KICKOFF JAM WITH GARTH BROOKS, CARRIE UNDERWOOD, ALABAMA, THE OAK RIDGE BOYS AND MORE - TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Three-Day, Multi-Artist Festival Highlights Five Decades of Country Music 

and Five Decades of Panama City Beach

Passes Available Now at KickoffJamPCB.com

Panama City Beach, Florida has been a constant buzz since Kickoff Jam with headliners Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, ALABAMA and 12 other hit artists was announced last week. Tickets for the three-day festival celebrating five decades of Country music and five decades of Panama City Beach August 30 - September 1, 2024 are currently on sale exclusively at KickoffJamPCB.com.

Presented by the producers of Gulf Coast Jam Presented by Jim Beam, three-day passes begin at $299 for General Admission. A limited number of Military and First Responder tickets are $289. Over 70% of Tier 1 General Admission sold out within minutes. Information about all ticket levels and hotel packages is available at KickoffJamPCB.com. Financing plans are available.

TuneIn.com, home of live sports, up-to-the-minute news, curated music, millions of podcasts, and over 120,000 streaming radio stations, has signed on as the official media sponsor for Kickoff Jam. Tailgate Radio, TuneIn’s official gameday party station, will celebrate the channel’s one-year anniversary while kicking off college football that weekend. Storme Warren, popular host of TuneIn’s The Big 615, will be on hand to host the weekend’s festivities.

Night one of Kickoff Jam will be headlined by supergroup ALABAMA with a special appearance by Randy Travis on Friday, August 30. Jamey Johnson, Tyler Farr, Gavin Adcock, Pam Tillis and Catie Offerman round out the night.

Saturday, August 31 will be headlined by 8-time GRAMMY® award winner Carrie Underwood, preceded by NEEDTOBREATHE, Lauren Alaina, Restless Road, Carter Faith and Kayley Green.

Sunday, September 1 will see Allie Colleen, Mackenzie Carpenter, Rhett Akins, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Randy Houser perform before Garth Brooks hits the stage.

Fans can spend days visiting local restaurants and attractions and enjoy the beautiful sugar white sand beaches of Panama City Beach before heading to Frank Brown Park for hours of great country music. For updates and special announcements, follow Kickoff Jam at www.kickoffjampcb.com and on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

GARTH BROOKS INVITES SCOTTY MCCREERY TO BE THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY

Multi-Platinum selling country artist Scotty McCreery was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry last night by Opry member Garth Brooks.

Photo Credit: Chris Hollo

McCreery was surprised onstage during his spotlight artist performance at tonight’s Opry Country Christmas show.

“Merry Christmas,” Garth said walking onto the stage handing McCreery a wrapped gift. “This is a Christmas present to the Grand Ole Opry,” Garth later continued. “We would love to invite you to be the newest member of the Opry.”

“Holy cow. Yes, I would love to,” McCreery replied. “I grew up listening to your records Garth and you’re a part of what made me want to do this for a living and I didn’t think that dream would become a reality, but it is because of all of y’all sitting in this house tonight. God bless y’all.”

 
McCreery continued, “When I got started doing this people asked, ‘what are your goals,’” voice cracking with emotion McCreery shared, “and I’d say ‘one day I’d like to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry.’” Then bent down and touched the circle of wood in the Opry’s center stage where so many of his heroes and peers have stood.

“We’re thrilled to extend this much-anticipated invitation to our friend Scotty,” said Opry Executive Producer Dan Rogers. “Whether he’s on the Opry performing his hits, putting his spin on some old favorites during a performance on one of our Opry Country Classics shows, or offering a holiday set as he did tonight, Scotty consistently delivers and is always at home on the Opry stage. It’ll be exciting to hear the words ‘Scotty McCreery, you’re a member of the Grand Ole Opry!’ in the early days of 2024.”

 
McCreery’s induction date will be announced soon.

Photo Credit: Chris Hollo

L to R: Vice President and Executive Producer of the Grand Ole Opry, Dan Rogers; Scotty McCreery; Garth Brooks; 

and McCreery's Manager, Scott Stem 

Photo Credit: Chris Hollo

NIGHT THREE OF TIN PAN SOUTH SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL SURPRISES FANS WITH GARTH BROOKS

From left to right: Mark Hudson, Garth Brooks, Victoria Shaw; courtesy NSAI

Last night (March 30), the Nashville Songwriters Association International and presenting partner Regions Bank, held the third night of their 31st annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival. Dozens of songwriters hit the stage once again at 10 venues throughout town for the unique story-filled experience.

Attendees who made their way over to Analog at Hutton Hotel for the 9pm round on the Musicnotes Stage were in for an incredible surprise as a last minute lineup change left a need for a favor. Victoria Shaw picked up the phone, Garth Brooks answered, and the night became unforgettable!

Brooks performed alongside Victoria Shaw and Mark Hudson for an intimate writer’s round where they shared many stories and even took questions from the audience. Brooks praised NSAI for their work with songwriters by saying, “NSAI is the reason I got my record deal.”

The festivities began Monday when performers and partners joined for the annual kickoff event at Regions Bank to mark the start of the festival, and the first night of rounds began Tuesday, March 28 at 6pm at 10 venues across town. Throughout the festival, songwriters have encouraged and inspired thousands of fans, leaning on the power of music for the community as it carries on with heavy hearts and the utmost respect for the victims and anyone effected by the recent tragedy at Covenant School.

Other surprise guests that have appeared in the first few days of the festival include Carly Pearce (Tuesday at The Bluebird Cafe [Amazon Music Stage]), Jo Dee Messina (Tuesday at The Listening Room [Visit Music City Stage]), Brad Tursi (Wednesday at The Listening Room [Visit Music City Stage]), Kate York (Wednesday at The Bluebird Cafe [Amazon Music Stage]), ERNEST (Wednesday at Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole [Tennessee Entertainment Commission Stage]), Ben Earle (Wednesday at The Lounge at City Winery [Recording Academy Songwriters and Composers Wing Stage]) and Thursday at Cross-Eyed Critters Watering Hole [Tennessee Entertainment Commission Stage]).

From left to right: Chase Rice, Matt Rogers, Trannie Anderson, Chase Chapman (Regions),

Melodie Zack (Regions), Jordan Walker; courtesy NSAI

Looking ahead to the final days of the festival, highlights tonight (Friday March 31) include: The Store Benefit show at 3rd & Lindsley at 9pm featuring Brett James, Monty Criswell, Kelley Lovelace and Bobby Pinson as well as the 6pm round at The Lounge at City Winery (Recording Academy Songwriters & Composers Wing Stage) featuring Ethan Hulse, Wil Nance, Jason Sever, and Brian White.

