Garth Brooks held an emotional and surprisingly wide-ranged press conference in Nashville on Thursday, finally making his comeback official. He announced a new album, as well as when his music will finally be available digitally. He also threw in an apology to his Irish fans who were disappiinted by his Dublin shows getting cancelled.
Brooks signed a new deal with Sony’s RCA Records, which will distribute the new album, called Garth, reports Rolling Stone. He later said in a Q&A that the album will come out around Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
The 52-year-old, who dominated country and the American music scene in the ‘90s, did show some respect for the country stars who have filled the void he left. However, he’s not changing to please people who aren’t his fans already.
“If you had to put it in a box for me, [it'd be] 'Garth Music,’” Brooks said. He later added, “You're damn straight we'll do cowboys songs on this album.”
Brooks also unveiled his unique plan to put his music up on GarthBrooks.com. According to Billboard, iTunes has never let him make his music available exclusively as albums, so he’s decided to go solo. “We will do our digital the only way we can. Digital will be handled at garthbrooks.com,” he said.
His albums will be available “in the next few weeks” and fans who want his entire catalog at once will have to pay a “stupid price” (his words).
Interestingly, Brooks has decided to sever his exclusive relationship with Walmart, so his albums will now be available at all stores. He previously had an exclusive deal with the retail chain from 2005-2007.
Brooks also apologized for the sudden cancellation of five shows in Dublin, which has caused a significant controversy in Ireland. Reporters from Ireland even flew to Nashville to ask questions.
“Ireland’s people should never be embarrassed. Most loving people on earth,” Brooks said, notes Rolling Stone. “If the prime minister himself wants to talk to me, I will craw, I will swim… I will drop on my knees and beg for those 400,000 people to have fun and come sing. If anyone on the planet is sad about [the cancellations], you're not one-billionth as sad as I am.”
According to Billboard, insiders believe that his upcoming world tour will be huge and the hopes are to break attendence records. More details on the tur and new album are expected soon.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com