Garth Brooks Left Devastated by Career Blow Compared to 'Death in the Family'

Garth Brooks has experienced some of the biggest highs in country music—but one unexpected setback nearly took the wind out of his comeback.

After stepping away from the spotlight for more than a decade, Brooks was ready to return to the stage in a major way. But when his highly anticipated comeback plans suddenly fell apart, the moment hit the country music icon harder than fans may have realized.

Brooks reflected on the difficult time and his comments were featured in a blog post on his website.

The country music superstar was slated to launch his comeback with five sold-out shows in Dublin, Ireland. However, the licenses for all five shows were denied, which forced Brooks to cancel.

His wife, Trisha Yearwood, later revealed just how painful the disappointment was, comparing the experience to “a death in the family” and explaining how one city ultimately helped bring Brooks and his team back from the heartbreak.

Brooks returned to the U.S. and prepared to take the stage again, this time in Chicago.

“That was when the life came back into our house,” Yearwood said. “Call me dramatic, Chicago saved Garth and that tour.”

Now, Brooks is preparing to visit Chicago on his tour and will return to the Windy City in September.

“I owe that city; we all do on this team,” Brooks said. “I can’t wait to get there to show the people of Chicago our gratitude and how much we love them.”

Brooks announced his “Blame It All On My Roots” Tour earlier this year. His first show will be in Indianapolis on August 21. He hasn’t shared all of the upcoming dates just yet, but fans are keeping their eyes on his social media accounts, hoping that he makes a stop in their city.

For Brooks, the upcoming Chicago tour stop will be more than another performance—it will be a return to the city he credits with helping revive his career.

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