When Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood walked together into a makeshift press room at American Airlines Center on Thursday afternoon, they didn't waste much time with hellos. The country power couple was there to preside over an hourlong visit with reporters and photographers about the sold-out 7-show run beginning Thursday night at American Airlines Center.
The headliner started by proactively answering a question likely on the tips of most tongues: Is Dallas a touchstone city for Brooks, the best-selling solo artist of all time who filmed two high-profile TV specials here?
"If each artist had a city that kind of birthed their music, Dallas would be ours," he said before a single question was asked.
Indeed, the man knows how to win over a crowd quickly. He rattled off a list of venues where he'd played in the early days before he hit the stratosphere with singles like "The Dance" and "Friends in Low Places."
"People fed us here when we couldn't feed ourselves and housed us when we didn't have money to house ourselves, so this is like coming home."
Brooks didn't reserve all of his sentimental feelings for our fair city though — he spoke in a short one-on-one chat (see the video below) about a moment during his current concert setlist when he looks back on his humble musical beginnings.
"It all started with me at a place called Willie's Saloon in Stillwater, Oklahoma," Brooks said. "Every show comes back to that moment at some point."
Meaningful throwbacks aside, Brooks is and will always be a high-energy entertainer, so it was no surprise when he told us that "Callin' Baton Rouge" is his favorite song to do live during the show.
"When that fiddle hits and that crowd goes up, it's like sex, 'cause it's over in, like, 30 seconds," he says with a laugh. "I'd play it three times if I could."
Yearwood, the Grammy-winning belter who performs with her husband and by herself on the comeback tour, was quick to testify about his adrenaline junky ways when asked about his performing stamina.
"You have an energy — you are not like other boys," she told her husband.
But when he does finally get tired and lands in the bed, Brooks replied, "I leave skidmarks."
This was the general vibe of the presser on Thursday — Yearwood and Brooks are both giving, congenial performers not just on stage but in conversation.
And there's a conviction in even Brooks' off-the-cuff comments that would be difficult to fake. When asked about his approach to building a bigger and better tour than he's done before, he said that he has no problem going over the top in order to create a memorable fan experience.
"I'm a cheese guy," he said. "if you're coming to the show, let's overdo it. Let's have some fun."
The conversation always came back to Dallas.
"If Dallas is how I remember it, I won't have to sing much tonight."
Follow the action from all seven Garth Brooks shows in Dallas at www.guidelive.com/garth.
