Garth Brooks, Album Cover

Few country music arts have had successful careers as Garth Brooks. His music and his influence over younger country artists have helped shape the genre for so many years. In 2001, Brooks, then the reigning king of country music, broke the hearts of his fans throughout the world when he announced his retirement from the scene to take time off to take care of his three children. In interviews, he has repeatedly mentioned that he will only return to the spotlight once he’s done raising his children.
Well that time came sooner than later.

In a move anticipated by the music industry for weeks, Brooks announced his plans to do a series of shows later this year. On October 15th of this year, Brooks made a joint announcement with Steve Wynn of the famous Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas, that he is set to do a series of shows to be held at the Encore Theatre at Wynn Las Vegas starting this December. Quite fittingly, Brooks made this special announcement at a press conference at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, which was then followed by a second press conference at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel.

Wearing his trademark cowboy hat, Brooks announced the series of concerts that are scheduled to start on the 9th of December later this year. With this announcement, Garth now joins the ranks of famous artists who have also booked shows at the resort, including Celine Dion and Elton John, among others.

When asked about why he chose Brooks, Wynn said, “Everything about Garth’s performances—his artistry, the range of his voice and connection with his audience—is something that I haven’t seen since the Rat Pack.” He added, “I watched a man create instant love in real time, right before my eyes. Now we have the privilege at Wynn and Encore in Las Vegas to share this extraordinary, intimate experience with everyone.”

Although the full details of the financial agreement are undisclosed, it has been speculated that it could be one of the biggest yet, with Wynn even giving Brooks a private jet that he can regularly use to transfer from Oklahoma to Vegas.

At first, Brooks said he was reluctant to return to the scene until after he thought the time was right. However, he was convinced by Wynn who put together a special deal that will allow Brooks to perform in Las Vegas without compromising the promise he made to his family. Says Garth, “Steve Wynn has done what I thought was impossible. He has given me a chance to sing again for the people, while at the same time never missing a day with my children.” He further added, “I am naturally nervous, but it feels good to be out from under the low ceiling of ‘retirement’ I put on myself.”

Tickets for the special series of shows, pegged at $143, have gone on sale last October 24th of this year. For further details regarding the confirmed dates and schedule of performances, more information are available at the Wynn Las Vegas website at www.wynnlasvegas.com.

Patsy Cline

Ahhh country songs! They make us cry, laugh, fall in love, get angry—sometimes all at the same time. Throughout the history of country music, many songs have stood out for very different reasons. Some became famous because of the beauty of the vocals, the theme, the exquisite lyrics, the unforgettable melody, or even the political impact they have created. Despite the differences in sub-genres such as modern, traditional, or even pop-tinged country ditties, these songs have definitely struck a chord with country music fans all across Northern America.

What does it take for a country song to be considered a good one? Sometimes, even the writer would have no idea and will only know so once the record has hit the market. Meanwhile, there are other writers who really sit down and purposefully write a hit record. No matter the origin, good country songs are here to stay, as long as great artists are available to give life to these words set to music. From love songs to political anthems, let us take a look at some of the bets ones the genre has ever produced.

The Dance- Garth Brooks (1990)
Certainly, Garth Brooks is one of the iconic legends of the genre. His impact and credibility as a musician, singer, and songwriter have cemented his status as one of the country superstars the genre has ever produced. This song particularly captured patriotic sentiments among music fans because of its theme of people who have sacrificed their lives pursuing a great dream. To emphasize this theme, the accompanying video featured notable American icons including JFK, champion Bull rider Lane Frost, the crew from the Space Shuttle ‘Challenger,’ and Martin Luther King, Jr., among others.

Stand By Your Man- Tammy Wynette (1968)
“And if you love him, oh be proud of him / ‘Cause after all he’s just a man,” so goes the main line of the song. Although it was largely rebuked by feminists for its allegedly anti-women’s liberation themes mainly due to the misconstrued meaning of the song, Wynette defended it by saying that, in fact, the lyrics are more about women who are in love with their men and are willing to overlook their flaws and imperfections. Owing to its huge popularity, this country song stayed at No. 1 on the U.S. country charts for three weeks.

Crazy- Patsy Cline (1962)
Cline picked up this song and worked with producer Owen Bradley who arranged the song as a soulful ballad of undying love when singer Billy Walker turned down this Willie Nelson-penned song. Ironically, this song was initially hated by Cline who tried to sing it according to the quirky vocal stylings of Nelson. However, it ultimately became Cline’s most popular song to date.

Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)- Toby Keith (2001)
Probably one of the most controversial songs the genre has ever produced, this was an anthemic song written by outspoken Oklahoma native Keith, this song was specifically written to commemorate the patriotism of Keith’s late father. In time, it has become an anthem of sorts to US Soldiers everywhere courtesy of its lyrics.