As a romantic association was not on the cards at that time, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood decided to remain friends. They supported each other in their music careers professionally.
When Garth Brooks started becoming famous and made a name for himself, he helped Trisha bag a record contract, and in 1991, he chose her for the opening act of his national tour. Soon the duo started singing duets and backup vocals on each other’s music albums.
What Makes Brooks and Trisha a Household Name
Although Brooks and Trisha’s paths crossed for the first time as relative strangers in the late 1980s, destiny had bigger things in store.
Being superstars in their own right, both Trish and Garth are to be reckoned with. Brooks is a seven-time Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year and a Grammy Award Winner while Trisha is a Grand Ole Opry legend and a three-time Grammy-winning singer. But according to the couple, their professional awards and achievements pale in comparison to the biggest achievement or accolade of their lives — their marriage.
Staying Together
As the days become years, Yearwood and Brooks have always had their hands full as they were busy raising a family, touring extensively for their shows, and pursuing various interests (like Trisha hosting a cooking show, "Trisha’s Southern Kitchen").
The journey together wasn’t always easy, but the couple has overcome all hurdles and is still madly in love with each other. And Brooks and Trisha are never shy when it comes to openly professing their deep love for one another.
When Trisha and Garth First Met
If you think sparks flew between these lovebirds at their very first meeting and the rest was history, you couldn’t be more off the mark! They were hardly an “item” when they first locked eyes in 1987 at songwriter Kent Blazy’s studio housed in an attic.
Back then, the two were only collaborating to record a demo together. Those days, Brooks was married to songwriter Sandy Mahl. Sandy and Garth married the year before he met Trisha while Yearwood was wedded to Chris Latham who was a music producer.
Confessions of a Loving Heart
Although both Garth and Trisha were loyal to their respective spouses, when Brooks appeared on "The Ellen Show" in 2013, Yearwood made him ponder and question his marriage to Sandy Mahl.
Brooks said, “You being married, it’s gotta be right,” and tried to explain his stand on his marriage to Sandy Mahl. He stressed, “You were married in front of God and your family and everything”. And that seemed to sum up his views for the time being.
Along the Way
For a long time, both Trisha and Brooks remained friends and led their own lives. In 1987, Trisha married Chris Latham but her marriage ended in divorce in 1991.
She met Robert Reynolds of "The Mavericks" and in 1994, decided to tie the knot for the second time. But this time too her marriage was on the rocks and the couple split in 1999. On Brooks's side, he didn’t split from Sandy Mahl before 2000.
She Was the One
In his heart of hearts, Garth Brooks seemed to know that Trisha was the one when he met her for the very first time way back in the 1980s. It was a time when both of them were trying to establish their careers.
Brooks candidly confessed on "The Ellen Show" in 2013, “I felt that feeling like you just met your wife.” But Brooks was married at that time to Sandy Mahl so he decided to ignore his feelings towards Trisha and remain loyal to Sandy.
Candid Confessions
Brooks had no inkling about Trisha’s feelings for him. Things may have worked out differently if he had known that Yearwood nurtured the same mutual feeling towards him.
In 2016, when Garth and Trisha jointly gave an interview together to Parade magazine, Trisha opened her heart out and frankly professed to know that Garth was the perfect guy for her the very instant she had met him but unfortunately failed to understand it at the time.
The Organic Spark
Yearwood and Brooks were not a power couple nor was any buzz created around them, at least not at this stage. And they were a far cry from becoming household names. In fact, they hadn't created any sensation in the music biz.
But there was something special between the two and they both would eventually hit it off. Of course, they had no idea that they would become celebrated country music stars or even settle down in happy matrimony one day.
Nurturing a Strong Friendship
As a romantic association was not on the cards at that time, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood decided to remain friends. They supported each other in their music careers professionally.
When Garth Brooks started becoming famous and made a name for himself, he helped Trisha bag a record contract, and in 1991, he chose her for the opening act of his national tour. Soon the duo started singing duets and backup vocals on each other’s music albums.
