What a journey its been! Who’d have thought that eleven years ago on April
12th that
we’d climb on board this wonderful ride that we never want to end? This
month Garth
Brooks has an anniversary. It’s been eleven years since his first set of
songs made it to the general public. All those years ago, this young kid
from Oklahoma came bursting onto the Country Music scene with his self titled
album, “GARTH BROOKS.”
None of us have been the same since. None of us ever will be again.
That first taste of music was “Much Too Young” and it was followed up with
what was
surely our first taste of that heart music we’ve come to know and love so
much. A
hauntingly beautiful ballad called “If Tomorrow Never Comes” got us all to
thinking about what meant the most to us. A touching video introduced us to
the lovely Mrs. Sandy Brooks, Garth’s inspiration for the song and so much
more.
What happened next left us all wide eyed with wonder. It left us with a
smile, a tear, and such intense emotion. Garth released a song called “The
Dance” that was to become the song that every artist dreams of having. “The
Dance” became his signature song, it would end each show for him in the years
to come. He found a way to say a lot of things with that song.
Garth and a lot of people, myself included, found a deep and abiding passion
for that song that will live much longer than we do. When all is said and
done, I think Garth
will get his wish, he will be remembered for “The Dance.”
Garth suddenly went from being a regular Joe to superstar. We blinked and he
wasn’t just Garth Brooks anymore. He was GB! He was on his way to becoming a
phenomena that the likes of this world had never seen before.
In typical Garth fashion, he took us fans along for the ride. We followed
happily, like the mice following the Pied Piper. Where he lead, we followed.
And the list of believers grew and grew and grew.
That first release of songs from Garth laid a firm foundation for what was to
come. With song stories like “Cowboy Bill” and “Alabama Clay” to fun
loving catchy tunes like “Nobody Gets Off In This Town” to the poignant
thinking of your past ballad “Everytime That It Rains” something new and
fresh was happening to Country Music.
As Garth’s popularity grew we found ourselves clamoring for more music. Garth
wouldn’t disappoint. Next out of the chute was “NO FENCES.”
“ FENCES” brought us such hits as the controversial “The Thunder Rolls”
with its banned video and the song that absolutely has to be sung at each
concert , “Friends In Low Places.” Out of the midst of these two songs came
a quiet sweet reflection of another time, another place, called “Unanswered
Prayers.” Song stories were again a part of this release as the painfully
realistic “Wolves” spoke to our hearts.
Garth Brooks, that kid from Oklahoma who had once come to Nashville and after
only 23 hours had left with his dreams had certainly came back to claim what
was rightfully his.
The journey continued with “ROPIN THE WIND” and Garth showed the world just
what it meant to lasso in hit after hit. We all sat and wondered “What’s
She Doing Now” and we began to realize what it meant to see a dream become
reality with “The River.” We laughed at the silliness as “Papa Loved Mama”
and we loved the grit and realism of “Rodeo”.
Nothing though could prepare us, especially us female Garth fans, for the
song that created the infamous “Shameless Swivel.” Hormones went into
overdrive as Garth stepped on stage at an awards show, with a single long
stemmed rose in his hand and gently, tenderly, but oh so purposefully, tugged
the petals away while starring straight into the camera and our hearts as he
sang “Shameless.” That song set the stage for another of those have to,
must see, moments when Garth performed live.
He had a way of making us all know exactly what he meant! It was out of our
hands and we were shameless. We were hooked. We were out of control. And we
loved every second of it. We also were left begging for more. It was a hunger
that was insatiable and could not be satisfied. The more we had of Garth,
the more we wanted. It was never enough. We’d never lost anything we’d
ever missed, but we’d never been in love like this. Yes, we were
“Shameless.”
That term “love affair” that has been used so many times to refer to Garth
and his
audience was a term that could not have been more appropriate. The energy
between Garth and his believers was something that would rival thunder and
lightning.