Saturday will close out the festival strong with line-ups at Live Oak featuring Willie Morrison, CJ Solar, Rob Williford, Jessi Alexander, Chase McGill and special guest, a 6pm show at The Listening Room (Visit Music City stage) featuring Chris DeStefano, Emily Shackelton, Eric Van Houten and a special guest, as well as the 9pm Mix 92.9 show at The Vinyl Lounge (The Nashville Scene stage) featuring Melissa Fuller, Jillian Jacqueline, MORGXN, Jeff Trott, and a special guest.

For the final show at Hard Rock Cafe on Saturday, there has been a lineup change announced, and Tin Pan South has added another country superstar to the lineup! Award-winning artist Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn, will take the stage at 9pm helping bring NSAI to the end of an unbelievable festival.

In addition to all the great shows and amazing surprise guests, Fast Access Passholders can have a daytime activity Saturday, they can get $3 off admission into the Country Music Hall of Fame if they show pass to information desk. Fast Access Passholders can also attend the Saturday 12:00pm Songwriter Session with Terry McBride for free with their pass. Tickets are available on their website and are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tin Pan South is proud to partner with a number of organizations who have curated shows for the 31st annual festival. ASCAP, BMI and SESAC who all showcased their writers on Tuesday night of the festival, and The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum returned with a show of legends on the Amazon Music stage at The Bluebird Cafe on Thursday. As previously announced, Austin’s award-winning listening room, The Saxon Pub, participated in the festival this year as part of an exchange with The Bluebird Cafe and NSAI.

Thank you to our Tin Pan South corporate partners: Regions Bank (title sponsor), Southwest® Airlines (official airline partner), NewsChannel 5 (official broadcast partner), Amazon Music, Jack Daniel’s, Visit Music City, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, Graduate Hotel, and Hutton Hotel.

GARTH BROOKS "PROPOSES" TO ASHLEY MCBRYDE ON BEHALF OF THE GRAND OLE OPRY

While performing at the Grand Ole Opry a little over a year ago, current five-time CMA nominee and two-time winner Ashley McBryde shared with the audience, “I dream about joining the Opry and what that day will be like — Will I cry the entire time? Will I be seated? Who will ask me? I dream about that more than I dream about my wedding.” No longer dreaming about the special day, the Arkansas native has officially been invited to be the newest member of the revered Country institution by Garth Brooks on CBS Mornings. 

“It would be the great joy and the great honor of my life,” McBryde answered through joyful tears. “There’s the GRAMMYs and there’s being a member of the Grand Ole Opry – they are the two greatest things that can happen to you as an entertainer. I’ve always said I will earn it, and this is a pretty surreal moment.”

Congratulations Ashley and welcome to the family!

GARTH BROOKS ANNOUNCES TWO BACK-TO-BACK NIGHTS AT NASHVILLE’S HISTORIC RYMAN AUDITORIUM

Intimate Concert Experience Set for November 19 and 20

Tickets On Sale This Friday, October 22 at 10 a.m. CT

Country music icon Garth Brooks today announced two back-to-back shows at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Just Garth, The Ryman and You will give fans an intimate setting to hear stories behind the songs from the No. 1-selling solo artist in U.S. history. The event takes place on November 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. All tickets are $250, all fees included, and go on sale this Friday, October 22 at 10 a.m. CT at Ticketmaster.com/GarthBrooks. Tickets are limited to four per person. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test is required for entry.

WHERE: Ryman Auditorium, 116 Rep. John Lewis Way N., Nashville, TN 37219

In May, Garth Brooks was one of five artists to receive one of the most prestigious honors an artist can receive, The Kennedy Center Honor. Garth is the first-ever seven-time recipient of the CMA Entertainer of the Year honor. Brooks is the first and only artist in history to receive nine Diamond Awards for the now nine diamond-certified albums at over 10 million album sales each. He remains the No. 1-selling solo artist in U.S. history, certified by the RIAA with 157 million album sales. Recently, he was awarded Country Touring Artist of the Decade at the 2021 Pollstar Awards. Last March, Garth received the esteemed Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The event aired on PBS. He has received every accolade the recording industry can bestow on an artist.

In November, just after receiving the Billboard Music Icon Award, Garth released two new albums, his 12th studio album, "FUN" and live album "Triple Live Deluxe."

After the success of "Garth & Trisha Live!" during prime time on CBS in April, CBS also aired "Garth & Trisha Live! A Holiday Concert Event," in December. Both specials featured Garth and Trisha taking song requests through Facebook, live from their studio, Allentown, in Nashville.

In November of 2019, A&E aired "Garth Brooks: The Road I'm On," over two consecutive nights. Part of their esteemed 'Biography' franchise, the documentary offered an intimate look at Garth's life as a musician and father over his entire career.

In January 2020, Billboard announced that Garth Brooks was the first artist to make it on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and now 20s. Garth debuted "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" in 1989. Now, with "Dive Bar," a duet he sang with Blake Shelton, he makes his appearance on the list in 2020. The single inspired a DIVE BAR tour to dive bars in country music capitals around the country which will continue its run of stops through 2022.

Last year, Garth went vinyl with his meticulously-curated vinyl package, LEGACY. This career-defining collection includes No Fences, The Chase, In Pieces, Fresh Horses and Triple Live, plus CDs with bonus tracks for a total of 7 vinyl albums and 7 CDs in each edition.

In March 2019, Garth launched The Stadium Tour, which has broken stadium attendance records at every stop on the tour so far. Pollstar announced at the end of last year that The Garth Brooks Stadium Tour was the best selling country music tour of 2019. In 2017, Garth finished the three-and-a-half-year long Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood. The tour sold over 6.3 million tickets, making it the biggest North American tour in history and the biggest American tour in the world.

Garth also has Inside Studio G, a weekly Facebook Live series. It airs every Monday on Garth's Facebook page at 7:00 PM EST.

You can follow him at:

https://www.facebook.com/GarthBrooks
https://twitter.com/garthbrooks
http://instagram.com/garthbrooks

For more information please visit www.garthbrooks.com

RANDY TRAVIS PRESENTED ASCAP FOUNDERS AWARD BY GARTH BROOKS, CARRIE UNDERWOOD AND PAUL WILLIAMS

Monday night, at the 57th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards, American music icon Randy Travis was presented the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award. Performing two of Travis’ biggest hits were Garth Brooks, singing “Forever and Ever, Amen,” and Carrie Underwood, singing “Promises.” The duo then joined ASCAP President and Chairman, Paul Williams, in presenting the award, which will join the top shelf of Travis’ award room alongside a Country Music Hall of Fame plaque, a Grand Ole Opry member trophy, seven GRAMMY Awards, 11 ACM statuettes, five CMA honors, 10 American Music Awards, two People’s Choice awards, eight Dove Awards and many more honors.

