Garth Brooks Shares Advice for Young Artists

Garth Brooks spent years paying his proverbial dues, performing in small clubs and venues while working day jobs, hoping to someday becoming a successful country music artist. Now, with millions and millions of albums sold, he has certainly been a success, but he isn't about to forget his humble beginnings.

"Scotty McCreery was at the show last night," Brooks tells Broadway's Electric Barnyard. "He's in that wonderful stage where you're out there, you know, banging it out from club to club. I told him, 'Bro, you don't have a clue yet that those are the greatest times, right there."

The Oklahoma native moved to Nashville in 1987, where he worked in a boot shop while waiting for his career to take off.

"I remember fitting this guy for boots," Brooks recalls. "I'm down on the floor, he's sitting in the chair, and 'Much Too Young (to Feel This Damn Old)' came on. And I went, 'Holy cow, that's me!' And this guy goes, 'Yeah, right ... It feels a little tight on the left one there.'"

The 52-year-old, who is breaking ticket sales records all over the country on his World Tour, says his advice for aspiring artists is really very simple.

"It's starting out. It's doing your thing. And I got to tell you, it might be rough right now, but those are going to be the best memories in your life," Brooks says. "For those people who dream, this is getting to live it, and I never take it for granted. It's fun. Everything's new again, which is fantastic, and the shows are kind of reflecting that."

A list of all of Brooks' upcoming shows can be found here.

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