We were waiting in the lobby of a hotel, I had my guitar in hand as I was chatting with Kristy Lee Cook and a few others, when a man walked up to me and said "are y'all in a singing group?" he was casually dressed, unassuming and yet as I got a closer look at him, had a real distinctiveness... it caught me off guard, is he who I think he is?! I tried to contain my excitement as I replied with all the cool and calm I could muster:
"well, kinda... we're contestants on a TV show" then he said "oh really? what show?"
me: "american idol"
him: "wow that's great, i've never seen the show... I got to start watching that,
what's it all about?"
I proceeded to tell him what 'American Idol' was all about. He was genuinely interested in what we had to say...
Since that day, I've met a variety of famous folks, legends even and I think this guy is probably one of the nicest of them all... him and Randy Jackson... oh and Graham Nash. Maybe "nice" isn't really even the most accurate adjective... I mean, most people are nice. But people like Garth are personable, authentic... unaffected. I grew up listening to Garth Brooks, I had the tapes, I listened to "Shameless"... a lot. My cousin Emily, was especially obsessed with GB. We used to make up dances in the living room to "standing outside the fire" I told him that, he laughed. He took pictures with us, he said "thank you"... to us? Yeah sure Garth, it's no prob, you're welcome... ummmm thank YOU Mr. Brooks, you're kind of a big deal!! Oh, and he was waiting for his wife, the amazing Trisha Yearwood...
ps- Jack Bauer just pulled a Memory Chip from a dead guys ribs.
i was totally touched by the entire blog... then at the "PS" part, i laughed. :)) you really are hooked with 24! it's not silly or anything though. i just thought it's a really great end-of-blog line. :)
ReplyDelete"ps- Jack Bauer just pulled a Memory Chip from a dead guys ribs."
ReplyDeleteif that was a sandisk, it belongs to me! ;) love your blogs!
I am now following your blog. It is charming. Garth Brooks has my respect. He was willing to sacrafice his career for his kids. So this was back when you were trying out for idol?
ReplyDeleteI was hooked on 24! Loved loved loved it! I can't wait for a movie. But the memory chip thing was really gruesome to me.
ReplyDeleteGreat story! It's always nice to discover celebrities who haven't let fame go to their heads. And Garth certainly had tons of fame. Thanks for sharing that.
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how jealous and starstruck I feel right now. Garth Brooks is my ALL TIME FAVORITE singer. I have every song of his and I really love him as a person and performer. I'm stunned that you have a picture of yourself with him. Soooooooo dang cool!
ReplyDeleteObsessed?! Really? Me?! NEVER ;-) When I heard that you met GB and told him about the goofy stings we used to do I was so giddy with excitement almost as much as I would have been had I been there with you. He really is one of those singers that has had one of the greatest influence/impact on my life (aside from you and *nsync of course) I still think we should hit his show in Vegas... YOU and Me and we'll just run away. :)
ReplyDeleteWere you tempted to ask what the whole Chris Gains thing was all about?
ReplyDeletehahahaha! how in the world did you keep your composure? what a wonderful experience. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome story Brooke. But that is kind of how people are in Oklahoma. not just Garth Brooks who people see all over town here in T-Town; but the same with Ronnie Dunn of Brooks and Dunn fame; and your close friend David Cook; Adopted by T-Town in 2006. That is just how they are raised here, but glad that it is still a trait when they are rich and famous. Thanks for the story. Love to hear that!
ReplyDeleteHmm, I was digging in pretty good with the story until you get to the part about his (now) wife Trisha Yearwood. And it reminded me that he left his first wife for her. That just makes me sad.
ReplyDeleteI see *two* legends in that picture!
ReplyDeleteGreat Garth memory. My GB story is from the 90s. I was working security at one of the music awards ceremonies at the Shrine in L.A. GB came in and an entourage surrounded him. He broke through them came over to me shook my hand and asked how I was doing! I had heard he worked as a bouncer at one time and it showed he did not forget the little people at all. Made my night that dozens and dozens of "stars" came in an out without even noticing I was there, but Garth Brooks came straight to me and chatted for a moment, keeping the "star handlers" on impatient hold. That's up there with the time last year I got to speak to Brooke White when she was doing a radio interview and was taking calls from fans ;)
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