Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks News: Country Singer Denies Sexual Assault Accusations

Country music star Garth Brooks is facing serious allegations of rape and sexual assault in a recent lawsuit filed by a former employee. The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Roe, served as Brooks’ hair and makeup stylist beginning in 2017.

In the lawsuit, submitted in California on October 3, Roe claims that Brooks made unwanted sexual advances toward her multiple times in 2019 and allegedly raped her in a hotel room in Los Angeles during that same year. Additionally, she accuses Brooks of attempting to cover up the purported harassment by deleting text messages from her phone and filing a preemptive legal complaint against her. In a statement issued on the same day, the 62-year-old musician acknowledged anonymously filing a complaint in September but firmly denied the allegations of abuse.

“For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars,” Brooks stated. “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of—ugly acts no human should ever do to another.”

Who Is Garth Brooks?

Garth Brooks is a Grammy-winning country music artist celebrated for iconic songs such as “Friends in Low Places,” “The Dance,” and “If Tomorrow Never Comes.” His third studio album, Ropin’ the Wind, made history as the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the mainstream Billboard 200 chart. Brooks is also recognized as the only artist to have won seven CMA Entertainer of the Year awards and to have eight diamond-certified albums, each selling at least 10 million copies.

Early Life

Troyal Garth Brooks, known professionally as Garth Brooks, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on February 7, 1962. He is the son of Troyal Raymond Brooks Jr., who worked in the oil industry, and Colleen McElroy Carroll, a country singer. Growing up, he was surrounded by a musical family, with four older half-siblings and an older sister, Kelly. His brother Mike introduced him to the guitar, igniting his passion for music.

Music Career: Hit Songs and Albums

Brooks began his career performing in bars and clubs while attending Oklahoma State University. In 1987, he relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where he faced initial challenges in establishing his career, working at a local boot store to support himself. His fortunes changed with the assistance of music manager Bob Doyle, leading to a signing with Capitol Records in 1988 and the release of his self-titled debut album the following year.

His early hits, including “If Tomorrow Never Comes” and “The Dance,” laid the groundwork for his phenomenal success. Brooks’ second album, No Fences, released in August 1990, dominated the charts for 23 weeks, buoyed by hits like “Friends in Low Places” and “The Thunder Rolls.” The album sold over 4 million copies within a year, ultimately achieving diamond certification in May 1993 and accumulating sales of 18 million copies by February 2020.

His third album, Ropin’ the Wind, broke records with four million orders prior to its September 1991 release, becoming the first country album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. His 1998 album, Garth Brooks Double Live, sold over one million copies in its first week, setting a new sales record.

Brooks’ extensive discography also includes other successful albums such as The Chase (1992), In Pieces (1993), Fresh Horses (1995), Sevens (1997), and Scarecrow (2001). His live performances have drawn massive crowds, including a concert in Central Park on August 7, 1997, which attracted an estimated 850,000 to 1.2 million attendees.

First Las Vegas Residency and Tours

In 2009, Garth Brooks embarked on a three-year residency at the Wynn Las Vegas, delivering intimate performances characterized by his solo guitar and personal storytelling. These shows resonated deeply with audiences and resulted in sold-out crowds throughout his residency. Brooks’s impact on the music industry was recognized when he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011, followed by his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012, an honor bestowed upon him by industry legends George Strait, James Taylor, and Bob Seger.

For his final performance at the Wynn in November 2013, Brooks collaborated with CBS to broadcast the event live, attracting 9.33 million viewers and securing the top rating for the evening. Years later, he signed a record deal with Sony Music Nashville, marking his return to studio recording with the album Man Against Machine, released in November 2014. In late 2016, he launched two significant projects: his 10th studio album, Gunslinger, and a holiday collaboration with his wife, Trisha Yearwood, titled Christmas Together. The couple then embarked on the Garth Brooks World Tour, which lasted three and a half years and sold over 6.3 million tickets, solidifying its status as one of the most successful North American tours in history.

In March 2019, Brooks resumed touring with The Garth Brooks Stadium Tour, later being honored with the Entertainer of the Year Award at the Country Music Association Awards for an unprecedented seventh time. Additionally, he received the inaugural Artist of the Decade Award at the iHeart Radio Awards that year.

Newest Albums

Following his receipt of the Billboard Music Icon Award, Brooks released his highly anticipated album, Fun, in November 2020, which faced production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His latest project, Time Traveler, was launched in November 2023, and this 14th studio album was available exclusively as part of a seven-disc boxed set at Bass Pro Shops.

After concluding his three-and-a-half-year Stadium Tour, Brooks returned to Las Vegas to begin a Plus One residency at The Colosseum in Caesar’s Palace in May 2023, with the residency scheduled to continue until March 2025.

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

A&E Network’s acclaimed Biography franchise premiered Garth Brooks: The Road I’m On, a two-part documentary that highlights the prolific career of Brooks, the best-selling solo artist of all time. The documentary aired over two consecutive nights in early December 2019 and offered an in-depth look at Brooks’s life as a musician, father, and cultural icon, exploring the pivotal moments that have shaped his career and significant hit songs.

The documentary traced Brooks’s journey from his early performances in Oklahoma college bars and his initial unsuccessful venture to Nashville, to his record-breaking world tours and the challenges of balancing family life with fame. It showcased exclusive interviews with Brooks, along with insights from Trisha Yearwood, Billy Joel, Keith Urban, George Strait, James Taylor, and other close associates from his personal and professional circles. Furthermore, it provided unprecedented access to Brooks’s record-setting stadium tour and explored the stories behind his eight diamond-certified albums.

“If I was ever going to do a documentary on my life and music, I wanted A&E to do it,” Brooks stated. “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.”

Wife Trisha Yearwood and Children

Garth Brooks first met country singer Trisha Yearwood during a demo recording session in 1987. A decade later, the duo collaborated on the Grammy-winning song “In Another’s Eyes.” They publicly acknowledged their relationship in June 2002 during a red carpet appearance at the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The couple became engaged in May 2005 and married later that year in December.

Previously, Brooks was married to songwriter Sandy Mahl, with whom he shares three daughters: Taylor, August, and Allie. Brooks and Mahl separated in 1999, nearly ten years after their wedding in 1986. In late 2000, Brooks announced a temporary hiatus from music to focus on raising his daughters, and his divorce from Mahl was finalized the following year.