Country music superstar Garth Brooks is headed to Nashville, TN to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
No other country recording artist may be more deserving of the award than Garth Brooks. He is the second best selling artist of all time in the United States behind The Beatles with over 159 million albums sold. Brooks has released 9 studio albums, 1 live album and 53 singles since his career began in 1981, six of which being certified Diamond (+10 million sales) by the Record Industry Association of America. The last album to be certified Diamond is Usher’s 2004 Confessions.
After winning 2 Grammy Awards, 16 American Music Awards and the RIAA Award for the Best selling solo artist of the Century in the United States, Brooks decided to retire from recording and performing between 2001 thru 2009 to focus on his family.
In 2009 Brooks announced the end of his retirement and signed a five year concert deal with Steve Wynn’s Encore Hotel and Casino. The singer has commented that he plans on “firing the tour back up” once his youngest daughter, Allie, is in college (about two years from now).
Brooks commented on how weird it felt being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame since singers such as Randy Travis have yet to be inducted.
“It’s kind of odd to be in this room,” he said. “You want to be mentioned in the same breath with George Strait and Reba McEntire — those are the two heroes I grew up with.”
“Now you’re gonna get to be in the same hall with them? Make no mistake, I don’t think I’m on that level. But it’s pretty cool to have your name listed with them,” he said.
The Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held later this year in Nashville, TN.