90's Country Icons: Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks is the best-selling country music solo artist in history. It was hard not to see him or hear his music during the '90s. Brooks' way of fusing country with rock elements helped change the country music landscape forever. From his debut album in 1989 to even today, the singer proved over and over again he is a force o be reckoned with. In honor of '90s country month at The Nash News, we are taking a closer look at Brooks' impact on music.

Brooks' story began in his beloved Oklahoma. His mother Colleen was a talented singer herself before stepping back to raise her family. Being the youngest of six children, Brooks picked up on their musical interests. He was surrounded by Merle Haggard, George Jones, and James Taylor. He went on to attend Oklahoma State University where he would perform regularly around Stillwater. It was at this University that Brooks met band members he still has to this day.

In 1985, the student performer decided to set his sights on going to Nashville; however, he was discouraged early in pursuing his dreams. He returned to Stillwater to keep performing and honing in on his craft. He married Sandy Mahl in 1986 and a year later decided to officially embark on a singing career in Nashville.

After a year went by of getting turned down by record labels, Brooks never lost sight of his ultimate goal. One night while performing at the Bluebird Cafe, a representative from Capitol Records heard him perform. As fate would have it, that representative was there to see someone else perform who didn't show up. Brooks signed to Capitol in 1988 and began working on his self-titled debut album. That album contained the songs "The Dance" and "If Tomorrow Never Comes." The success he craved was starting to come into fruition.

The sophomore album No Fences pushed Brooks over the top. "Friends In Low Places" became an iconic hit and won him and the album countless awards. It was the third album however that became unprecedented. Ropin' The Wind became the first country album to reach the top of the all-genre charts. By the end of 1991, his first three albums had sold over thirty million copies. His concerts were selling out too. Brooks became known for large stage shows that rivaled the rock band of the time. This success increased country's presence around the world.

Brooks continued to release albums that broke records. In 1997, Brooks and HBO teamed up for what would become a legendary event. Brooks' concert in Central Park saw a crowd of around 800,000 people, the largest in the parks history. By 2000, Brooks won the Artist of the Decade Award at the American Music Awards. That same year, he announced his retirement in favor of focusing on fatherhood. Brooks and his wife divorced and he remarried Trisha Yearwood in 2005. By 2014, Brooks returned to touring which he still enjoys to this day.

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