[the memory of how “Friends In Low Places” had threatened to overshadow “Unanswered Prayers,” kept Garth up at night over one of his favorite songs on the album, “What She’s Doing Now.”] Author conversation with the artist, 2005.
[Garth’s co-writer, Kim Williams, laughed when he thought back to the “Papa Loved Mama” writing sessions:] Kim Williams interview with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[“Papa Loves Mama” features a blistering lap steel solo] Country Guitar, April 1995.
[In late 1990, Bowen had offered him a bump in royalties] Jimmy Bowen and Jim Jerome, Rough Mix (New York, Simon & Schuster, 1997).
[Fortune’s analysis of his business style] Fortune magazine, May 24, 1999.
[Ultimately, EMI offered Bowen an astonishing five-year deal.] Jimmy Bowen and Jim Jerome, Rough Mix (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997).
[“I did that simply because I couldn’t expect somebody to stand up and ask for what I thought was right,” he said.] Ed Ochs, Music Business International, June 1994.
Chapter Nine
[Garth sat there for a moment, laughing. He knew just how they felt.] Author conversation with the artist, 1992.
[“I loved the idea,” he said later. “Loved it! I mean, to get the chance to put our show on TV? Who wouldn’t? But, and it was a very big ‘but,’ it was a scary idea to think people would tune in.”] Author conversation with the artist, 1992.
[In hindsight, Garth said his biggest regret was that he hadn’t secured the flawed guitars well in advance.] Author conversation with the artist, 1992.
[Garth explained his feelings to Country Fever’s Frank Barron: “I’ve gotta be honest. I’m] Country Fever, August 1992.
[gauntlet that Forbes inadvertently threw down] Forbes, March 2, 1992.
[USA Today’s country critic, David Zimmerman] Zimmerman and Edward Morris responses are from Morris’s Garth Brooks: Platinum Cowboy (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993).
Chapter Ten
[As a high school and college student] Author conversation with the artist, 1993.
[The concert season of 1992 was a “big bucks summer,”] Buddy Lee Attractions president Tony Conway, Nashville Business Journal, June 29, 1992.
[“It was a year of records for New York State Fair] Brian Bourke, The Post-Standard, September 8, 1992.
[205,000 attempted calls were logged through Boise Idaho’s call switching center.] IdahoStatesman, April 23, 1992.
[The December 4 show at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee sold 25,501 tickets. When Lynyrd Skynyrd played a free concert at Thompson-Boling in 2002, it brought out 17,400 to the show, still not breaking Garth’s record.] Wayne Bledsoe, Knoxville News-Sentinel, May 29, 2002.
[After reports of $100-plus scalped tickets being offered at the New York State Fairgrounds, the State’s Attorney General’s office began looking into the problem.] Jacqueline Arnold, The Post-Standard, July 1, 1992.
[“The country singer is the hottest commodity in creation, and his success was part of the Forum ceremony, which was less a concert than a community celebration.”] Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, July 20, 1992.
[While other artists made far more money per sale, Garth moved more merchandise.] Author conversation with Rondal Richardson, 2005.
[Garth had been thinking about a second NBC show even before his debut special first aired in January 1992.] Author conversation with Joe Mansfield, 2008.
[On June 12, Texas Stadium sold out in 92 minutes, selling over 65,000 tickets and breaking the previous sales record held by Paul McCartney. Dallas fans demanded and got more shows: a second show sold 65,000 tickets in 92 minutes, as did a third.] Capitol Records archives, This Is Garth Brooks, Too!
[“Every time I worked with Garth he first sat down and told me his basic idea.] Author conversation with Jon Small, 2006.
[This Is Garth Brooks Too! took 40,000-plus man hours to produce, with 60 semitractor-trailers bringing in the equipment.] Author conversation with Jon Small, 2006.
[“[Garth] has already studied all 450,000 feet of film shot from the 14 cameras.] Skip Hollandsworth, TV Guide, April 30, 1994.
Chapter Eleven
[Billy Ray Cyrus intro story] From an author conversation with a Mercury VP, 2000.
[Between 1989 and 1992 country radio went from 1,800 to 2,400 stations, with more people with incomes of over $40,000 listening to country than any other format. Country was generating over a billion in annual revenue.] CMA year wrap-up.
