 2001 album Scarecrow, claiming he would remain retired until at least his youngest daughter finished high school.

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'Horse' rousing ride through American history: Author speaks in Naples on Monday

Geraldine Brooks’ life took an unexpected turn more than a decade ago when, during a casual lunchtime conversation, she heard about the skeleton of a Civil War-era racehorse that had just been transferred from the Smithsonian Institution to a Kentucky museum.

The result was “Horse,” her fabulously successful, complex historical novel about Lexington, who was the most successful horse in American racing history.

Brooks, a longtime journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner in fiction, comes to Naples on Monday, March 25, as the final speaker in the 21 st Annual Nick Linn Lecture Series for the Friends of the Library of Collier County.

This year’s Nick Linn Series of luncheons and lectures sold out quickly, a testament to the nonprofit Friends group’s reach as a fundraiser for the Collier County Public Library system’s 10 branches.

Every year, the Friends donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Collier library system. Those funds finance, among other things, the acquisition of e-books and support for the Children’s Summer Reading Program, the genealogy research databases and the Mail-a-Book program. (Go to www.collier-friends.org to become a Friends member and learn about next year’s series.)

Brooks won Pulitzer for Gulf War coverage with Wall Street Journal

Brooks, who grew up in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, came to the United States to earn a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University. As a reporter at the Wall Street Journal, she covered crises in the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. In 1990, she and her husband, fellow WSJ journalist Tony Horwitz, jointly won the Overseas Press Club Award for their coverage of the Gulf War.

After writing nonfiction books, Brooks turned to novels. She won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 2006 for “March,” which is her imagining of the life of the absent father Robert March in Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel “Little Women.”

Talking about transitioning from journalism to fiction, Brooks told the online talk show PBS Books that “as a novelist, you pull on the thread of fact until it frays.”

That’s just what she did with “Horse,” her sixth novel, which was recently released in paperback.

Researching Lexington the racehorse, who lived from 1850 to 1875, revealed that the horse was trained, cared for and ridden by highly skilled but enslaved Black men whose names were mostly not recorded. Brooks created the book’s character Jarrett based on accounts of a lost painting showing Lexington “being led by black Jarret, his groom.”

The book’s portrait of life in the slave-holding South has two other parallel plots:

• The lost painting of Lexington surfaces in the New York art world in the 1950s, and
• In modern-day, we go inside the labs at the Smithsonian where science meets art restoration, and we witness racism today, reflected in the violence of the white supremacist riot in Charlottesville and the murder of George Floyd by a police officer.

The Washington Post’s reviewer called “Horse” a work of “fluid, masterful storytelling.”

Husband, award-winning journalist Tony Horowitz died in 2019

The author’s life took a tragic turn in 2019 when her husband died suddenly while on a book tour. Tony Horwitz had won his own Pulitzer Prize in 1995, for national reporting as part of a Wall Street Journal team, before he turned to writing nonfiction books. The couple married in 1984 and had two sons.

Brooks shares some background on her writing of “Horse,” her relationship with libraries and the subject of her next book.

Naples Daily News: “Horse” is so complex, braiding three time periods. You explore multiple disciplines such as sports, science, and painting and literature. And you address huge social issues such as slavery, interracial relationships and racial profiling. While writing “Horse,” did you ever think you’d bitten off more than you could chew?

'Horse' delves into issues like interracial relationships, racial profiling

Geraldine Brooks: Oh, yes, absolutely. But I didn’t bite it off all at once, so that recognition crept up on me. The scope of the novel revealed once I embarked on the research. I thought I was going to be writing a reasonably simple story — the great tale of a famous racehorse with a dramatic twist during the Civil War. Then I got interested in the science around the horse’s skeleton during its time at the Smithsonian, which led me quite unexpectedly to the art story — the fascinating equine painters of the mid 1900s and the fate of the paintings that they produced. I had no idea that a tale about this racehorse would lead right to Jackson Pollock, but to my astonishment, it did. And then, of course, and perhaps the most challenging, it also led right to the story of race relations in our country. Since the horse’s first trainer, jockey and groom were all Black and either enslaved or formerly enslaved, that was a piece of the history I couldn’t ignore. It was a challenging book to write, I can't deny it. But the journey through all the lives and time periods was also extremely rewarding.

NDN: Your two modern-day characters are both immigrants — but one is a white woman from Australia and the other a Black man with Nigerian heritage, so their experiences in this county are very different. What was your inspiration to place two “outsiders” in the United States of 2019?  

GB: I am an outsider myself, and since so many of the characters in this novel required an immense amount of research, I thought I’d give myself one character that I knew quite well, and that’s my Aussie scientist, Jess, who arrives here to study for a while and then finds all kinds of doors opening for her. That’s essentially my story. As for Theo, he was inspired by something my friend Skip Gates says to all his Harvard students: “There are 40 million ways to be Black in America.” I wanted my Black character to be complicated, un-stereotypical, and also a bit of an outsider, because an outsider notices things a native-born person takes for granted, and perhaps also misses things that a native-born individual finds obvious. 

NDN: Since you’re speaking in Naples to a group of library supporters, do you have any memorable experiences with libraries that you could share?

'Library everything to me when I was growing up,' Brooks says

GB: The library was everything to me when I was growing up. There wasn’t a lot of surplus cash in my family; we couldn’t afford to buy many books. But we took the bus to the library as a family every Saturday and we came home hauling our own stack of reading to devour during the following week. I remember, as if it were yesterday, the thrill of running my fingers over those plastic-covered spines, feeling the tingle of anticipation: where would that next book take me?  

NDN: Are you currently researching or writing your next book, and if so, what is it about?  

GB: My next book is a short memoir, “Memorial Days,” about what I learned when my husband, Tony Horwitz, died suddenly in 2019, when he was himself on book tour. It’s with my editor at Viking right now and will be published early next year.

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Brooks final author of 21st Annual Nick Linn Series

What: Author lectures and luncheons that raise funds for the Collier County Public Library system

Where: The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, 2600 Tiburon Drive, North Naples

When: Luncheons begin at noon. The author takes the stage at 1 p.m. Book signings begin at 1:50 p.m. after a Q&A session with the audience.

Tickets: Tickets are no longer available for this year’s series. Friends memberships begin at $40/year and also provide access and discounts to other programs. To become a Friends member and get information about next year’s series, contact Marlene Haywood at [email protected] or 239-262-8135.

Website: https://collier-friends.org/events/nick-linn-series/