Garth Brooks Comes Out Of Retirement To Sing In Las Vegas

NewsOn6.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Garth Brooks is coming out of retirement, thanks to a new deal with a Las Vegas casino.

The country music superstar said Thursday at a news conference at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino that he will end his retirement, confirming what NewsOn6.com reported on Wednesday.

The move had been rumored in the music industry for weeks.

10/14/2009 Related story: Garth Brooks May Be Coming Out Of Retirement

The 47-year-old singer retired in 2000 to spend more time with his three daughters.

He's occasionally popped up in special appearances at awards shows and charity events, but has mostly stayed out of the limelight. 

At a news conference Thursday afternoon co-hosted by Steve Wynn, Brooks announced that he's agreed to perform four shows a weekend. 

He'll do one show on Friday nights, two shows on Saturdays and one on Sunday.

That will allow him to spend the week at home in Owasso with his three teenaged daughters and his wife, singer Trisha Yearwood.

Brooks said he's agreed to perform at the casino for the next five years, until his youngest daughter goes to college.

He also said the shows will be just him and his guitar, with some surprises thrown in.

The format will be similar to when he first started his career, Brooks said, when he was singing at Wild Willie's in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The shows will be scheduled to last 90 minutes apiece, but Wynn said he's imposing no rules on Brooks, other than to play the shows for which tickets have been sold.

Brooks credited Wynn with being willing to put up with his lifestyle demands in order to reach a deal.

Brooks said Wynn even agreed to buy him a jet so he can make the trip from Oklahoma to Las Vegas every weekend.

When asked by a reporter how much he's paying Brooks, Wynn told the reporter he wouldn't say, and recommended the reporter "sit down and relax."

Being accustomed to performing in venues built for athletic events, Brooks said he's excited to play in a theatre known for its acoustic qualities.

The concerts will start in December, with tickets at $125 a seat. Tickets go on sale on Saturday, October 24th.