[Once the two saw him live, they were sold.] Author conversation with Harold Shedd, 1992.
[Tritt then spouted off on country radio about “ass wiggling,” leading his friend Marty Stuart to quip, “Travis, you couldn’t have opened a bigger can of worms if you’d said Roy Acuff was gay.”] Author conversation with Marty Stuart, 1992.
[Of course, the truth was that Jonie was herself a good old Texas girl from Houston, and just happened to help Clint with media advice.] Author conversation with Lisa’s Hartman’s sister, Terri Hartman, 1993.
[Critic Karen Schumer called it, “… nothing less than a concept album about the meaning of country music.”] Karen Schumer, “Marty Stuart,” Country on Compact Disc: The Essential Guide to Country Music, edited by Paul Kingsbury, Country Music Foundation (New York: Grove Press, 1993).
[Critic and music historian Robert K. Oermann called the record “… as close to perfect a country album as anything released during 1992.”] Robert K. Oermann, “Mark Chesnutt,” Country on Compact Disc: The Essential Guide to Country Music, edited by Paul Kingsbury, Country Music Foundation (New York: Grove Press, 1993).
[it took the band’s management borrowing a page from Doyle/Lewis’s play book when they hired an independent team to rescue the record.] Author conversation with Sawyer Brown manager TK Kimbrell, 1991.
[When presenter Roy Rogers announced the CMA win, journalists sitting in the press room at the Grand Ole Opry House leapt to their feet and applauded.] Author conversation with Robert K. Oermann, 1991.
[Once Garth introduced Joe Mansfield to Chris’s music, the marketing VP became a big fan and made Jimmy Bowen aware of the $4 million in tapes sold from the back of the LeDoux truck.] Author conversation with Joe Mansfield, 2008.
[It was perfect timing for Chris, who was experiencing tough financial times.] Author conversation with Chris LeDoux, 1993.
[“Might just be a touch of hepatitis,” he was told. Probably nothing to worry about.] Author interview with Chris LeDoux, 2000.
Chapter Twelve
[Stephanie Davis sat on a grassy hill on Garth’s farm outside Nashville.] Author conversation with the artist, 1993.
[“It is impossible now to underestimate the impact of Stranger] Chet Flippo, “Willie Nelson,” Country on Compact Disc: The Essential Guide to Country Music, edited by Paul Kingsbury, Country Music Foundation (New York: Grove Press, 1993).
[Comments beginning with: Garth says his way of looking at albums] Author conversation with the artist regarding the making of The Chase, 1992.
[“I wrote ‘Face To Face’ in 1987 or 1988,” Tony recalls.] Conversation with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[Co-writer Kent Blazy didn’t think it stood a chance in hell of getting airplay.] Author conversation with Kent Blazy, 2006.
[Stephanie wasn’t so sure.] Conversation with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[“I embarrassed myself,” he told a friend soon after the appearance.] Author conversation with the artist, 1992.
[Several years later, Gary Graff asked Garth if he regretted speaking out] Country Song Roundup, April 1996.
[Bowen blamed Garth for making a somber record and for being too candid on television shows] Jimmy Bowen and Jim Jerome, Rough Mix (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997).
[But at a Gus Hardin concert in Nashville, Betsy told a table of journalists that the whole furor was a joke] Author conversation with Betsy Smittle, 1993.
[“I told him that when he was talking to the press he shouldn’t
offer anybody anything,”] Colleen Brooks talking to David Huff, In Country, September 1993.
[The label head had developed an intense dislike for some of Garth’s representatives] Jimmy Bowen and Jim Jerome, Rough Mix (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997).
[“There’s bound to be issues between artists and the people who run the record labels,” Doyle reflects.] Author conversation with Bob Doyle, 2008.
[“I’m afraid that all these sales and awards are getting in the way of the music,” he said.] Author conversation with the artist, 2003.
Chapter Thirteen
[Kim Williams asked Garth what it felt like to be on top of the mountain.] Conversation with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[“I loved the thought of heading back to one of those honky tonks,” Garth later said.] Author conversation with the artist, 1994.
[He even started using what he called the “Shorty’s bar” test] Author conversation with the artist, 1993.