Basking in Each Other’s Glory
Although Garth influenced much of Trisha’s early career, he never took any credit for the upward swing of Yearwood’s career graph. In 1999, Garth decided to split from Sandy Mahl, his first wife, and it was a coincidence that Trisha happened to be single herself. And it was during this time that their friendship bloomed into something more meaningful.
Brooks confessed on "The Ellen Show" that he always enjoyed being around Trisha, and they both had a lot more in common than he had ever dreamed of. After Brooks’ divorce, the couple started dating and the rest, was history.
The Proposal
In May 2005, Garth Brooks decided to propose to his ladylove Trisha Yearwood in true rock star style, in front of 7,000 people!
Both of them were at an event at Buck Owens’s Crystal Palace in Bakersfield in California to watch the unveiling of an 8-ft tall statue of Brooks. Garth brought Trisha onstage to see the statue up close and pointed to a wedding ring fixed to the statue’s ring finger. He got down on one knee and asked Trisha to marry him. Of course, Trisha’s answer was an emphatic Yes!
The Wedding
In 2005, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood skipped the fanfare associated with a gala wedding and decided to seal their union at a private ceremony.
Although their engagement was a public affair under the spotlight, the wedding was an intimate and private affair at the end of 2005 at the couple’s Oklahoma home in the presence of four family members only. Brooks later said that it was the perfect Christmas gift they could give to each other and they couldn’t have been happier.
Brooks’ Daughters Take a Vow
Garth Brooks had three gorgeous daughters — Taylor, August, and Allie — with his former wife Sandy Mahl. All three played an important role in Garth and Trisha’s wedding ceremony.
The three children also made a vow, sealing their commitment to Trisha and giving the go-ahead to Trisha to marry their father. All of them wore cute wedding dresses and exchanged rings to make it a true family affair. According to Trisha, her anniversary with Garth Brooks is also celebrated with the three children.
Being a “Bonus Mom”
Trisha Yearwood is definitely not just a stepmom. In the Brooks-Yearwood household, Trisha’s the “bonus mom”. Trisha explained the term on the Rachel Ray Show, “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.”
That sure goes a long way in explaining her way of looking at things and defines a really hearty sentiment giving a whole new meaning to their relationship.
The Equation Between Trisha and the Girls
The posts on Trisha’s Instagram page thoroughly establish her strong bond with Taylor, August, and Allie. Trisha acts as their go-to support system and advises them on their respective careers.
Yearwood invited Allie to be a special guest on her cooking show with Food Network, "Trisha’s Southern Kitchen," and showcased her stepdaughter’s musical talent in an episode teaser complete with the following caption: “To say I am a proud bonus mom is an understatement! Allie, you are my new favorite duet partner (psst! Don’t tell your dad!)”
Making Marriage a Priority
It goes without saying that any marriage requires hard work and a lot of effort. And it’s definitely no different for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. But the duo seems to have hit the right marriage chord.
Although the couple has always made each other a priority by making a conscious effort to put each other first, the two have honestly pointed out that it isn’t an easy task to always do so and requires plenty of compromises.
The Secret to Their Happy Relationship
So what exactly does the couple do to prioritize one another? For starters, they tour together and try to go everywhere together; this ensures that they do not end up spending much time apart or away from each other.
Do they never get on each other’s nerves? Well according to Brooks, Trisha’s always right! But Trisha spilled the beans in some interviews and said how Brooks does annoy her. But both are best friends and literally enjoy their “we time”.
Staying in Love
Garth and Trisha not only perform on stage together but sing for one another! And this is what keeps the flame of love burning in their marriage. Although they give excellent solo performances, they seem to compliment and bring out the best in each other when they perform together.
The duo has performed ballads in their home studio and CMA Awards and is not shy to show their feelings of love and affection for one another. While performing on stage, the pair often holds hands and leans in, particularly during emotional numbers.
Going Solo
When performing solo, Trisha and Garth still remain inseparable in spirit and are not too far apart from each other. Typically, if one performs on stage, the other can be spotted in the crowd.
