Garth Brooks Sets His Return

Written by Jon Williams

Last week, country music superstar Garth Brooks held a press conference in Nashville to announce his return to the music scene following thirteen years of semi-retirement. Although he was vague on details at the time, news came down yesterday that his upcoming world tour will kick off in Chicago on September 4. And that’s not all—there is new music in the offing as well. A new single from the hitmaker is expected within the next two months, with a full album of new material coming in November. Given the amount of material compiled during his time off, Brooks says it may turn out to be a double album.

His road to becoming a music legend began when he burst onto the scene with his self-titled debut album in 1989. Garth Brooks contained the hits “Much Too Young” and “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” which became his first #1 single. The album closed with a little ballad called “The Dance,” one of his best-loved songs and Brooks’s personal favorite from his own catalog—although he promises a track on the upcoming album that rivals it for that distinction.

He continued his breakthrough by following his debut up quickly with No Fences (currently unavailable) in 1990. With smashes like “The Thunder Rolls” and “Friends in Low Places,” it is his bestselling album to date. Honors for second best go to 1991’s Ropin’ the Wind, which made history by debuting atop the pop charts, the first time a country album had achieved this feat. The album’s pop credentials were boosted by a cover of Billy Joel’s “Shameless.”

By this point, Brooks was bona fide country sensation, and the rest of the ‘90s was spent consolidating his position with hit singles and strong albums. The anthemic “We Shall Be Free” propelled The Chase in 1992, while “Standing Outside the Fire” and “The Red Strokes did the same for 1993’s In Pieces. He followed that with Fresh Horses (containing “The Beaches of Cheyenne”) in 1995 and his seventh album, Sevens, in 1997.

In 1999, Brooks, who despite being firmly rooted in country music was influenced in his youth by a number of rock acts, attempted an ill-fated side trip into the mainstream pop world. For a movie project in which he would play a rock star, he released the album In the Life of Chris Gaines (unavailable). Because it came out before the movie, there was some confusion as to exactly what Brooks was doing; although the album went multiplatinum and placed a single (“Lost in You”) at #5 on the pop charts, it was deemed a failure, and the project was shelved, with the movie never being filmed.

Following this “fiasco,” Brooks announced his retirement from recording and touring in 2000. One final album, Scarecrow, was released in 2001. And that has been it…until now. With the news that Garth is getting back in the saddle, though, his music is sure to be in demand. Be sure you have all these classic albums on your shelves, and rest assured that we’ll bring you the information on his forthcoming release as soon as it becomes available.

Artists Honored, Legends Return

Written by Jon Williams

It’s been a big week for news and events in country music.

First and foremost, the American Country Awards were held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Tuesday night. It was a star-studded affair, hosted by Trace Adkins and Danica Patrick and featuring performances by Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, and Kellie Pickler, among others. The awards, voted on by fans, recognize the best of the past year in a variety of categories. The big winners on the night were Florida Georgia Line (six awards) and Blake Shelton (four awards), as well as Luke Bryan, who was named artist of the year. For a complete list of the night’s winners, click here.

That same day, it was announced that a new Johnny Cash album will be released in March, featuring unheard music from the country legend. Out Among the Stars was recorded in the early ‘80s and then never released. The material was mostly forgotten and assumed lost, and has only recently been rediscovered. This will be the fourth album release since Cash’s passing in 2003, the first since American VI: Ain’t No Grave in 2010. Stay tuned for ordering information on the upcoming album.

Finally, Garth Brooks announced this week on Good Morning America that he will begin touring again in 2014. Brooks shocked the music world when he announced his retirement from touring and recording in 2000, at the height of his immense popularity, saying he wanted to spend time with his wife (country singer Trisha Yearwood) and children. Now, with his youngest daughter about to graduate from high school, Brooks is ready to get back to what he does best. In preparation, Brooks has released a 6-disc compilation, Blame It All on My Roots, which features his take on songs which have influenced him over the course of his life and career, a mixture of classic country, classic rock, and more. There’s no word yet on any upcoming releases of new original material, but you have to imagine that’ll be the next step.

ACM Awards to Honor Dick Clark

Written by Jon Williams

Televised music awards shows usually focus more on performances than they do on the awards. At this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards, however, a performance by two legendary artists has been put together to celebrate one of the night’s biggest honorees.

In 2009, George Strait was named ACM’s Artist of the Decade for the 2000s; Garth Brooks was given the same title for the 1990s. These two country music icons will perform together for the first time ever at this year’s ACM Awards ceremony in memory of the late Dick Clark, the late music mogul who passed away in 2012. The Artist of the Decade Award will be renamed in Clark’s honor. Clark had produced the show since 1979.

The Artist of the Decade Award has been awarded since the 1960s. In addition to Strait and Brooks, the title has gone to the band Alabama (1980s), Loretta Lynn (1970s), and Marty Robbins (1960s).

While Strait and Brooks may be the most anticipated performers of the night, they certainly aren’t the only ones. Other superstars appearing at the ceremony include Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan (who will host the show), Miranda Lambert, Hunter Hayes, Eric Church, Lady Antebellum, the Band Perry, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, and Kelly Clarkson. Many of these artists were also nominated for awards; for a complete list of nominees, SmartBrowse ‘2013 ACM Award Nominees’ on our website.

The ceremony will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7. It will air live on CBS at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.