Friday night in Dallas, Garth Brooks was able to get back a recent birthday present from his wife, Trisha Yearwood, by writing a six-figure check.
The superstar couple hosted the Academy of Country Music's Lifting Lives benefit gala at the Omni Dallas. To help boost the coffers of the ACM's charity arm, Brooks donated two special pickups to the night's live auction. There was the red 1987 Chevy truck that he drove to Nashville to begin his career and then his favorite, a 1992 Chevy truck. "It's a maroon dually and it's the first truck I ever bought new," Brooks said. "It's been in the family since day one and we plan to keep it that way."
"When he says he's had it since day one, that's true," said Yearwood. "He drove it all over creation. The seats were torn. The headliner was down. I decided this year for his birthday to have it redone." After the dually was restored, Yearwood gave it to him as a surprise gift.
"I said, 'Ta-da,'" she said.
That's when he sheepishly told her he had promised the truck to the ACM Lifting Lives auction.
"That's a true story," said Yearwood. "If you want it, you're going to have to bid high."
Guests complied. A $30,000 opening bid immediately went to $50,000. Inside of a minute, bidders were at $200,000, then $250,000. The final bid came in at $275,000.
The winner was Garth Brooks.
"Yes!" he said excitedly.
The superstars sets
The ACM folks made a mid-week decision to merge the Fort Worth and Dallas Lifting Lives galas into one big gala at the Omni Dallas. The result was a feast of country music performances with sets that went late into the night.
The opener was 23-year-old Hunter Hayes. "Hunter could find an old rusted can on the side of the street and make it sound amazing," said Brooks.
Next was Little Big Town.
Fresh off their We Are Pioneers world tour, The Band Perry came out and owned the stage at the Omni. Any guest who considered leaving early, probably sat down after siblings Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry belted out their No. 1 hit "If I Die Young."
Next came Lady Antebellum. Lead singer Hillary Scott showed no ill effects of being on her tour bus seconds before it went up in flames Thursday.
After Keith Urban's set, Garth Brooks drafted Urban to be guitarist for his set.
The two country kings joined for a memorable duet of "Friends in Low Places."
Garth on going big
Brooks approves of the Academy of Country Music's decision to come to AT&T Stadium for it's big anniversary.
"It's the 50th," he said before Friday's gala. "They decided to go big or go home. They've got the biggest house in country music."