Moreover, more often than not, the duo dedicates the songs to one another during their solo performances. According to Trisha, it is important to make one’s spouse feel loved, and a song is always a grand gesture to do exactly that! After all, a song can always convey a thousand feelings….
Giving Back to the Community Together
The duo shares many common beliefs and one of them is — making the world a better place. Both of them are on the same page when it comes to volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and building affordable houses for families who need help.
In 2005, they got involved with the non-profit organization and participated in a photo-op in New Orleans to help people who were hurt by Hurricane Katrina. They ended up staying the entire day and participating wholeheartedly in rebuilding homes. Brooks later tagged his wife as “a nail gun diva”!
Spicing Things Up in the Kitchen
The couple loves to spice things up in their married life by rustling up a storm in the kitchen. It comes as no surprise that they love to cook together, or for one another. Trisha is the author of best-selling cookbooks and hosts "Trisha’s Southern Kitchen" on Food Network.
Although you might think that Trisha dons the hat of a designated home chef, Garth always has something ready for Yearwood when she gets home after a tiring day on the sets of her cooking show!
Building their Nest
Garth and Trisha have owned several high-value properties over the years. In 2015, Yearwood and Brooks bought a house in Nashville in Tennessee but hardly got any chance to turn it into a home for the next three years as they kept touring extensively for their shows.
In 2018, Garth told in an interview with "Live with Kelly and Ryan" that the two of them had constructed their home exactly the way Yearwood pictured it to be. When they finally settled in and did the interiors, the house started feeling like their home.
When Life becomes Rough
When Garth divorced Sandy Mahl, Trisha was there for him and helped him get his life back on track while promoting "The Road I'm On", his documentary.
Garth admitted that he'd simply bid adieu to music, went through a divorce, left Nashville, and moved back to Oklahoma to live with his three children aged 8, 6, and 4. And right when he was in the middle of his “crash course” on the fairer sex, his best friend Trisha showed up.
Getting Together at the Right Time
Aren't you wondering whether things might have been different had Trisha and Garth not been married when they first met back in the 1980s before their careers had taken off?
Well, here’s what Garth feels. According to him, it might not necessarily have been better as their careers would not be what they were back in the 1990s or, for that matter, even their marriage might not have survived the 1990s. Garth believes that everything in life happens at the correct time.
Trisha’s Take on the Right Age
Before the power couple of country music tied the knot in 2005, Garth had already been married once, and Trisha had survived two divorces.
Yearwood admitted to a reporter that she wasn’t proud of the fact that she was a divorcee and she believed that she got together with Garth at a good time as she knew at that point in her life, what she wanted and what she didn’t. When Yearwood married Brooks, she was aged 41 and was confident in what she was doing.
Feeling Lucky
Yearwood feels that she is lucky to share her life with Brooks, and wholeheartedly believes that the couple hit the jackpot when they eventually felt that their paths led to each other.
In an interview with Extra, Trisha stated that both of them are living with the love of their lives, and also do what they love to do for a living. She added that both of them love being with each other and would continue to do their work for as long as they can do it.
When It Comes to Romance
If you’re trying to guess who the die-hard romantic among them is, the winning crown easily goes to Brooks. The always romantic Brooks said at a joint Q&A session with Trisha (via KTLA 5) that he loves doing Everything Together with Yearwood, from touring for their shows to raising a family.
He added that he can be in the same room with her simply knowing that she’s breathing the same air and happy doing what she’s doing. These songbirds sure know how to be together!
Brooks Cannot Stay Away From Trisha
The lovebirds Trisha and Garth seem to rekindle their romance each day! Brooks cannot stand even the thought of spending a day without his ladylove Trisha.
The only place Garth wants to be seen always is right beside Trisha, even after so many years of being married, which proves that even now the singer is deeply in love with Trisha. Being with Trisha seems to make him the happiest.
The Forever Together Couple
In 2014, Brooks gave an interview to People magazine where he told reporters that he was the luckiest and most blessed guy on the planet. Garth had just kicked off the Garth Brooks with Trisha Yearwood World Tour. His eyes moistened when he announced that he was madly in love with Trisha.