[One worry Sandy had was that her “rocking schedule” with Taylor would by necessity change with an infant in the house.] Conversation with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[She found co-writing somewhat difficult until she started collaborating with Garth.] Conversation with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[“That experience may be one of the biggest things that ever happened throughout my career,” he later confided.] Author conversation with the artist, 1993.
[Since starting his career Garth’s business sense had sharpened, and Raymond credited that to using the tools from his college years.] Conversations with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[Garth confessed that much of his time during the world tour was spent in search of food] Garth report to the Country Music Association, 1993.
[“Having a second child is an eye opener,” he later told friends at Jack’s Tracks] Author conversation with the artist, 1994.
[One leg of the tour lost money, but it was not unexpected] KNIX, May 1996.
[“I couldn’t believe it when Garth called and said he wanted Dan Roberts and me to open a show that important!”] Author conversation with Bryan Kennedy, 2006.
Chapter Fourteen
[“Well,” he thought, “this attention-grabber is going to kill me.”] Author conversation with the artist, 2005.
[“We titled this album In Pieces because that’s pretty much how it came together,” Garth said at the time.] Author conversations with the artist regarding In Pieces, 1994.
[writing at Kent Blazy’s new house, which Blazy laughingly referred to as “a real fixer-upper.”] Author conversation with Kent Blazy, 2006.
[One of the reasons Kim Williams loved working with Garth was because of his melodies] Conversation with the Believer’s Tami Rose.
[“Every so often, Garth would call and talk about video, and say, ‘We’ll work together one of these days,’ ” Small said.] Author conversation with Jon Small, 2006.
[In Pieces shipped fewer than expected] Jimmy Bowen and Jim Jerome, Rough Mix (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997).
[“I don’t understand this idea of, justthrow it against the wall and see if it sticks,” Garth confided.] Author conversation with the artist, 1995.
[And during one encounter with Garth, Bowen said, “Just go fix the damned music.”] Jimmy Bowen and Jim Jerome, Rough Mix (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997).
[Bowen respected Koppelman’s love of music, but remained skeptical of his relationship with Jim Fifield] Jimmy Bowen and Jim Jerome, Rough Mix (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997).
[“For me, sales mean people are hearing your music, that somebody is being affected by it.”] Author conversation with the artist, 1994.
[“To say I carried a grudge because Bowen turned me down in 1988 makes no sense,” Garth said to a friend.] Author conversation with the artist, 1994.
[To the end Garth continued to give Bowen credit when he spoke publicly.] Interview given before Bowen left Capitol, Country Song Roundup, April 1996.
Chapter Fifteen
[“This is insane,” Reynolds said.] Author conversation with Allen Reynolds, 1995.
[On March 10, he officially became the fastest-selling artist of all-time] RIAA certified.
[“It’s fun to see numbers and all that,” he confided. “I’d be lying if I said anything else.] Author conversation with the artist, 1995.
[This album was moving full circle, back to the more straightforward country of Garth’s debut.] Author conversations with the artist about songs on Fresh Horses, 1995.
[“There’s a lot of rodeo and cowboy culture in Fresh Horses,”] Author conversations with Allen Reynolds regarding Fresh Horses, 1995.
[When asked about the title, Garth explained: “It’s all about giving] Andrew Vaghn, Country Music International, January 1996.
Chapter Sixteen
[“I guess we can work with it.”] Comment made to author, 1995.
[During their first meeting, Scott Hendricks told Garth two things] Author conversation with Joe Mansfield, 2008.
[The only song in the collection that Hendricks perceived as having radio potential was “Beaches Of Cheyenne.”] Author conversation with Joe Mansfield, 2008.
[A few years down the line “Fever” would gain two very passionate fans: Garth’s daughters, Taylor and August.] Country Song Roundup, December 1996.
[One artist who offered insight into Garth’s dilemma was Gary Morris] Author conversation with Gary Morris, 1995.
[In an effort to pull the new and old staff together Hendricks decided to hold an all-employee weekend at Tims Ford Lake near Winchester, Tennessee.] Author was in attendance.
[In some meetings it became obvious that the record label was counting on her best-selling memoir, Nickel Dreams, and the marketing prowess of its publisher Hyperion, to pick up Capitol’s slack.] Author was in attendance.