“This man saved country music single handedly.... I wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for Randy Travis," said Garth Brooks as he welcomed Randy to the stage.

“Your music became a symphony to the lives of millions,” Mary Travis said to her husband. “The songs that you left us before your stroke six-and-a-half years ago will remain the soundtrack of our lives Forever and Ever, Amen.”

These awards celebrate the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most-performed country songs. Travis joins the ranks of Rodney Crowell, George Strait, Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Jackson Brown, Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty and Neil Young, among others, as a Founders Award recipient. This particular award is one of ASCAP’s highest honors, which is presented to songwriters and composers who have made significant contributions to music and inspire and influence the music community.

GARTH BROOKS INDUCTS STEVE WARINER INTO MUSICIANS HALL OF FAME

Photo Credit: Derrek Kupish / dkupish productions

Longtime friend and collaborator, Garth Brooks, inducted singer/songwriter/storyteller and multi-instrumentalist, Steve Wariner, into the Musicians Hall of Fame at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville, Tenn Tuesday night after they performed their multi-platinum No. 1 hit "Long Neck Bottle," which Wariner co-wrote.

Wariner wowed the crowds with two instrumental performances that he wrote, including “Nashville Gent,” and “Four Bus Breakdown,” which he crafted for the show. Wariner also sang the ACM and CMA-winning smash “Holes In The Floor Heaven.”

"What an incredible night! Going into the Musicians Hall of Fame brings me full circle. I came to Nashville in '73. So many people to thank! I'm still reeling! I can't even describe what this means being inducted. I'm so proud my family was there to share this moment," Steve Wariner said. 

During Garth Brooks remarks on stage, he lauded, "Not only is he talented, but he's a fantastic artist. We're all lucky that he chose music. This is truly one of the most talented people and at the same time, one of the greatest human beings to be around."

Wariner, a four-time Grammy® winner, joined 2019 Musicians Hall of Fame newly inducted members Don Everly, Alabama (Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen), Felix Cavaliere, The Surfaris (Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly*, Jim Fuller*, Ron Wilson*), The Original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (David Briggs, Jerry Carrigan*, Norbert Putnam, Terry Thompson, Earl “Peanutt” Montgomery, Joe South*, Reggie Young*), The Players (Eddie Bayers, Paul Franklin, John Hobbs, Brent Mason, Michael Rhodes), The Muscle Shoals Horn Section (Aaron Brown, Harrison Calloway, Ronnie Eades, Charlie Rhodes, Harvey Thompson), Owen Bradley*, Billy Sherrill and Bob Taylor.

Recently, Gretsch Guitars celebrated the incredible talents of the revered musician with the newly released G6120T-SW Steve Wariner Signature Nashville® Gentleman model.

Photo Credit: Derrek Kupish / dkupish productions

Photo Credit: Derrek Kupish / dkupish productions

To keep up with Steve Wariner, visit SteveWariner.com

SCOTTY MCCREERY OPENS FOR GARTH BROOKS & TRISHA YEARWOOD IN SIOUX FALLS

Scotty McCreery and Garth Brooks backstage before McCreery’s performance at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Sept. 22, 2017

Scotty McCreery fulfilled a huge career goal when he opened for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood at their sold-out show on Friday, Sept. 22 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The ACM, BMI and CMT Award winner’s appearance was kept secret, so his emergence on stage was a surprise for the entire 13,000 members of the audience who eagerly embraced him with cheers after his name was announced.

“It was a really incredible moment just being out there on that stage in front of a Garth crowd,” shared McCreery. “I was about as nervous as I’ve been before a show, probably ever, but as soon as they introduced me, the crowd went nuts and that kind of eased my nerves.”

McCreery flashed his trademark smile as the audience joyfully applauded him and his two acoustic guitarists, Jeffrey Harper and Dylan Rosson. As he kicked off the show with his Top 10, Platinum-certified hit “See You Tonight,” a huge crowd of fans began singing along with him word for word. For the next half hour, “Country Music’s Hottest Bachelor” performed an array of his hits and fan-favorite songs, energizing the crowd with his signature deep voice and fun-loving personality.

Scotty McCreery performs with guitarists Jeffrey Harper and Dylan Rosson

When McCreery began singing his current Top 40-and-climbing hit “Five More Minutes,” the audience cheered even louder. As he sang the lines “five more minutes” for the first time, a large number of concert-goers lifted their arms in the air, opened their palms, and extended their five fingers while singing the words back to him. These actions started a growing wave, with more of the audience joining in every time those three words were sung until nearly the entire arena was united by the final stanza. At the end of the song, McCreery received a standing ovation.

Scotty McCreery reaches out to a fan

Scotty McCreery performs with guitarists Dylan Rosson and Jeffrey Harper

After his final song of the night, McCreery thanked the audience and walked triumphantly off the stage as the crowd continued to enthusiastically cheer. He had done it -- he had opened for one of his biggest musical heroes and inspirations, and the audience had loved him. This was a night he’d never forget. And it wasn’t over yet. Quickly he changed clothes and rejoined the audience in time to experience another legendary performance from Brooks and Yearwood.

“We got out there and did our thing, and then we got out there and watched Garth Brooks,” exclaimed McCreery. “What better night could you ask for?  Can’t thank him enough and Trisha enough for having me out. That was definitely a bucket list night for me!”

The next day, Brooks tweeted McCreery, saying “so great having you out. I could have listened to you all night long…or at least #FiveMoreMinutes! Love, g.”

McCreery was in the recording studio last week working on his upcoming new album to be released on Triple Tigers Records / Sony Music Entertainment.

SXSW MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES SATURDAY OUTDOOR STAGE SHOW WITH GARTH BROOKS

SURPRISE AND THANK YOU TO THE SXSW AND AUSTIN COMMUNITY

Garth Brooks is set for an Austin concert as a surprise and thank to the SXSW and Austin community. The concert will be tomorrow night at Lady Bird Lake, 8:00 PM. The concert is presented by Amazon Music. The announcement was made today at Garth’s SXSW press conference. Tickets details are below.

Garth also announced his new single will be, “Ask Me How I Know,” from his most recent album, Gunslinger.

Here is the full line up, Gates open at 11:00 a.m.