Garth always makes it a point to introduce Trisha as the "love of my life" everywhere they go, while Yearwood adds a splash of humor and refers to Garth as her "biggest cheerleader" both on and off stage.
Their Hearts Beat for Pop Music
Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks might dominate the billboards with their chartbusters in country music, but when it comes to picking tunes they enjoy tapping their feet to, this couple is an ardent fan of pop music.
To ring in Trisha’s 53rd birthday, Garth surprised her with a trip to Louisville to see a live performance of Bruno Mars. Trisha disclosed in a Facebook post that she wasn’t quite sure as to who had more fun — Brooks or her!
The Couple Sends Gifts to Their Fans
Trisha and Garth have a special way of saying thanks to their fans — particularly married couples — by showering them with love and affection. For instance, the country superstars sponsored a Hawaiian honeymoon for a newlywed couple and sent wedding presents to another pair.
When Jamie and Jude Blanchard attended Garth’s Louisiana show holding a sign about their impending wedding, Garth asked them if they wanted anything from their wedding registry. Concert-goers passed along the Blanchards wedding invitation till it reached the stage. And soon, the gifts were delivered to their doorstep.
Closer Than Ever Every Day
For Garth, Trisha’s scent never gets old! So much so that when Garth isn’t breathing the air that Trisha inhales, he is busy basking in Trisha’s natural scent.
Before their 12th anniversary, Garth gave an interview to iHeart Radio where he said that even if it were their 112th anniversary, he would still feel the same as each day is similar to the first day for him. He added that everything about Trisha, from the way she talks to her smell, would never get old for him.
Garth’s Special Nickname for Trisha
Trisha revealed in an interview with Today that Garth affectionately nicknames her Queen. Garth’s pictures on Instagram where he is seen beside Trisha typically include a royal reference.
For instance, a photo of the duo taken in November 2016 at the Country Music Awards has a caption saying "Standing next to the QUEEN makes any day a great day, but especially today! love, g." Do we need a more vivid and heartfelt declaration of love?
Trisha Takes to Cooking
Two super successful superstars can find it difficult to juggle their careers in the music industry and make time on their busy schedules to be with each other for some quality time. But despite their conflicting schedules, when the couple wed in 2005, the two decided to make a pact so that they are never apart.
Garth was retired but Trisha was working and eventually, quit touring. She authored a series of cookbooks and started hosting "Trisha’s Southern Kitchen" so that she didn’t have to stay away from Garth.
Who Makes Coffee
If you find dragging yourself out of bed each morning and brew yourself a warm cup of joe to be a chore, you might enjoy knowing that in the Yearwood-Brooks household, Garth is the one who makes coffee every morning!
Trisha gets her caffeine fix in the wee hours every single morning without her having to lift a finger. And she’s all praises for her personal barista…. Interestingly, Garth doesn’t even drink coffee but makes sure that his wife gets her cuppa on time.
The Ultimate Seal of Approval
If you think that Garth was always a pro at wielding the ladle in the kitchen, you couldn’t be more mistaken. According to Taylor, Garth’s eldest daughter, when it was her father’s turn to cook, his dinners would often include boxed macaroni and cheese and frozen chicken as he could not cook to save his life.
So when Trisha came along, the children were super excited. Even Sandy Mahl approved of Trisha and Garth’s decision to marry and thought it was a really good move for both Garth and the kids.
Garth and Trisha’s First Date
Brooks blew his very first date with Yearwood as he kept falling asleep! Trisha cooked him Fettuccine Alfredo and found Garth glossing over when they were about halfway through dinner. Garth somehow finished eating, walked over, parked himself on the couch, and simply fell asleep or slipped into a “food coma” as Trisha calls it, drawing the curtains on their dinner date!
Well, they both laugh about the day when they reminisce about it, but it did seem to work out in Garth’s favor given their many years of blissful wedded life.
Pet Peeve
If there’s one thing that Trisha totally dislikes about Garth it’s his constant whistling. It seems to drive her nuts as according to Trisha he seems to do it 24/7. Garth admits cheekily that he does whistle everywhere he goes and thinks Trisha is extremely sweet to put up with his habit.