[From the time the new team came on board there was a split between the old and the new.] Author conversation with Capitol promotion VP, 2008.
Chapter Seventeen
[“Who the shit is paying for all this?”] Story told by the artist in several instances, including conversation with the author in 1996.
[“Did you ever see Rod Stewart’s show when he was having a three piece bagpipe group open for him?” Garth asked a friend] Author conversation with the artist, 1996.
[“Debbie came in and whipped the hell out of all the boys”] Country Song Roundup, December 1996.
[“I thought I was dreaming when they called my name,”] Author conversation with the artist, 1996.
[“Like, when Taylor leaves half a sandwich on the plate, I start thinking] Lorrie Lynch, USA Weekend, December 20, 1995.
[Just a year later Garth and Sandy were with the girls] Linedancer, June 1997.
[Garth said, “People are telling me that if we have two more, I’ll have a basketball team!”] Author conversation with the artist, 1996.
Chapter Eighteen
[“Central Park is under the jurisdiction of four or five various police and fire departments, each one dealing with separate areas—that’s even before you get to the various divisions of the Parks Department,” Small ruefully reported.] Author conversation with Jon Small, 2006.
[“How do you repay a guy like that? You work hard for him.”] Press Enterprise, November 17, 1998, Riverside, Calif.
[The corporate changes had begun in 1996] Fortune, May 24, 1999.
[He spoke at length with Ben Fong-Torres] Gavin Report, July 4, 1997.
[“People thought I wrote most of the album,” Garth said.] Author conversation with the artist covering the songs on Sevens, 1997.
[Garth talked to Country Weekly about the subject] Country Weekly, November 18, 1997.
[“Not so fast. I hear this for Garth.”] Author conversation with Sandy Mason, 1997.
[Benita paid off her credit cards.] Author conversation with Benita Hill, 1997.
[“Sevens has become my favorite album,” Garth said] Author conversation with the artist, 2005.
Chapter Ni
neteen
[“I know people believe that I’m some kind of a puppet master behind the scenes,” Garth confided.] Author conversation with the artist, 1997.
[“Jim made corporate decisions—EMI decisions,”] Author conversation with Fifield associate, 2008.
[That’s typical record label bullshit.] Author conversation with Steve Popovich, 2008.
[But, as Garth told Tamara Saviano: “Trisha said, ‘I’ll trade the money for the] CountryWeekly, November 17, 1998.
[“I’ll pay five hundred dollars in cash to anybody who can knock me down on stage tonight,” Garth announced.] Author conversation with the artist, 1994.
[“He’s always been a great drummer,”] Author conversations about the band and DoubleLive, 1999.
[“We went and found where people got pin-dropping quiet during the ballads, where they sang ‘Unanswered Prayers’ the loudest and where it was absolute chaos during the rowdy stuff,”] Glenn Gamboa, Akron Beacon Journal, November 15, 1998.
[The Buffalo News named Double Live one of the best albums released in 1998] Dan Herbeck, The Buffalo News, December 31, 1998.
[The reason Benita questioned showing Garth this song was because she knew that Colleen Brooks was very sick] Author conversation with Benita Hill, 1999.
[“My mother always told me I could fly,” Garth said. “And I believed her.”] CountryGrapevine, December 1998.
[“I sometimes worry that people think we are just in the recording business, where too often it’s about the latest technology.] Author conversation with Bob Doyle, 2008.
[Ray Waddell provided the wrap-up to the unprecedented three-year tour] Amusement Business, November 16, 1998.
[“They traded ten years of their lives to chase my dream,” he explained] Sandi Davis, Daily Oklahoman, November 13, 1998.
[“The deejays he met with didn’t make an issue out of his statements] Author conversation with Terry Stevens, 2008.
[“Thank God there are still crazy people] Los Angeles Times, Sunday, March 3, 1996.
Chapter Twenty
[“Wayne and I were recording some of our songs, trying to get a pop music deal,”] Author conversation with Gordon Kennedy, 2008.
[“Now I’m just praying that people ‘get it.’ ”] Author conversation with the artist, 1999.
The Garth Factor Page 34