“BEYOND THE SEASON” gave us traditional favorites at Christmas such as “Santa
Looks A Lot Like Daddy” and the song that Garth graced with his own spoken
story of going back home to Oklahoma for that first Christmas with Sandy
after they’d moved to Nashville, “Silent Night.”
Soon after we were treated to “THE CHASE” such a good title to follow up
“ROPIN
THE WIND.” Given that this was a time of change and transition for Garth the
songs
reflected that time in his life. “We Shall Be Free” became an anthem for
freedom and
equality. “Somewhere Other Than The Night” told a story and served as a
reminder that we all need to just be held every now and then. “Every Now And
Then” tore at our hearts. “That Summer” told a story of that first
encounter with lust we all have.
“Learning To Live Again” taught us its okay to have to start over sometimes
and we’re
not alone.
As the hunger grew in us and the passion flamed again for more “IN PIECES”
was
released. With those wild fast paced lyrics like “Ain’t Goin Down Til The
Sun Comes
Up” and that fun feel good “American Honky-tonk Bar Association” we were
rocking
and rolling to a sound that once again proved how fresh Country Music could
be. “One Night A Day” thrilled us with a saxophone solo and “Callin Baton
Rouge” had us up and dancing. “Standing Outside The Fire” reminded us what
this ride we were on was all about. But, it was “The Red Strokes” that
summed up our passion for Garth and his music.
After a much needed rest and break “FRESH HORSES” came charging out of the
stores with a vengeance. We all found ourselves riding down the road belting
out “Rollin” and singing about the good ole days when “The Old Stuff” was
new. “The Fever” had us heated up to new temperatures and we took a trip to
“Ireland” and then we walked “The Beaches Of Cheyenne”. Before long
though, “That Ole Wind” blew us right back where it all started and we were
where we wanted to be. Safe in the arms of Garth and that heart music that he
dares to give us and that we boldly dare to receive. In tribute to the
fallen of the Oklahoma City Bombing we all held our heads high and said a
prayer as “The Change” was played and countless images of horror and
destruction filled our consciousness and we promised ourselves, we would
never forget those who lost their lives that fateful day.
Much publicity surrounded “SEVENS” and it took seemingly forever to hit the
store
shelves. Was it worth the wait? You bet your sweet tushie it was.
Garth was back, Garth was kicking ass and Garth was taking names. This
release ran from highly emotional to pure crazy turn it loose fun. It was
inspirational, it was a glimpse into the man himself. This release was so
Garth....it was almost scary.
He was daring us once more with “How You Ever Gonna Know” and “Do What You
Gotta Do.” He made some strong statements with “She’s Gonna Make It” and
“When There’s No One Else Around.” We were allowed that glimpse into the
real Garth with “You Move Me” and the beautiful tribute “A Friend To Me.”
Stories songs once again painted vivid highly emotionally charged pictures
with “Belleau Wood” and “I Don’t Have To Wonder Anymore.” We let it all
hang out while we had “Two Pina Coladas” and we handed him all our keys as
he sang “Take The Keys To My Heart.”
Yes, what a journey. What a ride. What an exploration. What a wild trip.
But, it wasn’t over yet.
“THE LIMITED SERIES” came encased in a beautiful box with a fantastic
collection of photos. But the real treasure was the before unreleased songs
that Garth gave to us. “Anonymous” and “This Ain’t Tennessee” melted our
hearts. “Something With A Ring To It” and “Uptown Down-Home Good Ol’ Boy”
had us dancing. “Which One Of
Them” was long anticipated and welcomed. The one though, the one that summed
it up all, the one that declared just what we’d do for him and what he’d
done for us all these years was “To Make You Feel My Love.”
Nope, buddy, we ain’t seen nothin’ like you yet. I doubt we ever will
either. There ain’t nothin that we wouldn’t do...to make you feel our love.
Let them winds of change blow, we ain’t going nowhere.