This just establishes the fact that Trisha and Garth are like every other couple who smile and look the other way when it comes to putting up with each other’s pet peeves.
A Fatherly Connection
Trisha’s father was her biggest fan as he loved country music and saw her rise in her career. She admits to being daddy’s little girl and felt that he always had her back.
When Garth told her to do her own thing but he would always be there for her, she felt that she could always count on him. Her father got to see their engagement and he honestly felt that “Garth’s got this”.
Being Married to a Fellow Country Singer
Anyone who follows the media knows that celebrity couples fud it difficult to sustain their relationships. Trisha, however, feels that the only thing that is hard about a celebrity couple is the fact that they are both extremely busy.
Yearwood also feels that this is an advantage, particularly when both of them belong to the same profession, and share an unspoken understanding of the need, drive, and desire that feeds the soul.
Bowing Down
When the couple performs together, Brooks shares a fun tradition with Trisha on stage — he bows to her and she reciprocates. Garth explains that when they first started performing together, Trisha told him that Garth had to bow to her after every song. After a while, she started bowing to him too.
Now Garth says that he does it out of respect for Trisha’s talent and singing skills, and most importantly because she has made a name for herself all on her own.
The ‘Closer Than Ever’ Couple
Although Trisha’s marriage to Garth has only gotten stronger with time, she does admit that at times it "can be difficult" as both of them are extremely independent people running their own ships.
Expectedly, sometimes when two such people are in the driver’s seats of two big ships, the journey can be difficult. Trisha thoughtfully adds that being together all the time due to the pandemic served a bit of a wake-up call for both of them.
Finding the Right Balance
Trisha admitted in an interview that before 2020, they were together as they hardly spent much time away from each other. However, the events of 2020 made them spend all their time with each other as there was hardly anywhere to go.
This, she says, made them develop balance where at times one person runs the ship, sometimes the other one does, and sometimes, both end up butting their heads. But, she feels that their marriage is now "better than ever."
Mr. Perfect
Trisha feels that Garth is indeed as perfect as he seems. She feels that although some things that Garth does drive her up the wall, at the end of the day, he patiently listens to her even when she’s mad at him.
She finds Garth to be extremely generous, kind, and thoughtful as he thinks about the well-being of other people. She adds that it’s a challenge for her to try and be less selfish and really think about others more.
The Equation they Share
Trisha and Garth firmly believe that although love takes the center stage in their marriage, friendship is equally important and they share a tremendous amount of mutual respect.
Trisha says Garth is neater than her and always respectful. And if she needs him to literally change the tune he’s whistling, all she needs to do is sing a line of another song and then he starts whistling that. Around 80% of the time they try to do what’s right and 20% of the time they let loose; at times, it can also be the other way round.
Always Standing by Garth
When the musical couple celebrated 15 years of marriage and togetherness, Garth described their journey as the best 15 years of his life.
He added that this is the second 15 years of their life as the first phase of their relationship harks back to the time when they met in 1987-1988 and got married in 2005. He tags the first phase of his life with Trisha as friends and the first 15 years of marriage as husband and wife.
When Friendship Matters
According to Trisha, their friendship serves as a base for her successful marriage with Garth. Trisha strongly feels that both Garth and she made a conscious effort and strive to be together. They make decisions together and unless compelled to do so, hardly spend too many nights apart.
She says that as a couple they enjoy each other’s company and this plays a vital part in their marriage being a happy one. Garth wholeheartedly agrees and thinks that the time they spent nurturing their friendship is the secret mantra behind their successful celebrity marriage.
Conquering New Milestones
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have known each other for literal decades! And during these many years, they have walked through various stages of friendship, relationship, and marriage. When they made a conscious choice of getting married, they took their relationship goals to the next level.
They try to go everywhere together and revel in one another’s company. Garth looks forward to the future and says that he will put all his money that this next phase would be the best one of his life with Trisha! Cheers to that.