Brooke Burke, New ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Co-Host Loves Country

Brooke Burke recently got the nod as co-host for the popular ABC show 'Dancing with the Stars,' which will begin its 10th season on March 22. The season 7 champion will take over for Samantha Harris who is leaving to devote more time to her duties on 'The Insider.'

Tom Bergeron will inherit a 'country' friendly co-host whose musical choices growing up in Tucson, Ariz. were "old" rock 'n' roll or down-home country music. Brooke reveals she spent a lot of time listening to the best artists country had to offer: Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt and Alan Jackson.

"Tucson was a very simple place to grow up so I started listening to country music in high school," says Brooke. I love the stories and lyrically, I'm moved by country music. There wasn't a whole lot to do growing up there so it was really all about the music. We had great country bars there called The Cactus Moon and The Wild, Wild West, and that was the sort of thing to do after high school. A lot of the best times I had were two-stepping in the country bars."

Some of the songs that got Brooke's attention were 'If Tomorrow Never Comes,' by Garth Brooks. "To me that song is about living each day to the fullest, not letting a moment pass, and making sure the person you love knows how much you love them," explains Brooke.

Another favorite is Keith Whitley's 'When You Say Nothing At All.' "I think that song is about the silent language of love. It's a beautiful love song. It reminds me of one of those international love affairs."