The Academy of Country Music’s first Lifting Lives Gala, held Friday night at the Omni Dallas Hotel, was all about Garth Brooks, the monster-selling country singer/songwriter who once “retired” from the business to be a stay-at-home dad. The Oklahoma native returned to recording and touring worldwide in 2014, many years after scoring big hits with well-crafted, hard-country tunes like “Friends in Low Places,” “Beaches of Cheyenne,” and “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).” In recognition of his return he’s a nominee for Entertainer of the Year at Sunday’s 50th anniversary ACM Awards at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium.
The Omni bash, which benefited Brooks’ Teammates for Kids Foundation and so-called Child Life Zones at two local hospitals, at times seemed more like a tribute to Brooks, who’s rejoined the music game at a time when the generic “bro-country” sound dominates mainstream country radio. In contrast to those mindless, pop/electronic paeans to beer, tailgates, and girls in cut-off jeans, Brooks’ songs sound downright epic, dealing with time-honored country themes like rodeo and don’t-give-a-s*** mavericks with the cojones to confront an ex at a pretentious black-tie soiree.
On the red carpet Friday evening before performances by the likes of Hunter Hayes, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, and Brooks’ wife Trisha Yearwood, The Band Perry lead singer Kimberly Perry said the trio—the ACM’s reigning Vocal Group of the Year—traces its roots to Brooks and his manager, Bob Doyle, who also managed The Band Perry. “The one thing I remember about meeting Garth is, he didn’t let you down,” Perry said. “I love it when you meet a hero, an idol, and they’re exactly what you hope they would be. It’s so exciting to not only see him revive his shows and have the hit parade of his legacy, but also to hear what’s going on with his brand creatively these days.”
So, how does Brooks see himself fitting into today’s C&W scene? “I’m not sure. It’s not my place to decide whether I fit in or not,” Brooks said. “What my job is, is not to chase anything, don’t be anything you’re not. Just be yourself, man, and as long as that’s supposed to be happening, it will. And the day it’s over, there’s nothing you can do about it. So I just enjoy gettin’ to be myself. If you saw us 25 years ago onstage, you would see us today and say, ‘It’s the same guy.’ ”
On the Omni stage a few hours later, the clock ticking toward midnight, Urban wowed the crowd with rocking versions of songs like “Cop Car” and “Raisin’ Em Up” before bringing on Brooks. “He’s the reason we’re here tonight,” Urban announced. “If he calls, you come a-runnin’!” Then, with Urban on guitar and Hayes joining in on keyboards, Brooks launched into a loud, sizzling version of “Friends in Low Places.” At one point in the song he shouted the line: ” … and you can kiss my ass!,” and the crowd of 900 roared it approval. Who knows? Maybe a little retro Garth is what today’s country needs to shake off its vapidity.
