Childhood and Education Journey of Garth Brooks in Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Garth Brooks. From birth to education, explore key events.
Troyal Garth Brooks is a highly successful American country singer and songwriter known for blending pop and rock elements into country music. This fusion contributed significantly to his widespread popularity in the United States, leading to numerous chart-topping singles and albums, multi-platinum certifications, and record-breaking concert attendance. He also achieved crossover success in the mainstream pop music scene.
1929: Birth of Colleen McElroy Carroll
In 1929, Colleen McElroy Carroll, Garth Brooks' mother, was born. She was a country singer who recorded on Capitol Records.
1931: Birth of Troyal Raymond Brooks Jr.
In 1931, Troyal Raymond Brooks Jr., Garth Brooks' father, was born, who later worked as a draftsman for an oil company.
February 7, 1962: Birth of Garth Brooks
On February 7, 1962, Troyal Garth Brooks was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Troyal Raymond Brooks Jr. and Colleen McElroy Carroll, setting the stage for his future career.
1984: Graduation from Oklahoma State University
In 1984, Garth Brooks graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in advertising.
May 24, 1986: Marriage to Sandy Mahl
On May 24, 1986, Garth Brooks married songwriter Sandy Mahl.
1987: Move to Nashville
In 1987, Garth Brooks and his wife Sandy Mahl moved to Nashville, marking a significant step in pursuing his music career.
1992: First Retirement Consideration
In 1992, Garth Brooks first spoke of retiring from performing, indicating a growing frustration with conflicts between his career and family life. This was an early consideration in a series of reflections on work/life balance throughout his career.
1992: Birth of Daughter Taylor Mayne Pearl
In 1992, Garth Brooks' daughter Taylor Mayne Pearl was born.
1994: Birth of Daughter August Anna
In 1994, Garth Brooks' daughter August Anna was born.
1995: Second Retirement Consideration
In 1995, Garth Brooks again talked about retiring from touring, which highlighted his continuing struggle to balance career demands with his personal life.
1996: Birth of Daughter Allie Colleen Brooks
In 1996, Garth Brooks' daughter Allie Colleen Brooks was born.
1998: Touch 'em All Foundation Launch and Baseball Career Start
In 1998, Garth Brooks launched his Touch 'em All Foundation with Major League Baseball and also signed with the San Diego Padres for spring training.
March 1999: Separation from Sandy Mahl
In March 1999, Garth Brooks and Sandy Mahl separated.
1999: Retirement Mention on Crook & Chase
In 1999, Garth Brooks appeared on The Nashville Network's Crook & Chase program, mentioning retirement again, but in a more serious tone, foreshadowing his official announcement the following year.
1999: Teammates for Kids Foundation
In 1999, Garth Brooks began the Teammates for Kids Foundation, which provides financial aid to charities for children.
1999: Second Baseball Spring Training
In 1999, Garth Brooks participated in spring training with the San Diego Padres for a second year, but his performance did not earn him a regular season roster spot.
1999: Interview on Same-Sex Relationships
In a 1999 interview with George, Garth Brooks spoke about love and acceptance of same-sex relationships.
October 9, 2000: Announcement of Divorce Plans
On October 9, 2000, Garth Brooks and Sandy Mahl announced their plans to divorce.
October 26, 2000: Garth Brooks Announces Retirement
On October 26, 2000, Garth Brooks officially announced his retirement from recording and performing. Later that evening, Capitol Records celebrated Brooks' achievement of selling 100 million albums in the US, at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center.
November 6, 2000: Filing for Divorce
On November 6, 2000, Garth Brooks and Sandy Mahl filed for divorce.
2000: Equality Rocks Benefit Concert Appearance
In 2000, Garth Brooks appeared at the Equality Rocks benefit concert for gay rights and sang a duet with George Michael.
December 17, 2001: Finalization of Divorce
On December 17, 2001, the divorce between Garth Brooks and Sandy Mahl became final.
2001: Retirement from Recording and Performing
In 2001, Garth Brooks retired from recording and performing due to conflicts between his career and family life. During this period, he continued to sell millions of albums through an exclusive deal with Walmart.
2004: Return to Baseball with the Kansas City Royals
In 2004, Garth Brooks returned to baseball and played with the Kansas City Royals, getting his first and only hit during his final spring training game.
December 10, 2005: Marriage to Trisha Yearwood
On December 10, 2005, Garth Brooks remarried, marrying country singer and cookbook author Trisha Yearwood.
2005: Establishment of Pearl Records
In 2005, Garth Brooks ended his association with Capitol Records and established his own record label, Pearl Records.
2005: Return to Live Performances and Walmart Deal
In 2005, Garth Brooks expressed interest in returning to live performances while also signing a deal with Walmart for exclusive rights to his catalog after splitting with Capitol Records.
2005: Partial Comeback
In 2005, Garth Brooks started a partial comeback, giving select performances and releasing two compilation albums, marking his return to the music scene after a period of retirement.
2007: California Wildfires
In 2007, California wildfires occured leading to Garth Brooks performing benefit concerts in 2008.
2008: Garth Brooks: Live in LA Benefit Concerts
In January 2008, Garth Brooks performed five sold-out concerts over a two-day period at the Staples Center in Los Angeles to raise money for Fire Intervention Relief Effort, serving those impacted by the 2007 California wildfires.
May 2010: Nashville Flood
In May 2010, the Nashville flood occurred which led to Garth Brooks performing benefit concerts in December 2010.
December 2010: Nashville Flood Benefit Concerts
In December 2010, Garth Brooks played nine shows in Nashville to benefit victims from the May 2010 Nashville flood, raising $5 million.
May 6, 2011: Completion of MBA from Oklahoma State University
On May 6, 2011, Garth Brooks completed his MBA from Oklahoma State University and participated in the commencement ceremony.
2012: Renaming of Jack's Tracks to Allentown Studios
In 2012, in honor of his 50th birthday, Garth Brooks renamed Jack's Tracks studio to Allentown Studios.
July 6, 2013: Benefit Concert for Oklahoma Tornado Victims
On July 6, 2013, Garth Brooks joined Toby Keith for a benefit concert for victims of the 2013 Oklahoma tornadoes.
July 2013: Becoming a Grandfather
In July 2013, Garth Brooks became a grandfather when his daughter August had a daughter named Karalynn.
2014: Planned New Music Release
In 2005, Brooks expressed his interest in returning to live performances; however, he remained adamant to the premise of not releasing new music until 2014.
2015: Benefit Concert in Barretos, Brazil
In 2015, Garth Brooks performed a sold-out concert in Barretos, Brazil, to benefit the Hospital de Câncer de Barretos.
June 27, 2020: Concert Broadcast at Drive-In Theaters
On June 27, 2020, Garth Brooks performed a concert broadcast at 300 drive-in theaters throughout North America during the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 30, 2022: Performance at Tiger Stadium
On April 30, 2022, Garth Brooks performed at Tiger Stadium on the campus of Louisiana State University. His performance of "Callin' Baton Rouge" caused the crowd's excitement to register on the university's seismograph, causing a small earthquake.
