Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood held a press conference before their first show at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, FL Thursday afternoon (January 14th) for local media, and we were fortunate enough to have received an invite.  The couple lived up to expectations of being friendly, humorous, and humble as they addressed the media and took questions in an open forum for just shy of 25 minutes before conducting one-on-one interviews.

You can listen to the entire press conference below, but if you don’t have time to listen to the entire recording, we have some highlights for you here.

• Garth Brooks started off by saying how ready the band is to play again after taking time off for the holidays, saying it’s going to be “horrible and fantastic” as well as full of energy, fun, and loud.
• Garth talked about how they spent the holidays…two Christmases, one in Nashville and one in Oklahoma.
• This time last year they were in Buffalo, so Trisha is happy to be in a warmer place this year.
• Garth noted how he’s not good talking at us, but would rather talk with us, which he did later with one-on-one interviews.  We’ll have our interviews posted in the coming days!
• After the opening “statement,” they took questions from the media in attendance.
• Garth talked about being gone for 15 years, so he didn’t trust his pen, which is why most of the music on his new album Man Against Machine was written by others.
• Garth said that his retirement is behind him.
• Garth said that “Mom” is one of the top 5 songs ever written, and rivals “The Dance” as one of his favorite Garth songs all the time.
• Garth noted that nothing pisses him off more than going to a concert and hearing the artist dump a new album on the crowd instead of playing all the old stuff.
• Trisha said she can’t imagine doing her part of the show without doing “She’s In Love With The Boy” and “How Do I Live,” which takes up 2 of the 4 songs she typically sings in her mid-show set.
• Garth said his favorite part of the show isn’t his (Trisha’s is his favorite)…a fact which he jokingly said he hates.
• One media member mistakenly thought this was the kick off to his tour (it is just the kick off of the 2016 leg of the 3-year world tour).  Garth proceeded to politely skirt the question and explain how he started the tour in Chicago in 2014 and how they choose the cities for the show (cities he remembers having the most fun in).
• Another reporter asked if they would take in any of the local Latin flavor (dancing, food, drinks).  Garth joked that he does not dance.  Trisha said she likes to enjoy getting out and enjoying the outdoors.  Garth talked about how the entire road crew of 50 or so have been together for 20+ years, and that they are a family.  He talked about possibly going out to see Star Wars with them at some point this weekend.
• Trisha talked about how Garth helped convert many people into becoming country music fans.
• Garth talked about how pop acts are sweet to work with, but then have to put on a facade in public.  Garth joked he gets to be him as he lifted his sweater up and patted his belly.
• Garth said he found something that he loved more than music (pointing to Trisha) and noted how great it is he gets to combine his two loves.
• Trisha said that music feeds her soul, and that she loves to perform.  She said it’s hard to choose one over the other (solo touring vs being with Garth), so she loves this set up so she can do both.
• Garth joked that the band stands up straighter when Trisha comes out because she reminds everyone what a female artist should be with how great she is.
• The Sun-Sentinel reported pointed out that Madonna is only doing two shows, while Garth is doing three.  Garth said they got really lucky because he’d been gone for so long and noted that they’re doing 134% of ticket sales compared to their last tour in the mid-90’s.
• Garth said that by the halfway point of the show, the fans realize that Garth isn’t doing anything, because they (the fans) are doing all the work.
• Garth then talked about how he got to sing with Justin Timberlake and how great of a singer Miley Cyrus is.
• Garth noted how they were up to 2am finishing their Christmas album the night before.
• After talking about the other artists, it prompted my follow up question as to whether we can expect any surprises at his shows this weekend.  Unfortunately, they’re not expecting anyone in South Florida.  He then went on and told us about how Johnny Depp made a surprise visit recently and talked about how he’d love to get Carrie Underwood’s husband, NHL player Mike Fisher, up on stage with him at some point.  Here’s video of him answering SFCM’s question:

• A reporter pointed out that Garth was wearing a Trisha Yearwood cooking sweater, and asked what his favorite food is that she cooks.  He mouthed “mashed potatoes” as she revealed that it was indeed mashed potatoes.  She also ragged on him for hating black-eyed peas, and joked that she had to hide them in the mashed potatoes for New Years.  He also likes her casseroles.
• Trisha talked about how she will be at the South Beach Food & Wine Festival next month, but they are playing shows in Massachusetts that weekend, so she’ll fly in and right back out for it.
• They then talked about how they don’t really ask for musical advice from each other anymore, but will still give it.
• Garth talked about how all artists have an ego, but there’s a good ego and a bad ego.
• Garth said he lives off of the live show.  He feels he needs to find two more great live songs to perfectly round out his live show.
• Trisha said she gets a kick out of how the already rowdy audience goes crazy because they get to say “ass” during the third verse of “Friends in Low Places.”

Once the press conference portion ended, they then went around the room visiting with the reporters for the one-on-one interviews.

The Garth Brooks World Tour continues over the next two years…visit garthbrooks.com for more information.  They are playing tonight and tomorrow in Sunrise at 7pm.