Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Troyal Garth Brooks (1962– ) emerged as one of the most influential figures in country music. Already a member of the Grand Ole Opry, he reshaped the genre’s reach, selling more than 100 million records within a decade.

“Sometimes things that last forever take forever,” he once reflected — a belief that mirrors the long arc of his career.

Since his first hit in 1989, Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old), Brooks has believed deeply in the power of music. “Your songs are your swords,” he said. “It’s amazing the size of the sword you carry.”

Influenced by artists such as James Taylor, Billy Joel, and the Eagles, his third album, Ropin’ the Wind (1991), debuted at number one on the Billboard pop charts — a rare crossover moment for country music.

“I’m looking for beliefs that need to be stated in this day and time,” Brooks said. “I try to let people know they aren’t working for nothing — that what they see when they close their eyes at night doesn’t always have to be a dream.”

Brooks carried country music to unprecedented audiences, including a historic 1997 concert in New York’s Central Park that drew more than 250,000 people.

“I love to sink in thought,” he admitted. “I take my music very seriously.” Through periods of fame, reinvention, and even brief retirement, Brooks remained guided by his heart.

He explored other dreams, including professional baseball, yet always returned to music, continuing to create, perform, and connect. Unbreakable. Relentless. Free.

“What do I want people to remember me by?” he once asked. “To say the man was real — there was some of me in him.”