What's the truth about Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks' marriage? No matter how busy
life gets, Yearwood is still in love with Brooks, and though the two aren't shy when
it comes to professing their love for one another, there's a lot we didn't know about
their marriage...until now!
Looking at these lovebirds, you'd think Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks were an item as
soon as they locked eyes, but you'd be wrong. The two were married to other people when
they first met in 1987 at songwriter Kent Blazy's attic studio to record a demo. Back
then, Brooks was hubby to Sandy Mahl, who he wed the year before meeting Yearwood, according
to US Weekly. At the time, Yearwood was the wife of music producer Chris Latham.
So Brooks and Yearwood remained friends. Yearwood would end up divorcing Latham before tying
the knot again in 1994, this time with musician Robert Reynolds. Brooks didn't split from
his first wife until 2000.
Garth Brooks knew Trisha Yearwood was the one when he first met her in the '80s, early
in both their careers, saying on The Ellen Show in 2013, quote, "I felt that feeling
like you just met your wife."
Brook’s marriage continued for decades, but maybe things would've worked out differently
had he known that the feeling was mutual. During a joint interview with Parade magazine
in 2016, Yearwood confessed to knowing Brooks was the one, quote, "the minute I met him."
Despite the sparks, Brooks and Yearwood weren't household names at the time, so it's not like
they were starstruck, making the connection seem even more genuine in hindsight. As Yearwood
put it to CMT:
Little did the two know then that they'd not only become country music stars, but that
they'd marry each other someday.
Seeing as romance was out of the picture, Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks settled for
friendship, and supported one another in their professional music careers. According to E!
News, once Brooks started making a name for himself, he helped Yearwood land a record
contract, and chose her as the opening act for his national tour in 1991. The two even
sang duets and backup vocals on each other's albums.
Despite influencing much of her early career, Brooks never credited himself for Yearwood's
rise, saying to the Chicago Tribune in 2001:
When Brooks split from his first wife in 1999, Yearwood just so happened to be single herself,
according to Us Weekly. That's when their friendship blossomed into something more.
Brooks revealed on Ellen:
Being the rockstar entertainer that he is, Garth Brooks proposed to Trisha Yearwood in
front of thousands of people, 7,000 to be exact. It was May 2005, and the couple was
at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, California. People reported that the pair
were there to watch the unveiling of an eight-foot tall statue of Brooks.
During the ceremony, Brooks brought his leading lady onstage, not to sing, but to see the
statue up close. Afterwards, Brooks pointed out a wedding band fixed to the statue's ring
finger. Then much to Yearwood's surprise, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry
him. She said yes!
During a joint interview on Live! with Kelly in 2016, Yearwood said she'll never forget
that moment, and quipped:
"So, Bakersfield is the most romantic city in the country for me."
Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks decided to skip the fanfare created by their very public
proposal, opting instead for something a little more private and intimate for their actual
wedding day. According to People, the couple tied the knot towards the end of 2005 at their
Oklahoma home in front of family only.
Garth Brooks' three daughters played an important role in their wedding ceremony, seeing as
Yearwood doesn't have kids of her own. From Brooks' previous marriage to Sandy Mahl, Taylor,
August, and Allie also made their commitment to Yearwood official. Yearwood explained on
The Rachael Ray Show in 2019:
"We married the girls. They wore little wedding dresses, we exchanged rings, 'cause they had
to say it was okay for me to marry their dad."
Don't call country singer Trisha Yearwood "stepmom." In the Yearwood-Brooks household,
she's the bonus mom instead. As Yearwood said it to Rachael Ray:
"Stepmom's very Cinderella. It doesn't have good connotations. And so you're a bonus mom
because the girls have a mom, and I get to be another woman in their life that loves
them."
From the looks of her Instagram page, Yearwood is close to Brooks’ daughters and supports
them, even in their careers. Yearwood even had Allie as a special guest on her Food Network
show Trisha's Southern Kitchen, and touted her stepdaughter's musical skills in an episode
teaser with the caption:
Marriage is hard work, even if you're one of country music's most famous couples. But
the two manage to thrive in the marriage department by making each other a priority. Yearwood
told Good Morning America:
So how do the couple prioritize one another? Yearwood explained to Live! with Kelly in
2016, in a joint interview with Brooks:
"We tour together, we try to go everywhere together and we really don't spend that much
time apart."
