More than a memory: Do you remember these moments about Garth Brooks?

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Things you may not have known about Garth Brooks
Did you know these things about Garth Brooks?

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Country superstar Garth Brooks has hit several milestones in his career spanning more than 30 years.[br /][br /]From becoming the[url HREF="https://www.garthbrooks.com/bio" TARGET="new" REL=""] first artist[/url] in history to have seven albums reach diamond status (over 10 million album sales each) to smashing tour records once held by performers such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Brooks is prone to big moments.[br /][Ads /][br /]He's now set to open and close RodeoHouston this year, and judging by how quickly [url HREF="http://abc13.com/entertainment/garth-brooks-rodeohouston-tickets-gone-in-18-minutes/2703976/" TARGET="" REL=""]tickets sold out[/url], fans couldn't be happier to see him.[br /][br /]In honor of his return to the RodeoHouston stage, here's a look back at some of the memories we're reminiscing about.[br /][br /][br /][b]Remember when Garth Brooks played RodeoHouston 25 years ago?[/b][br /][br /]Brooks last played at RodeoHouston on Feb. 22, 1993 at The Astrodome, He made his debut on the Rodeo stage two years earlier in 1991.[br /][br /]Brooks was on tour at the time promoting his "In Pieces" album.[br /][br /]Before performing at the Rodeo, he had another big moment almost a month earlier.[br /][br /]He [url HREF="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictures/the-most-memorable-super-bowl-national-anthem-performances-20120130/garth-brooks-1993-0535798" TARGET="the" REL=""]sang the national anthem[/url] in Super Bowl XXVII.[br /][br /][b]Remember when Garth Brooks married another big country star?[/b][br /][Ads /][br /]In 2005, Brooks wed fellow country artist Trisha Yearwood who has been called one of the most powerful voices in country music.[br /][br /]The two [url HREF="http://tasteofcountry.com/happy-anniversary-garth-brooks-and-trisha-yearwood/" TARGET="new" REL=""]first met[/url] in 1987, according to Brooks, who says a songwriter introduced them.[br /][br /]They first sang together on Yearwood's "Like We Never Had a Broken Heart" in 1991.[br /][br /]After marrying 14 years later, they've stayed strong, even going on tour together.[br /][br /]Brooks also [url HREF="https://www.garthbrooks.com/news/garth-stops-show-for-trisha" TARGET="new" REL=""]stopped a show[/url] for her while performing in Dallas in 2015 to celebrate her birthday.[br /][br /][b]That moment when Garth Brooks was Chris Gaines[/b][br /][br /]Brooks' alter ego Chris Gaines first appeared in 1999.[br /][br /]Gaines was supposed to be an Australian rocker who was introduced to the world through the pop album "Garth Brooks in... The life of Chris Gaines."[br /][Ads /][br /]As Chris Gaines, Brooks donned a dark wig with pieces that fell over his eyes. He even transformed into Gaines as the musical guest for Saturday Night Live in 1999.[br /][br /]The idea was that the persona would lead to a movie starring Brooks called [url HREF="https://www.axs.com/garth-brooks-says-chris-gaines-movie-will-never-happen-89193" TARGET="new" REL=""]"The Lamb" [/url]about a rock star who went into seclusion after an accident.[br /][br /]The venture was short-lived and the movie never happened.[br /][br /]But all was not lost. The single "Lost in You" off the Gaines album reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100.[br /][br /][b]Once upon a time, you could stream Brooks' music from a site called GhostTunes[/b][br /][br /]Brooks co-founded the online platform [url HREF="https://www.garthbrooks.com/news/get-garth-on-ghosttunes" TARGET="new" REL=""]GhostTunes[/url] in 2014 and was the place where fans could find not only his music but that of 800,000 artists from different genres.[br /][br /]According to [url HREF="https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2014/11/13/garth-brooks-returns-with-a-new-album-and-his-own-digital-music-store/#647c3ad43ecd" TARGET="new" REL=""]Forbes[/url], the site got its name by using the 'G' in Garth and 'host' for hosting, hence, GhostTunes.[br /][br /]A message on the GhostTunes website says it officially closed March 3, 2017. It folded into Amazon Music Unlimited where every Garth album can be found.[br /][br /][b]There was that time when Brooks had the largest concert in Central Park - sort of[/b][br /][br /]On August 7, 1997, Brooks became the last artist in New York City's Central park to host a six-figure crowd. Or so the saying goes.[br /][br /]Brooks was the headliner for the free concert that day which is said to have attracted a reported 750,000 people (before that, Paul Simon allegedly had 600,000 and James Taylor, Elton John and Simon and Garfunkel reportedly had crowds in the 100,000s as well).[br /][br /]But it turns out - the number was inflated.[br /][br /][url HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/nyregion/23about.html" TARGET="new" REL=""]The New York Times[/url] talked to Doug Blonsky a former Parks Department Administrator who explained where the exaggerated numbers came from: "You would get in a room with the producer, with a police official, and a person from parks, and someone would say, 'What does it look like to you?' The producer would say, 'I need it to be higher than the last one.' That's the kind of science that went into it."[br /][br /]Brooks was the last performer to benefit from the fuzzy figures.[br /][br /]For more on how politics played a role in the math, [url HREF="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-free-concert-by-garth-brooks-draws-the-last-six-figure-crowd-to-new-york-citys-central-park[br /]" TARGET="new" REL=""]go here[/url].[br /][br /][b]Remember when Brooks tried to donate his liver?[/b][br /][br /]Brooks offered to [url HREF="http://www.cmt.com/news/1474214/brooks-tried-to-donate-liver-to-ledoux/" TARGET="new" REL=""]donate part of his liver[/url] to country artist and former rodeo champion Chris LeDoux who needed a transplant.[br /][br /]Brooks' liver was incompatible, so he was unable to become a donor.[br /][br /]However, LeDoux did end up finding a match and receiving a transplant.[br /][br /]LeDoux worked with Brooks for the title track of his album "Whatcha Gonna Do With a Cowboy."[br /][br /]He died of cancer in 2005 at age 56.[br /][br /][b]That moment when Brooks was a professional baseball player [/b][br /][br /]He actually had a [url HREF="http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2015/03/11/111921560/did-you-know-these-5-celebrities-played-in-real-spring-training-games[br /]" TARGET="new" REL=""]few stints[/url] all in spring training games.[br /][br /]According to the MLB website, Brooks' baseball career started in 1998 with the San Diego Padres. He was signed to a minor league contract with the team in Feb. 1999.[br /][br /]After going 1-for-22 with the [url HREF="http://mlb.mlb.com/news/wall/article.jsp?content_id=26503904" TARGET="new" REL=""]Padres[/url], he joined the New York Mets in 2000, where he was 0-for-17 with four walks.[br /][br /]His next stop would be with the Kansas City Royals in 2004. He did record a hit for Kansas City in a loss to the Mariners.[br /][br /]He [url HREF="http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=1757078" TARGET="new" REL=""]told[/url] ESPN about the hit at the time that he was "even more surprised than the pitcher."[br /][br /]Brooks hung up his baseball cleats in the big leagues after that.