1:35 p.m. Colter Wall
2:35 p.m. Cale Tyson
3:35 p.m. Shannon McNally
4:35 p.m. Holly Macve
5:35 p.m. Nicole Atkins
6:45 p.m. Sunny Sweeney
8:00 p.m. Garth Brooks: Presented by Amazon Music

Complimentary general admission tickets may be obtained here starting at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, March 17 (NOTE - CURRENTLY SOLD OUT!). SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake is located in Austin, TX. Admission by complimentary ticket to this event will be restricted to residents of Austin and surrounding areas. Residency will be based on credit card billing address.

SXSW registrants and Music Festival wristband holders can also attend, with a special allocation of space made available via Primary and Secondary access. No ticket is required with a badge or wristband.

To enter the SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake for GARTH BROOKS: Presented by Amazon Music download your Ticketmaster mobile ticket in advance by logging into your My Account at Ticketmaster.com.

While you’re getting ready for the show, check out your favorite Garth Brooks album via the Amazon Music App on your mobile device. Sign up for your 30 day free trial at amazon.com/amu, then download the Amazon Music app – available on iPads and iPhones, Android phones and tablets and Fire tablets.

Please go to https://www.sxsw.com/festivals/music/lady-bird-lake-stage/ for more information on the SXSW Outdoor Stage.

GARTH BROOKS JOINS LINEUP FOR FEBRUARY 8 TRIBUTE TO RANDY TRAVIS

Tickets On Sale Now to 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis

 Joining the star-studded tribute to Randy Travis on February 8, 2017, will be CMA Entertainer of the Year, Garth Brooks. Tickets for the historic night are on sale now at all Ticketmaster locations and the Bridgestone Arena Box Office.

“Mary and I are so blessed to have amazing friends all over this industry. Garth Brooks is an amazing artist who always entertains everyone in the house, I am humbled by his involvement," said Travis.

The event, titled 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis, will also feature performances from over 30 artists including Alabama, Rodney Atkins, Kane Brown, Mark Chesnutt, James Dupre, Jeff Foxworthy, Montgomery Gentry, Ben Haggard, Chris Janson, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Neal McCoy, Scotty McCreery, William Michael Morgan, Joe Nichols, Paul Overstreet, Shane Owens, Michael Ray, Collin Raye, Ricky Skaggs, Kenny Rogers, Daryle Singletary, Michael W. Smith, The Bellamy Brothers, The Randy Travis Band, Ricky Traywick, Travis Tritt, Tanya Tucker, Josh Turner, Phil Vassar, Chuck Wicks, Wynonna, Chris Young with more still to be announced.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Randy Travis Foundation; a 501(c)3 non-profit that raises money for stroke research and rehabilitation.

In October, Randy Travis was officially inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame. The multi-platinum country giant suffered a massive stroke in 2013 and has since made miraculous strides towards recovery. He recently sang “Amazing Grace” at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony as well as the tagline to his iconic “Forever and Ever, Amen” at the 2016 CMA Awards in November alongside numerous country legends and stars.

1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes and Friends Tribute to Randy Travis is produced by Mary Travis along with Tony Conway of Conway Entertainment Group /Ontourage Management , Mike Smardak of Outback Concerts of Tennessee, Inc. who is also the promoter of the event and Kirt Webster of Webster and Associates.

GARTH BROOKS LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE SIRIUS XM CHANNEL

GARTH MUSIC AVAILABLE 24/7 VIA SATELLITE & ONLINE FOR FIRST TIME

PRESS RELEASE

SiriusXM announced today that America’s best-selling solo artist of all time, Garth Brooks, will launch his own SiriusXM channel on September 8.

The Garth Channel, the new, 24/7, exclusive channel, will be curated and presented by Brooks. The channel will feature music from Brooks spanning four decades, along with songs from the artists that influenced his iconic career. This is the first time Garth’s music is being presented 24/7 in one place, on radio or online.

SiriusXM’s The Garth Channel will also include regularly hosted shows and behind-the-scenes commentary from Brooks, guest DJ specials hosted by Brooks’ fans and friends, live concert recordings and other rarities from Brooks’ treasured archives.

"It's rare to be handed an opportunity that can grow as big as you can dream. That is exactly what SiriusXM has just done,” said Garth Brooks. “I speak for myself and the entire team when I say we are very grateful for this opportunity and very excited about its potential.”

“In music, there are few groundbreaking artists, but there’s only one Garth Brooks. We are thrilled to have him running his own full time channel at SiriusXM,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. “And we are so excited that our subscribers will now get Garth in their cars 24/7 and have a place to get Garth on their phones and online—something that has not been available in the past. Garth’s addition to SiriusXM makes our country music offering second to none.”

Garth Brooks is certified by the RIAA as the #1-selling solo artist in U.S. history with over 136 million albums. He has received every accolade the recording industry can bestow on an artist. Garth has been inducted into the International Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame and most recently, the Musicians Hall of Fame.


Garth is currently on the three year Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood. The tour began with 11 sold out shows at the Allstate Arena in Chicago. The tour is smashing records previously held by such acts as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and even Garth Brooks. In just over a year and a half, the tour is approaching 5 MILLION tickets sold making it the biggest tour in the world.

The Garth Channel will debut on September 8 on satellite and will also be available online and through the SiriusXM app.

For more information on SiriusXM, please visit www.siriusxm.com.

GARTH BROOKS TAPS BREAKOUT COUNTRY ARTIST MITCH ROSSELL AS OPENER

Rossell called one of the “Top 20 Country Artists to Watch in 2016” by Huffington Post

Breakthrough country artist Mitch Rossell is swiftly catching the attention of Nashville. Named one of the “Top 20 Country Artists to Watch in 2016” by Huffington Post, Rossell is primed for breakout success.

Rossell, who recently signed with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME)'s Rob Beckham and Barrett Sellers, has been hand-selected by Garth Brooks to make his opening debut on the Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood at 7:00 p.m. on June 24 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Brooks discovered Rossell's music in May 2014 and immediately took the up-and-coming artist under his wing. “Mitch has one of those voices that spins your head around the second you hear it, but that is only the beginning," Brooks noted. "Once he has your attention, get ready for some of the best lyrics and melodies you have ever heard."

WME will be cultivating additional venue opportunities in markets where Rossell is opening for Brooks, who also recently partnered with WME.

"We are thrilled to have Mitch join the WME family. He is incredibly talented and from the moment we met him, we knew he had what it takes to become a star,” said Sellers. “We are excited to begin this journey with him - there are big things in store!"

For more information on Rossell, visit www.mitchrossell.com.

