Brooks had a string of multi-platinum albums in the 1990s. Since then, he’s performed only sporadically. This shot is from a concert at the Staples Center in 2008. Credit: Carlos via Flickr
Country superstar Garth Brooks is back in the recording studio. At his much-heralded press conference today, Brooks announced he’s signed on to Sony Music and will soon release a double album of new music.
Garth Brooks stepped away from the music business 14 years ago, saying he wanted to focus more attention on raising his children. He has performed a handful of shows in the meantime, but this is his first return to songwriting and recording.
Since his debut in 1989, Brooks has sold more albums in the US than anybody except Elvis and The Beatles. But he admits there’s no guarantee of another hit.
A second half of a career is not granted. And I’m not saying we’re going to have one, but you have given me a shot to have one. And so that’s where we’re taking it from today.
Brooks says he’ll also begin selling digital copies of his back catalog for the first time ever—but only on his own website.
Brooks did not get into details about an upcoming world tour. However, he did address his battle with local officials in Ireland over a set of concerts intended as his grand comeback. Brooks says he went through a lot of red tape before adding performances and selling tickets. He claims there was never any warning the extra shows might not be legally allowed.
At no time in these monthly meetings that you go to have to get your stuff done to get to the next meeting to let your shows go on did anybody say, ‘woah, woah, woah.’
Brooks says he’ll either perform all the shows or none. He maintains that to only play the originally scheduled dates would be picking favorites among his ticket-buying fans.
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