Garth Brooks

Troyal Garth Brooks is an American country music singer-songwriter and charity director from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Born on 7 February 1962, he becomes a major commercial force in country music after his breakthrough in 1989. He mixes pop and rock elements into his recordings and live shows, and his image differs from the more traditional physical type often associated with male country stars.

Career

Brooks quickly rises to the top of the country singles and albums charts and crosses into the mainstream pop market. His success is exceptional for the genre, with more than 70 hit singles, 15 charted albums and more than 115 million albums sold in the US alone. He also breaks records for sales and concert attendance during the 1990s.

He later works on an ambitious multimedia project built around a fictional alter ego, although the project remains unfinished. After the decade ends, he announces his retirement from recording and performing, then later returns to live performance through a five-year Las Vegas contract.

Style and public profile

Brooks is known for bringing a broader pop audience to country music while remaining a country artist at core. His recordings and performances combine country with elements of pop and rock, and his career spans chart success, stadium-scale touring and crossover popularity. He is also identified as a charity director.