Garth Brooks Plays New Single for 'Wrapped' Audience
NASHVILLE — Garth Brooks returned to
the record wars Tuesday (October 9) with a mighty clash of
symbols.
Before beginning a carefully staged press
conference at the Country Music Hall of Fame, a Marine color
guard presented the flag, a class of first graders sang "God
Bless America" and a crowd of fans cheered Brooks' arrival.
The business at hand was to premiere "Wrapped
Up in You," the first single from Brooks' new album,
Scarecrow, to radio stations via satellite broadcast. The
album — which Brooks denies is his swan song despite
last year's declaration of retirement — is due out November
13. A Countdown to Garth clock prompted the crowd to chant
out the final seconds before the single made its nationwide
debut.
"Wrapped Up In You" was written
by Wayne Kirkpatrick, a pivotal figure in Brooks' ill-fated
The Life of Chris Gaines. Brooks' producer, Allen Reynolds,
attested that the song was freshly recorded for Scarecrow.
Mike Dungan, president of Brooks' label, Capitol
Records, announced that the singer had signed deals with America
Online and Dr. Pepper to promote Scarecrow. (Brooks chose
the title, he said, because his daughters reminded him that
the scarecrow in "The Wizard of Oz" thought with
his heart.)
As usual, Brooks was long on feelings and
short on details. He declined to specify how he would promote
his first studio album in four years short of indicating he
would be on television a lot during the next few months. Asked
if he would appear on the November 7 CMA Awards show, he noted
only that the deadline for choosing acts had passed. Ed Benson,
executive director of the Country Music Association, said
he doesn't know if Brooks will be on the program. Brooks was
no more forthcoming concerning his relationship with AOL.
He observed that the service would enable him to make many
media contacts without leaving his Keatonville, Oklahoma,
home. Brooks has filmed a Dr. Pepper commercial he said is
designed to make people feel good about themselves. He explained
that while both Coca-Cola and Pepsi had approached him, he
chose to go with Dr Pepper because he drinks it. Brooks emphasized
that he would not tour or appear on TV on a regular basis.
Time and again, he stressed that he is devoting himself to
fatherhood and such paternal chores as driving his three daughters
to school and soccer practice.
Nevertheless, Brooks left little doubt that
he misses being onstage. "I am going to tell you right
off the bat," he said, addressing the fans who stood
behind the press corps, "I miss the hell out of you guys."
The September 11 terrorist attacks came up
throughout Dungan's introductory remarks and Brooks' Q&A
session. Brooks said he was in New York when the planes destroyed
the World Trade Center towers and was scheduled to be in near
the Pentagon later that day. A woman presented Brooks with
a New York Fire Department cap, which he held reverently as
he spoke of the tragedy. Twice during his remarks, he called
for a return to prayer, "or a moment of silence,"
in public schools, each time to considerable applause.
Scarecrow's cover depicts a brooding, cowboyish
Brooks leaning against a wooden fence and holding leather
gloves. He said the denim jacket he wears is the same one
he wore on the cover of his 1989 debut, Garth Brooks. "My
shoulders could still fit it," he observed dryly in one
of several references to having gained weight.
Brooks said he has not signed on for any superstar
concerts to raise funds for the victims of the September 11
attacks because they conflict with his daughters' schedules.
While he did not offer a cut-by-cut assessment
of Scarecrow, Brooks enthused about his duets with George
Jones ("Beer Run") and Trisha Yearwood ("Squeeze
Me In"). He compared Jones' performance to the country
legend's "White Lightning" of more than 40 years
earlier. "He's the only guy in the studio who doesn't
know he's George Jones," Brooks noted.
Brooks said he screened more than 8,000 songs
to arrive at those that appear on Scarecrow. "I think
I heard about 15 hits for Tim McGraw," he observed.
Brooks said he'll appear on the "Grand
Ole Opry" during Christmas season and appear as part
of a December benefit at the Roy Acuff Theater in Nashville
to raise awareness of cancer in women. |
