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Country music legend Garth Brooks revealed in a recent press conference that he rejected the proposal from his wife, Trisha Yearwood, to legally adopt his surname. The surprising offer emerged during their anniversary celebrations last year, where Yearwood presented the official documents that would change her last name to Brooks.
"She was sweet enough... to have the documents where her official last name was Brooks," said Brooks, as reported by Taste of Country. The press conference was organized to announce Brooks's partnership with the digital radio platform TuneIn.
However, the "Friends in Low Places" singer promptly declined Yearwood's offer, putting forth a unique perspective on tradition and identity. The pair have been married since 2005, and Yearwood has played a significant role as a stepmother to Brooks's three daughters from his first marriage.
Preserving Individuality Over Tradition
By recognizing Yearwood's identity, Brooks referred to his father-in-law, Jack Yearwood, who had two daughters, and expressed that Yearwood is synonymous with Trisha. "Tradition doesn't count here.
What counts is when you have two celebrities, don't have one swallow the other," Brooks stated, emphasizing the importance of maintaining individuality even in marital ties. Despite Brooks's intentions to primarily operate behind the scenes in his TuneIn partnership, he mentioned his aspiration to create a station exclusively spotlighting women in entertainment.
He hopes for Yearwood to have a significant role in this proposed station, intriguingly named 'BABE,' which stands for the 'bada-- b----es of entertainment.' Interestingly, Brooks candidly confessed to his past failures as a husband and father in his first marriage to Sandy Maul, which ended acrimoniously in 2000.
"I sucked at being a husband; I was horrible at it," Brooks admitted to Billboard. He also highlighted the transformative influence of his current wife, Yearwood, on his life, stating that "the person you're with [does make] a huge difference in your life." Trisha Yearwood, the "She's in Love with the Boy" singer, reciprocated Brooks's sentiments.
During an interview with E! News on the ACM Awards red carpet, she described her marriage to Brooks as "always a first date" when questioned about their secrets for a successful and enduring marriage.