GARTH BROOKS AND TRISHA YEARWOOD PRESS CONFERENCE RECAP - PNC ARENA RALEIGH, NC 3/11/16

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood brought their World Tour to Raleigh's PNC Arena for a 3 day comeback event last weekend and it was an experience of a lifetime.

The weekend started with a small, intimate press conference which I was very lucky to have been invited to be a part of. Garth and Trisha had just arrived from the airport and made their way, via Facebook Live and fans in virtual tow, from the dressing rooms to the press room. I gotta say, I love how much they both have gotten into connecting directly with their fans via social media. They really seem to love it and I know their fans certainly do. One thing Garth and Trisha excel at is connection. This article is going to be a little longer than usual because there were so many good things talked about that I want to share. I held my questions for the one on one session at the end but I wanted to share some great conversations with the others in the room. Tonight allowed a small group of us into a world that few get to see, the honest thoughts and emotions of Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, the obvious love they share between themselves and those that work with them and for the fans.


One of the first things Garth told us when he took the stage was that he wanted this to be a conversation, not just asking him questions, he wanted to be able to ask us questions in return and find out more about who we were, what we enjoyed and just get to know us as much as we wanted to get to know him. I thought that was, well, for lack of better words, just pretty cool. The atmosphere was very laid back, very casual and not the usual runaround, chaotic press conference one would expect for artists of this calibre and for Garth's first time playing Raleigh in decades. They both made us feel very comfortable and I hope we returned the favor. I really wasn't expecting the emotional experience that came from just a few short questions. Having listened to and respected both of these people from as far back as my musical memories take me, I can say that I have garnered a new kind of respect for them as people, not just as artists. They're both as genuine as a heart can possibly be and they're both as kind as you would hope people to be. I am definitely a continued fan for life.

Anna Laurel (ABC 11 News Raleigh): "Obviously, because it's been so long since fans have been able to see you like this out on the road, we know why everybody wants to see you. How do you bring so much energy night after night after night? What's your driving force to connect like you do?"

Garth: "This is where it all comes together. I could listen to music all day long but until I sat in that auditorium in Nashville when James Taylor came to do something with the Nashville symphony. It was the first time I'd ever been in the same room where there's nothing between you and him, that's what it's about. He plays the symphony and he's all charted out. When you do those symphony gigs, you usually get done pretty quick because the symphony can only do so many songs so then James comes back out, just he and a guitar. Now we're unscripted, now we're off the reigns. He just starts playing all of the things he loves, which are all of the things I love because I love him. I bawled like a baby and every time I think about it, that's what music is. Standing in the 13th row, first concert and I got to go with a date other than my brother, it was Queen. 13 rows away from Freddie Mercury ... whew ... Brian May with that guitar. That's when they allowed you to stand in your chair, your hands are up, you're screaming so loud that you can't hear yourself and the music was so loud. That's what it's all about. That's what makes me want to do this every night, night after night."

Trisha: "For me, it was Linda Ronstadt, I was 15 and I was in the balcony at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta and I remember listening to her sing and thinking if I could get up on that stage and do that, I would never stop. I think it's that we are going at a pretty fast pace on this tour, we're already a year and a half in and and it won't be another blink before this tour's over. We are just trying to enjoy every single second and we are, I mean it's what we've always dreamt of doing our whole lives and we get to do it together."

Garth (obviously very emotional): "So there's that sense of urgency and I think that's what makes live concerts so cool. For some people, you always have to think of things both ways, ok? People don't realize how far I travel to hear them sing, they just never compute that, it's always the other way around and there will be people here tonight that it will be their first and their last time they'll ever see us live and this is the first and last time I'll ever get to do it live for them. There's the marriage right there and we'd better enjoy it."

Mandy (Raleigh Magazine):  "Trisha, with "The Passion" coming up, it's a musical about the life of Jesus. It's a very daring project. What drew you to it?"

Trisha: "Um, I'm terrified, first of all. When I talked to the producers, Alexanders and Andy who had done GLEE, I thought this will be a really fun experience with a lot of these productions are starting to go live on TV like "The Sound of Music" and then we had "The Wiz" and "Grease". It wasn't until a couple of days after I had said yes that it really sank in that I had agreed to play Mary, the mother of Jesus, and then I got really scared. Somebody asked me yesterday "What does your husband think of this?" and luckily I live with a guy who takes risks, he's not afraid to do anything and so I think for me, this is probably one of the most challenging things for so many reasons. The music is all pop music, it's all different for me, it's all really hard and it's not in my comfort zone and then there's the emotion that comes with telling this story with one of the scenes that I'm in and some of things I have to sing around. I'm nervous and I'm not usually nervous but this is different. This is a story that I grew up in church hearing and I love the way the story's being told, true to scripture but bringing it to modern day, telling that story of love which is the best story to tell. I want to be a part of that."

Janie Caruthers 94.7 WQDR: "Here in Raleigh, playing the Longbranch is a right of passage and sadly it's no longer open but what memories do you have of playing the Longbranch?"

Garth: "First of all, did your grandparents tell you about the Longbranch? I know you have no recollection of being in there. It's just great. It's what we were saying coming in talking to you guys on Facebook, the great thing about coming here is you realize this is where your career kinda started. So Raleigh, you go into the Longbranch and you play and then you come back and you play it again. You get to be involved with their 25th anniversary event. It's like Ticketmaster, the people who do your tickets, they keep all their data and what they're telling you is 48% of the building weren't even born yet when you toured last. So it's pretty cool because you're getting to see those faces you saw at the Longbranch back in the day and then you get to see their children. The crazy thing is each one of them knows the words to each one of your songs, every verse. I'm amazed. People always ask "ooh, what did you do if you forget the words?" You just look out in the audience, it's crazy. Hopefully the music, it's the important thing, and not the artist is what's getting across."

CBS News Raleigh: "I saw you get a little emotional when you were talking about the letter you posted to fans on your Facebook page. Can you tell us a little more about that?"

Garth: "What I've learned out here on the road is what people are looking for from the old music to the new music. They keep talking about "the Garth stuff". I wasn't sure what they meant. What it came down to is I've been lucky enough to have been paired with some really great writers. Instead of taking someone else's song and making it your own, you have to put your soul to music and then write. They're telling me that's what they're missing. I didn't know if the writing muscle would come back. Trust me, when we took off, we didn't do anything music wise. Oklahoma, it's a great place to raise your kids, we're talking oil, cattle, gas, hay, you know stuff like that and that's kind of what we dove into. Nashville's all about creative energy and all the writing juices that flow there. When you get back in that town, you want to write again so we just started to write again. You just pick up a pen and if that's good or bad, this next album is going to be more Garth than any other album. The people will decide if that's good or bad."

