Garth Brooks donates items

By Brandy McDonnell

Published: December 5, 2007

Oklahoma country music star Garth Brooks donated on Tuesday several pieces of memorabilia, including one of his trademark cowboy hats, to the Smithsonian Institution.

Brooks, 45, gave 10 mementoes in a special donation ceremony at the National Air and Space Museum, where the “Treasures of American History” exhibit is on display. The National Museum of American History, to which Brooks donated the items, is closed for renovations and won’t reopen until next year.

The donation included a black Stetson Tyler hat with an interior brim label designating it “made especially for Garth Brooks”; his 1996 American Music Award for Favorite Artist of the Year; the framed gold record and gold cassette tape he received for his self-titled 1989 debut album; and hand-written lyrics showing his revisions to the song “The Beaches of Cheyenne.”

The Tulsa native gave a signature stage outfit, including a black and blue Mo’ Betta shirt he wore during his first NBC TV special, “This Is Garth Brooks”; a pair of black Wrangler jeans; a pair of black elephant skin cowboy boots; a black belt braided with horse hair; and a silver belt buckle.

He also donated the Takamine guitar he smashed in the 1991 TV special, filmed during two sold-out shows at Dallas’ Reunion Arena. The guitar has been reconstructed.

The most recent item included was the special Career Award he received in November from the Recording Industry Association America. The large plaque recognizes him as the new top-selling solo artist in history, with 123 million albums sold.

Some of the items Brooks donated will be added to the exhibit’s new acquisitions case in late January, said Melinda Machado, public affairs director for the Museum of American History.

“The ‘Treasures of American History’ has about 150 objects, what we call the famous, the familiar and the unexpected,” she said. “It’s a perfect fit.”

The exhibit includes several pop culture touchstones, including Patsy Cline and Ray Charles’ stage outfits, Prince’s guitar and Minnie Pearl’s hat.

“I see these things in here and all I can think of is what the hell am I doing here? It's amazing,” Brooks said. “Hopefully, time will answer that question. It always does.”

The “well-rounded acquisition” will give insight into the importance of country music and how Brooks’ rock-n-roll style changed the genre, Machado said. It also is important from the entertainment and business aspects, since Brooks is the best-selling recording artist.

“We’re able to tell any number of stories ... using these objects” she said.

The donation becomes part of the American history museum’s permanent collection, which includes 3 million items from presidential, science and cultural history. It ranges from penicillin to Thomas Jefferson’s Bible to Muppet Kermit the Frog.

“We even have presidential pajamas,” Machado said.

Brooks, who was raised in Yukon and attended Oklahoma State University, retired from touring several years ago to be at a stay-at-home dad. He planned on Tuesday to fly back to his Owasso-area home in time to pick up one his three daughters for a Christmas recital.

The music star recently has returned to the spotlight, releasing a greatest hits album, playing a series of concerts in Kansas City and appearing at the Oklahoma Centennial Spectacular. He is planning five sold-out Los Angeles concerts in January to raise money for wildfire victims.

Contributing: The Associated Press.

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