Garth Brooks (album)

Garth Brooks is the debut studio album of American country music artist Garth Brooks, released on April 12, 1989 through Capitol Nashville. It was both a critical and chart success, peaking at #13 on the Billboard 200 and at #2 on the Top Country Albums chart. The album has been certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments over ten million copies.

Garth Brooks
Studio album by Garth Brooks
Released	April 12, 1989
Recorded	Late 1987 – Early 1988
Studio	Jack's Tracks Recording Studios
Genre	Country
Length	32:43
Label	Capitol Nashville
Producer	Allen Reynolds
Garth Brooks chronology
Garth Brooks (1989) No Fences (1990)
Singles from Garth Brooks
"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" Released: March 6, 1989 "If Tomorrow Never Comes" Released: August 21, 1989 "Not Counting You" Released: January 8, 1990 "The Dance" Released: April 30, 1990

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Chicago Tribune	[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[3]

Background

Brooks commented on the album, saying:

This album was released in April 1989, in the States. Definitely scared to death. I thought the album was very very innocent. And I gotta be truthful with you, every time I hear those songs off the radio or off the album itself, or even when we play them live. I really get that same kind of scared feeling, that I had, way back in 1988, and 1989. Whether you get the album or not, or whether you have the album or not. Thanks, for just, the interest. That first album is always a big one for any artist and I, without trying to sound egotistical, I'm very proud of my first one.[4]

Singles

This album contains Brooks' earliest hits, for instance his first ever single, "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)", which peaked at #8 on the Country Billboard Charts in 1989. It put the name of an independent cowboy singer, Chris LeDoux, into the mainstream due to the lyric "A worn out tape of Chris LeDoux" Two other strong starts include his first #1, "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and the Academy of Country Music's 1990 Song of the Year and Video of the Year, "The Dance" (another #1). It also features his first hit he wrote entirely in "Not Counting You", another top 10 success.

Notable covers

Punk rock cover artists Me First and the Gimme Gimmes released a version of "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" as the first track on their October 2006 album Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Love Their Country.

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" has been covered by Ronan Keating (former lead singer of Irish group Boyzone), and many other famous singers including Barry Manilow.

Moe Bandy previously recorded "Nobody Gets Off in This Town" on his 1988 album No Regrets.[5]

Commercial performance

Garth Brooks peaked at #13 on the US Billboard 200, and peaked at #2 on the Top Country Albums. In November 2006, it was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over ten million copies in the United States. To date, the album has shipped ten million copies in the US.

Track listing

Original Release

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Not Counting You"	Garth Brooks	2:34
2.	"I've Got a Good Thing Going"	Larry Bastian / G. Brooks / Sandy Mahl	2:54
3.	"If Tomorrow Never Comes"	Kent Blazy / G. Brooks	3:41
4.	"Everytime That It Rains"	G. Brooks / Ty England / Charley Stefl	4:12
5.	"Alabama Clay"	Larry Cordle / Ronny Scaife	3:39
6.	"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"	G. Brooks / Randy Taylor	2:58
7.	"Cowboy Bill"	L. Bastian / Ed Berghoff	4:33
8.	"Nobody Gets Off In This Town"	L. Bastian / DeWayne Blackwell	2:19
9.	"I Know One"	Jack Clement	2:55
10.	"The Dance"	Tony Arata	3:38
Total length:			33:23

Limited Series Release

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Not Counting You"	2:34
2.	"I've Got a Good Thing Going"	2:54
3.	"If Tomorrow Never Comes"	3:41
4.	"Uptown Down-Home Good Ol' Boy"
5.	"Everytime That It Rains"	4:12
6.	"Alabama Clay"	3:39
7.	"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"	2:58
8.	"Cowboy Bill"	4:33
9.	"Nobody Gets Off in This Town"	2:19
10.	"I Know One"	2:55
11.	"The Dance"	3:38

Personnel

• Bruce Bouton – pedal steel guitar
• Garth Brooks – lead, harmony and backing vocals
• Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
• Mike Chapman – bass guitar
• Kathy Chiavola – harmony and backing vocals
• Rob Hajacos – fiddle
• Wendy Johnson – harmony and backing vocals
• Chris Leuzinger – electric guitar
• Jennifer O'Brien – harmony and backing vocals
• Wayland Patton – harmony and backing vocals
• Milton Sledge – drums
• Hurshel Wiginton – harmony and backing vocals
• Bobby Wood – keyboards, synthesizer
• Trisha Yearwood – harmony and backing vocals
• Nashville String Machine – string orchestra

Charts

Weekly charts

Charts (1989/1990)	Peak position
Canadian RPM Albums Chart	60
Canadian RPM Country Albums	22
US Billboard 200[6]	13
US Billboard Top Country Albums[6]	2

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		US Country	CAN Country	UK
1989	"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)"	8	9	—
	"If Tomorrow Never Comes"	1	2	—
1990	"Not Counting You"	2	1	—
	"The Dance"	1	1	36

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7]	Diamond	10,000,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of best-selling albums in the United States

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Garth Brooks at AllMusic. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
2. Hurst, Jack (April 6, 1989). "Garth Brooks (Capitol)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
3. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 105. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone garth brooks album guide.
4. "Garth's CD's". Angelfire.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
5. http://www.allmusic.com/album/no-regrets-mw0000200539
7. "American album certifications – Garth Brooks – Garth Brooks". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.