Tina Currin, Indyweek Magazine: "I run marathons and it seems like touring, especially these very long extensive tours, are very physically demanding. What has it been like preparing for the demands of this tour day after day?"

Garth: "I've been on two world tours before and they were 3 years each so to pick 3 years seemed to be the obvious thing. The thing I didn't count on was I'm 54. There's something about a guy that for some reason still seems to think he can do what he could do in his twenties. I can (laughs) but you know. I think that was the biggest shock."

Trisha: "Yeah, I think that when we first started this tour, even when a lot of these cities are two shows a night. What I do is so much less than what he does out there and I know from living with John Wayne that he will be hurting and no one will ever know it and MAYBE he'll tell me at some point in the car on the way home if he's bleeding anywhere from falling ... (looks at Garth) ... not falling. I'm sure you meant to go to the ground ... but yeah, I think you just get it done. My part isn't as physically demanding as what he does. The first 6 months was a re-training of just the energy. Even though I'm not always on stage, I'm back stage and might have to come back out and we might not get back to the hotel until 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning and we don't sleep until 2 the next day. Garth is usually doing a kid's camp Teammates for Kids, I've got everything from live tweeting for the cooking show to book signings, we do Prizefighter luncheons sometimes so there's always stuff going on the next day. After awhile, you get into a shape of what you're doing. It's like exercise. You might be great at hiking and you hike up a hill but you can't play basketball without losing your wind because you haven't done that so you get in shape for that then it's hard to do something else. I think it's just getting in shape for this like anything."

Garth: " I know this is our press conference, but can I ask you a question? You run marathons, full? What do you do when you just want to quit?"

Tina: "When you wanna quit running?"

Garth: "Right. When you're in the middle of a marathon, what do you do when you just think "Oh hell no", how do you keep going?"

Tina: "I listen to music and the amazing thing about distance running is that at a certain point, it shuts off, everything else shuts off and you just get lost in music and stop thinking about what hurts and you just kinda get in the zone and it feels really good."

Garth: "And for you, when is that point?"

Tina: "Uh, maybe like mile 18."

Garth: "So the truth is you know if you can get to 18 miles, you can get to the rest. Let me tell you, there are few things in my life that I haven't done that I've wanted to do."

Tina: "You should do it."

Garth (lifts up shirt and pats his belly): "Um, no, but I love you and admire you. You have something that I would like to call my own."

In the short clip below, Garth talked about pulling back the curtain and exposing those who make him sound good night after night, the musicians who have been by his side for years and have played on the albums. He got very emotional and shed a tear talking about his friendship and gratitude he has for his band members.


When it was time for one on one interviews, Garth and Trisha were very gracious with their time, even taking photos when we had been told there wouldn't be time for any. Garth walked up to me, shook my hand and actually said, "Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Garth." How cool is is that's he's not above introducing himself like many other artists I've spoken with. I found that very refreshing and a nice change of pace. He made me feel very comfortable, like I was talking to a friend and that makes a world of difference to someone who not only works with artists but as a fan which is what I am first and foremost.

I shook his hand and introduced myself in return and (in reference to his remark in the video above), apologized for my Alabama accent (I'm from Mobile, AL) which made him turn red and start laughing and trying to dig himself out of that hole. 

He asked me to tell him about Lovin' Lyrics. I told him that I'm just a music fan who wants to give back and do what I can to help those artists who don't have the money to pay for big name promoters and can't get attention because they don't have the money it takes, that I just want to help get the music out there and give back to others what music has done for me. He smiled, took a step back, put his hand on his face and said "wow, that's so great" and hugged me. Needless to say, that one moment made the hard work up to this point more than worth it. I asked him two questions:

Me: "So you're standing at the gates of country music heaven and there stand Patsy Cline, George Jones and Waylon Jennings. George Jones looks at you and asks, "Why should we let you in?" What would you say?"

Garth: "Well, that's a simple one. I believe in God and God is George Strait." 

That wasn't the answer I was expecting, it was better than the answer I expected and it started a great connection with Garth. He looked over my shoulder and noticed my mom, asking "Is that your mother? I can tell", then walked over, shook her hand and gave her a hug, asking her how many of "us" she had and carrying on their own special conversation. That meant the world to me and I know it meant the world to my mother. Thank you for that, Garth. We then talked a little about his charity, Teammates for Kids. His face lit up when he talked about the kids he's worked with and the mission he's on to help kids that need it. 100% of donations go to the kids, period. For more information on the mission, go to https://teammatesforkids.com/mission. It's really a wonderful cause. When time was up, HE asked if we could take a picture. Well who am I to say no and why would I? Are you kidding me? It's a picture of a lifetime and one I was able to share with my mother. 

Due to time restraints, I only got in about 2 minutes with Trisha. I asked her how she keeps herself together with everything she has going on and just not snap and if she's ever told Garth to just talk to the hand. She said there are times she wants to just sit down and cry, pull her hair out, but Garth is her calm. He always has a way of making her fears and stress disappear. When it comes to the love she has for him, her eyes said so much more than her words ever could. I introduced her to my mom and she came down off the podium and said "I need to hug you, I miss my mom so much" and she hugged her so tight and quite honestly, I think my mom would have adopted her right then if she could have. She talked about being petrified of portraying "Mary" in "The Passion" and said she was afraid it would be so powerful that she wouldn't be able to finish singing and would break out into full on ugly cry face. I'm watching her performance as I write this and I'm the one who broke out into full on ugly cry face complete with sniffling and the whole lip tremble, the production is powerful but SHE was powerful in her performance of "Hands" and "Broken". You did just fine, Ms. Yearwood.

Thanks to Garth and Trisha for their time, their candor, and their kindess and for making me realize why I love this genre, it's passion not only for the music but for what it stands for. What a wonderful night. Stay tuned for a review of opening night!

- Jenn

Follow Jenn on Twitter at @lovinlyrics

All photos courtesy of Jennifer Smith / Lovin' Lyrics

WAY BACK WHEN WEDNESDAY: "THE THUNDER ROLLS" - GARTH BROOKS

On this sunny summer day, I figured we’d focus on a summery prototypical cheating song that kicked off the 90’s, penned and sung by none other than Garth Brooks.  The man that has made entire generations follow in his footsteps and has recently gotten back into the rhythm of things himself. Touring again on his first tour in decades, there is no better time to see a show of his!