When asked if they ever get on each other's nerves, Brooks said no, adding, quote, "she's
always right."
Power couple Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are great solo, but they're even better when
they sing together. They've performed ballads everywhere, from the CMA Awards to their home
studio. Never shy to show the love and affection they have for one another, the pair often
hold hands onstage, and aren't afraid to lean in for an almost kiss during especially emotional
performances.
When it comes time for a solo, Brooks and Yearwood are still not far apart. Typically,
while one is on stage, the other is in the crowd. Plus, oftentimes the pair dedicate
songs to each other, like when Brooks performed "Stronger Than Me" at the CMA Awards in 2018.
He talked to Extra on the red carpet prior to the performance, saying:
Yearwood, who was beside Brooks during the interview, said it's important to make your
spouse feel loved, and what better way than a song? She admitted, quote, "This is a grand
gesture."
A couple that not only sings together, but also gives back to their community together
is sure to make it for the long haul. At least, that's what we hope for Trisha Yearwood and
Garth Brooks, who volunteer often with Habitat for Humanity, helping to build affordable
housing for families in need.
The couple got involved with the nonprofit when they flew to New Orleans following the
devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Yearwood talked about the work in an interview
with SheKnows:
During an interview with Good Morning America about their volunteerism, Brooks and Yearwood
pointed at one another when asked who's better with the power tools. Brooks called his wife,
quote, "a nail gun diva."
Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks like to spice things up in their marriage by cooking together,
or for one another. Seeing as Yearwood is a best-selling cookbook author and host of
Trisha's Southern Kitchen on Food Network, you might think she's the designated home
chef. However, Brooks is pretty handy in the kitchen as well. As Yearwood put it to Access:
Brooks has made appearances on his wife's cooking show. Yearwood actually nicknamed
her hubby Gartha Stewart. Yearwood told Extra:
In this situation, there's no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen.
"There's always room for more peanut butter."
"This is why it's fun to cook with you in the kitchen."
Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks have owned several awe-inspiring properties across the
country, including a $5 million Malibu beach house purchased in 2008. They sold it nearly
10 years later for $7 million.
For years, Brooks and Yearwood resided in Oklahoma, the former's home state, until his
youngest daughter graduated from high school, according to Today. The couple listed the
14,089 square-foot Oklahoma palace in 2014 for approximately $3.5 million.
As of 2015, according to People, Brooks and Yearwood bought a home in Nashville, Tennessee,
but because of touring, they didn't get a chance to enjoy it until almost three years
later. Brooks told Live with Kelly and Ryan in 2018 that they had the new construction
designed to their exact specifications.
Trisha Yearwood was there for Garth Brooks following his divorce from Sandy Mahl. Brooks
confessed to Us Weekly that she helped him get through that rough patch while promoting
his documentary, The Road I'm On, saying:
Then, in the midst of this "crash course" in being a dad, his, quote, "best friend showed
up." That best friend was Yearwood, of course.
Years later, the married couple, who wed in 2005, faced another obstacle, along with the
rest of the world: COVID-19. Brooks confessed in a virtual press conference that his daughter,
Allie Brooks, tested positive for the virus. Brooks and Yearwood had to quarantine as well,
as they work with their son-in-law. Fortunately, everyone was okay in the end.
Things might've been different had Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood not been married when
they first met back in the '80s, before either of their careers took off. But that might
not necessarily have been for the better, according to Brooks, who entertained that
idea during a live Q&A with his wife, saying:
When asked about prior relationships, Yearwood said, quote, "I'm not proud to have been divorced."
But said that she and Brooks got together at a good time in both their lives, saying:
Trisha Yearwood feels lucky to share her life with Garth Brooks, and believes that they
hit the jackpot when they finally found their way to each other. She told Extra:
It's safe to say that Brooks feels the same. Always the romantic, he said during a joint
Amazon Music Q&A session with his wife, that he loves doing everything together with her,
from raising a family to touring. He said:
We can't wait to see what else these two lovebirds, and songbirds, have up their sleeves, and
we hope that it's together.
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