To end the decade that had changed us all so drastically, Garth gave us what
we’d long hungered for. He gave us “GARTH BROOKS-DOUBLE LIVE.”
Garth took us back down that road again to the crowded arenas, that live feel
the
electricity in the air atmosphere, that few hours where the world couldn’t
touch us and we left it all behind. Special guests Steve Wariner and Trisha
Yearwood highlighted the release and took us back to those special nights
that they took the stage with their good friend Garth.
We all blared the stereos as we screamed out driving down the road or in our
living
rooms, “sweet lil lady I’ll head back to the bar...and you can kiss my ASS!”
Finally our journey took us to our very own recorded live third verse. Can
you close your eyes and just see him yelling "Give it me to now!" before we
started to sing?
With “DOUBLE LIVE” we got a very special blessing. A blessing of the truest,
purest
form of heart music. Garth finally got that wish to find a song for his Mom.
He was
finally able to sing a song to his Dad and to her and to his family that he
felt summed up what he had felt towards them during this fantastic,
wonderful, amazing journey.
Our blessing came in that he also dedicated that song to us. We that dared to
dance that dance with him, we that dared to dance that tide, we who believed.
What great company he blessed us by putting us with. No greater honor could
he bestow on any of us than to place us in the same sentence as his Mom, Dad
and family as reasons for this song.
“Dreams can come true with God’s great angels like you. It was your song
that made me sing. It was your voice that gave me wings. It was your light
that shined guiding my heart to find this place that I belonged. It was your
song. It’s always been...your song.”
Just when people thought that Garth had done it all. Broken all the records.
Tried all it was to try. Garth surprised and shocked everyone by releasing
“CHRIS GAINES
GREATEST HITS” with him portraying the reclusive Chris Gaines. Tongues
wagged.
Country radio balked. Nobody understand it....except those who “believed”
as they
always had in Garth. This wasn’t country music. This wasn’t even country
music with muscle. But it was Garth music...it was heart music and we fell in
love all over again. With “That’s The Way I Remember It” and “It Don’t
Matter To The Sun” we certainly found ourselves kind of “Lost In You.” Old
blended with new as a rap style song called “Right Now” spoke out against
the injustices our society faces today. “White Flag, Way of the Girl” and
“Snow In July” had us screaming for more. It was so bold. So different. But,
our Garth was there. You could hear him. You could feel him in the music.
“Driftin’ Away” melted our hearts and in it, most of all, we found Garth
hidden among the Chris Gaines persona.
Lastly we got a Christmas gift. "GARTH BROOKS & THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS" hit
store shelves with traditional versions of many much loved classics. Along
with songs from our childhood like "Silver Bells" and "White Christmas",
typical Garth flavored selections like "Baby Jesus Is Born" rang out clearly
with the true magic of what Christmas was meant to be celebrated for.
Yes, its been one helluva journey. I look back and think of all the friends
I’ve met. The friends I don't see so much anymore or talk to write with but
still hold so dear in my heart. I think of those I talk to each and every day
and who truly share the same beating heart as I do. I think of meeting Garth
and sharing laughter and tears and special moments. I feel so grateful for
the trust and faith that has always seemed to come so easily. I pause to
remember his Mom who graced me with her friendship and trust. I think of
television shows I attended and that first kiss and hug on Crook and Chase. I
think of those Opry appearances in that hallowed setting. I recall each and
every concert that I traveled to see...to experience. You must remember, you
don’t see a Garth concert. You experience it. I think of watching him walk
on stage to get his awards. I reflect on the interviews, that open, honest,
in your face sincerity and I am so grateful for the journey.
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. This
journey began with a single song. This journey continued with heart music,
that country music with muscle. This journey has seen crossroads and it has
seen changes. This journey isn’t ending ...this journey is just taking a
different path.
Do you dare to keep dancing this dance with me? Cause I ain’t goin’ nowhere.
I've got too many "one of these days" ahead to stop dancing just yet.
Teresa Morris