A classic Garth tune through and through, “The Thunder Rolls” was written by Garth Brooks and Pat Alger. Alger’s credits read like an absolute Mecca for country music and songwriters everywhere. Like manna from Heaven, his talent rained down on pretty much every recognizable name of the 80’s and 90’s. It poured down upon the Everly Brothers, Dolly Parton, Kathy Mattea, Peter, Paul and Mary, Don Williams, Rhonda Vincent, Tanya Tucker, Crystal Gayle, Hal Ketchum (Yes, to answer your question one of them was “Small Town Saturday Night!”) and more! With Garth, there aren't enough words in the English language to speak of all he’s sung, done and written. The “Garth” of it all cannot be contained into any amount of words, it’s just “Garth.” This hasn’t been the first time I’ve written his praises and it won’t be the last.

The infamous spurned woman with lightning flashing in her eyes was first heard on Garth’s 2nd studio album “No Fences” released in 1990.  The story within this song is an intense one, coupled with a raging storm.  A worried woman deeply in love, hoping that the inclement weather has kept her husband away from her, that he’s still safe and that he’s not been with another.  Alas, upon his return her suspicions are confirmed and as “she rushes out to hold him, thankful he’s alive
But on the wind and rain, a strange new perfume blows.” She doesn’t try to hide her reaction, her eyes flash rage and betrayal as the torrential downpour releases from both her and the sky above.

This song can definitely be defined as a classic and it's definitely classic Garth.

We normally include a video with the song for the reader to enjoy and "flash back" to, however Garth's label has strict restrictions on posting Youtube videos due to copyright infringement.

Contributor: Alyse Smith
Follow Alyse on Twitter at @ASmith1300

CONCERT REVIEW - GARTH BROOKS WORLD TOUR WITH TRISHA YEARWOOD AND KARYN ROCHELLE - GREENSBORO, NC - NOVEMBER 23, 2014

TOUR: Garth Brooks World Tour  
ARTIST: Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood with special guest Karyn Rochelle
VENUE: Greensboro Coliseum - Greensboro, NC
DATE: 11/23/14
REVIEWER: Jennifer Smith
Follow Jennifer on Twitter at @LovinLyrics

Click HERE for photo gallery

Click HERE for videos from the show 

Back in the 90's, my musical "Must Do" was see Garth Brooks. That never happened. When I first heard that Garth Brooks was heading back on the road this year after years of retirement, my first thought was "I MUST cross this off the top of my bucket list!" Well, I can now say that I have crossed the #1 item off that bucket list and it included an extra bonus of Trisha Yearwood! Garth made it affordable at a standard ticket price of only $67.00 for tickets for ALL seats, at least at my venue. If I were to leave this earth today, I would leave it with a huge grin on my face and a huge smile in my heart. It was a chance to relive the days when my worries were few and my good times were many, a chance I probably won't have again. It was a reunion of sorts with my past, one that brought back memories and unlocked doors that hadn't been opened in years.

This weekend, Sunday, 11/23/14, the only thing it took to get my "Sundaze" on and stoned at this show was the music, the passion of the artist and the fans. To put it bluntly, this was the best orgasm a country fan could ever have, it even made me want a cigarette after and left me with an obvious glow. This was great sex is a musical way. This was more than a show, this was an out of body experience, a connection that only Garth Brooks can make. This experience was truly about "people loving people", blaming it all on our roots, singing off key, loud and "shameless" and just roping the musical wind in one hell of a country music "rodeo". It was a family friendly event, one you wouldn't be have to be concerned about taking your kids to see. When I looked around this area, I didn't see people so drunk they were spilling beer on other people, they weren't so wasted that they couldn't enjoy the music .. this wasn't about "Burnin' It Down" and seeing who could reach their "Tippin' Point" first, it wasn't about pickup trucks, cut off faded blue jeans or Fireball Whiskey, this was about a night about the music itself and being able to enjoy it and remember it well after the first couple of songs. We'll remember this one for years to come. This was 3 hours of not listening to the misery of the world outside those arena doors, not worrying about how we were going to pay our next bill, not worrying about health issues or any other negative thoughts we would otherwise normally be thinking about, this was time with each other welcoming back one of the biggest artists in country music and welcoming back country's tradition with open arms and open hearts. For me personally, there is no other place I'd rather spend a Sunday night - just listening to the man that was instrumental in filling my heart with a love for country music, spending just a little bit of quality time with someone that I love, and simply appreciating the music that made me who I am. There was one added bonus, our seats were randomly upgraded! The only thing I can complain about is that the night came to an end, but even so, the memories never will.

It's been 16 years since Garth was last in Greensboro and man was it worth the wait! He hasn't lost a beat. He might have lost a little hair and his voice has an aged quality to it now, but the experience was pure Garth then and pure Garth now. The stage set up was incredible, the light show was fantastic and it was Garth as only Garth would do it, the bigger the better but yet he still manages to keep it simple and about the music. First up was Karyn Rochelle, which was a huge surprise for me because I have been a fan for a long time, following her songwriting career the past few years out of Nashville. I never knew she was an NC native from Wilmington. She was fantastic, such a strong vocalist and a great stage presence. She performed her original music including "Jezebel" and "Red High Heels" which was cut by Kellie Pickler and was her breakout hit. I highly recommend her new self-titled CD. Her song, "Better Off" is my new theme song ;-)

When Garth hit the stage to the mechanics of "Man Against Machine", the decibel level in the coliseum went to unheard of levels, the floors rumbled with the thunder of the applause and the excitement was beyond description. It's something any country music fan should experience at least once. Even if you weren't a Garth fan coming in (what?), you will be when you leave. He was all over the place, climbing on the stage props, singing to each side of the stage so EVERYONE got a chance to see him and not just those on the sides and the front. I was prepared to stand and to sing, but not like this! We pretty much stood the entire 3 hrs and sang so loud that our throats hurt. The passion that he brings to a performance is infectious, you can hear it in every note he sings and it spreads to the audience in every word they sing right back. He displays such an appreciation for country music and for the foundation it was built on and he reminds you of exactly why you fell in love with country music to begin with. These days, and I know country music has to evolve, but it's hard to sometimes remember what's so great about it. Artists like Garth are what's so great about it. Is he the best vocalist, no. Is he the hottest guy with the tattoos and earrings, no. Whether you agree with his politics, his view on how he handles his business, his stance on today's music or blah blah blah, what you can't disagree with is his deep love and appreciation for music and those that support him. It's in the smile on his face throughout the show, it's in the tone when he sings songs like "Unanswered Prayers", it's in his tear filled eyes when an area full of people sing "The Dance" and he just stands there listening. After seeing a live show, you really can't help but be a fan. He did all of the songs that made him one of the biggest names in country - "Rodeo", "Shameless", "Papa Loved Mama", "Calling Baton Rouge", "Two of a Kind Working on a Full House", "Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old", "Beaches of Cheyenne" and more classics. He also broke out the big guns with "Friends in Low Places" which included tons of confetti, streamers and the infamous "3rd verse". Now THAT was a good time! I apologize to those around me for my horrendous vocal ability, but I was gonna sing and I was gonna sing it LOUD. The only other new song he performed was "People Loving People" which was a satellite performance during the American Music Awards being broadcast the same night. This night was about the good stuff, the stuff that took him from bars in Oklahoma to the top of the Billboard charts. It wasn't about hawking a new album, it wasn't about making a statement, it was about a good time.

