Garth Brooks’ new “More Than A Memory” Makes Historic #1 Debut!
First-Ever #1 Debut in History of Country Music
NASHVILLE, TN – The top-selling solo artist of the 20th century (RIAA) has re-written the record books once again. With his new single, “More Than a Memory” (Pearl Records/*Big Machine), Garth Brooks has become the first artist in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard Country Singles Chart, making him the highest Country debut leader of all time.
Brooks’ first single from his upcoming The Ultimate Hits collection, in stores 11/6, earned 36.3 million impressions in its first week and shattered a one-day audience record of over 11 million impressions on its arrival day at Country Radio.
On August 18th, Garth and Big Machine Records president Scott Borchetta announced a unique arrangement for Big Machine Records to exclusively promote and market his upcoming singles to Country Radio. Borchetta says, “The opportunity and the honor to represent the greatest that our industry has ever seen is one that I could not pass up. To experience his musical genius, desire and passion first- hand is extraordinary. We came up with a plan to set up this incredible new music at radio and he took it to another level - truly magical. Radio responded with open arms and enormous excitement and the result is… historical.”
The fastest selling solo artist in music history, Garth Brooks has sold in excess of 105 million albums. He is the only solo artist in RIAA history to have 4 albums top the 10 million mark. His body of work – including the groundbreaking No Fences, Ropin’ The Wind, The Hits, and Double Live – propelled country music as a genre to the front pages of newspapers worldwide and the covers of magazines, to the point where Forbes declared on its cover, “Country Conquers Rock” and featured Garth in a major music piece. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Garth Brooks is the top- selling solo artist of the 20th century.
Brooks has received every accolade the recording industry can bestow on an artist, including: 2 Grammys, 17 American Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, 18 Academy of Country Music Awards, 5 World Music Awards, 12 People’s Choice Awards, and 36 Billboard Music Awards. He was named Artist of the ‘90s at the 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, received the Artist Achievement Award at the 1997 Billboard Music Awards, and was named Artist of the Decade at the American Music Awards in 2000 and the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1999.
The key to his record-setting success lies within the personality and talent of Garth Brooks. He has brought daring individualism and a love of music, ranging from working class blues and honky tonk to bluegrass and arena rock, to the musical table. His easy-going, approachable charisma is matched only by his fearless willingness to take chances and step outside the lines. With twenty-seven #1 singles, thirty-eight Top 10 hits and eleven #1 albums, Brooks has opened the doors for many more Country artists to follow. In the midst of one of the most successful careers in music history, Brooks retired from touring in 1998 to spend time with his family. His retirement is often placed on hold to perform for charities that are close to his heart.
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TAYLOR SWIFT NAMED SONGWRITER / ARTIST OF THE YEAR
BY NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL
TAYLOR TIES WITH ALAN JACKSON FOR NASHVILLE ’S HIGHEST SONGWRITING HONOR
Nashville, TN – October 15, 2007 – Seventeen-year-old Taylor Swift was honored last night as Songwriter / Artist of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International at the 38th Annual Nashville Songwriters Foundation Hall of Fame dinner and awards. Taylor, the youngest artist in history to receive this award, tied with superstar Alan Jackson for the evening’s top honor. Past winners of the prestigious award include Vince Gill, Shania Twain, Clint Black, Garth Brooks , Toby Keith and Brad Paisley.
The NSAI Award is Taylor ’s first songwriting award, and is an award voted upon by her peers, the professional songwriter members of the NSAI. She was honored earlier this year by AOL as Country’s Hottest Female Artist, won the 2007 CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year, and is a nominee for the prestigious Horizon Award at next month’s CMA Awards as well as for Favorite Female Country Artist at this year’s American Music Awards. Taylor is the first female solo artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a Platinum- selling debut album.
A downloadable photo of Taylor with Hank Williams Jr., who was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame last night, and Keith Urban from last night’s event is available at http://photos.bigmachinemedia. net/GalleryThumbnails.aspx?gallery=43667
Taylor spent all day yesterday flying home to Nashville from Canada in order to attend the Songwriter’s Foundation event. Currently on tour with Brad Paisley, she played a show in Saskatoon , SK , Canada on Saturday night.
"I am just freaking out,” Taylor said of her surprise win. “I’m so excited because I got a publishing deal when I was 14 and every single day was devoted to writing songs. And it was before I got a record deal, it was before any of this started. I was a songwriter in town. And the fact that this award is voted on by my songwriter peers…I don't even know how to explain how honored I feel. I mean, I was sitting at the table and they called Alan Jackson's name and I'm just like, 'Oh my God! That's awesome!' And then all of the sudden they say my name and I'm like, 'What happened?' I'm so humbled by this experience. It's just so unbelievable."
Professional membership within NSAI is quite elite. In order to qualify as a professional member of NSAI, a songwriter must derive the majority of his or her income from songwriting. Professional NSAI members include Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees and chart-topping hit- makers.
Taylor’s self-titled debut album recently spent 8 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart. The CD will be re-issued on November 6th as The Taylor Swift Limited Deluxe Edition a CD / DVD dual set. The special edition contains exciting new music and video extras, including three new songs from Taylor and a very special behind-the- scenes home movie of her life over the past year, compiled and edited by Taylor herself.
The Nashville Songwriters Association International, established in 1967 and with more than 100 chapters around the country, is the world’s largest not-for-profit songwriter’s trade organization dedicated to serving songwriters of all genres of music.
To hear music by Taylor Swift, log on to: www.taylorswift.com or www. myspace.com/taylorswift.
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