Garth Brooks Announces World Tour

Garth Brooks
Earlier this week, country superstar Garth Brooks — one of the best-selling recording artists of all-time — promised a Thursday press conference and big announcements. Thursday arrived, and so did the news.

Brooks, who basically retired from music in 2001, called the conference to announce a new record deal with Sony Music, and a long clamored for digital release of his back catalog; in addition to formally confirming plans for a world tour.

Donning “aw shucks” Brooksian attire — a baseball cap, untucked shirt, and jeans — he told the press in attendance they were “sweet” for showing up.

“Scared? Yes. Old? Yes. My bigger hope is that I don’t regret this day,” said Brooks. While offering no solid dates for a new album, he did say “sometime around Black Friday is where we usually do our thing.” He added that a new single could be coming much sooner.

Digital versions of his enormously popular back catalog will be available for purchase “within the next two or three weeks,” only at garthbrooks.com. “It’s a cool form. When you do it right, we’ll all succeed.”

He also addressed his recently having to cancel five planned shows in Dublin, Ireland after being denied permits for two of the shows. He added that three-quarters of the 400,000 tickets sold were purchased by fans aged 25 and under. “You’re not one-billionth as sad as I am.”

Brooks spent many years dismayed by the state of the music industry, and perhaps a little confused by how all the new media works. So, before now his catalog has not been available for legal download. He promises that he’s figured out a way to sell the catalog for cheap, while still turning a nice profit for himself.

His last single was a song entitled “The Call,” and it was a duet between him and wife Trisha Yearwood; detailing a rocky time in their relationship.

By visiting Garth’s PeekYou profile — which you can do by clicking his highlighted name above — you’ll be led to numerous articles, websites, videos, points of purchase, and much, much else.