When Trisha came out from the shadows to sing "In Another's Eyes" with Garth, the thunder rolled again. These people were LOVING this. Her voice is still clear and strong and she's absolutely gorgeous. She did a few of her songs like "How Do I Live", "X's and O's", "She's in Love with the Boy" (which was great with an audience "kiss cam" focusing on random couples in the audience and the women were kissing the "boy" they loved on the big screen.). She focused in on a fan in the audience holding a sign about her 9 year old son being cancer free, she dedicated her new single "Prizefighter" to that fan's son, Ryan. Her next song was "Georgia Rain", which was written by Karyn Rochelle, so she brought her out and asked her to sing along with her to which she obliged. By the end of the song, Karyn got a little emotional and choked up, Trisha jumped in and hugged her, helping her through to the end. It was a great moment for everyone to see a girl from NC living her dream.

The end of the show brought 2 amazing encores, including a heartfelt duet between Garth and Trisha of "Walkaway Joe".

I'd personally like to say thank you to Garth and Trisha for starting the curve to bring country back full circle, for giving fans a chance to appreciate the music again and for the 3 hours "outside of the real world" and immersing us into a world we've missed for so long.

If this tour comes to your area, GO! If you have to sell a kidney on the black market to get there, do it. It will leave you with a new appreciation and respect for the genre that seems to have lost both over the past few years and will make you wanna scream HELL YEAH just because.

Photo Credits: Jennifer Smith / Lovin' Lyrics

CD REVIEW: "MAN AGAINST MACHINE" - GARTH BROOKS

CD: "Man Against Machine"

Artist: Garth Brooks

Release Date: 11/11/14

Reviewer: Jennifer Smith

Follow Jennifer on Twitter at @LovinLyrics

I just have to start this review off  in the words of the immortal Madea, HALLELUYER! Garth Brooks officially made his comeback announcement over the summer and he's done a few tour stops, but THE MAN came in like a raging lion this week and made his presence known with the release of his long awaited comeback CD, "Man Against Machine" and he swooped in like the country music behemoth he is and, for the first time, took over the social media world, adding over a million likes on Facebook within only a few hours. The talk of the music world is now "11/11/14" and the day country music took a stand and the fans stood strongly with it. I feel a revolution coming on and &!$%! does it feel good!

With a carefully selected collection of new music, Garth has planned this album with precision and quality. If you're looking for "Fireball", "tailgates", and "white tank tops" here, you're not gonna find it. That's not what Garth is about, he's never been about shallow, his music has always reflected his depth as an artist. What you will find here is human emotion, a sense of pride, respect and story telling done only the way Garth can do it and music that is a variety of different content and style. Garth has always been known as a gentleman, not only in his every day way of approaching life and treating people, but in the music he chooses to release. He's ready to bring manners, courtesy, dignity and admiration back to the genre as a whole and to try to bring the listener appreciation back to the music itself, the writing, the performance. What you will find here isn't all twang, fiddle and steel, you will find those mixed in with strong guitar riffs, a thick heartbeat of percussion, an "amped up" version of the Garth we all fell in love with decades ago and that familiar voice, that while not perfect, is a little weathered from the years, but is one that still takes you "home". What this cd represents is literally what the title says, "Man Against Machine", one man who is tired of the establishment, the "new thinking" of Nashville and the fact that the focus has drifted from creativity and making credible lasting music to simply making another buck for the overstuffed corporate wallet. Whether you like Garth or not, you have to love that he's willing to fight for what he and millions of country fans believe in, the music and the ideals that represent country music. We're ready for the fight.

Songs to Pay Attention To:

"She's Tired of Boys" - Written by Amanda Williams whose father wrote many of Garth's big hits.
"All American Kid" - Written by Craig Campbell, that's an added bonus right there!
"Mom" - This one brought an entire studio at Good Morning America to tears, fair warning.
"Send 'Em on Down the Road" - The title says it all.

I give it a big country YEE HAH and a tip of the Stetson for doing it right.

WIN A "GARTHMANIA" PRIZE PACK

We are so darned excited about Garth doing what he's doing now and what he's fought for since day one for country music that we want to share as much of his music as we can with  you! We are giving you a chance to win Garth's "Blame It All On My Roots" boxed set, which includes 8 discs of pure Garth music and videos along with a $30.00 pre-paid Visa gift card which you can use to purchase music from his new music service, Ghosttunes! He currently has a digital bundle of all of his music released to date for $29.99! This includes his brand new cd, "Man Against the Machine".

To get your name entered to win, all you have to do is the following:

1.) If you're on Twitter - 

Follow @GarthBrooks and follow @LovinLyrics

2.) If you're on Facebook -

Like Garth Brooks and like Lovin' Lyrics

3.) Tweet us the following message including what you love most about Garth.

"Hey @LovinLyrics! I love @GarthBrooks because ...  #ManAgainsttheMachine"

4.) If you're on Facebook, comment under the post announcing this giveway that you want to win and what you love most about Garth.

We will choose a winner on Friday, 11/14! That's it. Let's welcome Garth back to country, start a country music revolution! Let's welcome Garth to social media and give you a chance to win music from one of the best loved and most respected artists of our time.

NEW MUSIC COMING FROM GARTH BROOKS NEXT WEEK! GET READY!

GARTH BROOKS CHICAGO TOUR STOP TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, JULY 25

Garth Brooks is set to launch off his world tour and the first stop is Chicago, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. The concert will take place on Thursday, September 4th at 7:30 PM and will be the first time Garth has played the Chicago area in 16 years.

Tickets go on sale Friday, July 25th at 10:00 AM CST with a 6 ticket limit per purchase. They can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster Express 1-866-448-7849. There will be NO sales at the venue box office or Ticketmaster outlets on July 25th.

Tickets price is $56.94 plus $2.56 tax plus $6.00 service charges, totaling $65.50.