Garth Brooks Snags CMA Entertainer of the Year / Will Release New Box Set & Album
Garth Brooks had just sent his youngest off to college and was planning to reenter the workplace. And as anxious as he was to get back at it, the country icon was not completely convinced the public was as ready as he was. Yeah, he had been the top selling solo artist in history before taking 14 years off to raise his 3 daughters. But things change. What if he launched a comeback tour and nobody cared?
2 years, 270 arena shows, 5 million tickets sold and 1 freshly minted 2016 "CMA Entertainer of the Year" trophy later... Garth Brooks has his answer.
The coveted CMA Award presented during Wed night's 50th Anniversary CMA Award Show pairs nicely with the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) recent recognition of Garth as the only recording artist in history to have 7 albums reach RIAA's "Diamond" status (over 10 million units sold). Both of these achievements set the stage nicely for the release of Garth’s 10 disc "Ultimate Collection" featuring his new album "Gunslinger" (available exclusively at Target Nov 11th)
Meanwhile, as always, Garth’s signature model Tak seems to find itself smack in the middle of everything. Not only is the cedar top, satin finish, dreadnaught cutaway central to almost every Garth's performance, but even his recent prime-time TV ad for "Target" and his "Ultimate Collection" prominently features a GB7C (with unmistakable custom shaped sound hole and giant red Target logo).
So integral has Takamine become to the Garth Brooks narrative that in a recent conversation, the mighty Oklahoman hinted of a cryptic reference to Takamine in the lyrics of a new origiona song on "Gunslinger". Intriguing. Guess we'll find out on Nov 11th.
Congratulations Garth on your well-deserved "CMA Entertainer of the Year Award" and your unprecedented "7 Diamond Award" from the RIAA. Looking forward to 2017.
For a preview of "Gunslinger" check out Garth and band performing the single Baby Let's Lay Down and Dance live on "Ellen".
