Garth Brooks Releases ‘That’s What Cowboys Do’ as Next Single

Garth Brooks has chosen the next single from his most recent album, FUN, announcing “That’s What Cowboys Do” as the fifth single from the project. The classic country ballad has a loping feel and plenty of fiddle, Brooks’ plaintive voice laid over top of the production. Like all of Brooks’ music, it is only available to stream on Amazon Music.

Written by Brooks with John Martin and Mitch Rossell, “That’s What Cowboys Do” is told from the perspective of a cowboy who has trouble sticking around. “But a cowboy’s always got somewhere to go / Another song to sing, another day to save, another rodeo,” Brooks sings in the chorus. “They’re always leavin’ town, chasin’ sunsets down / It ain’t nothin’ new / Yeah, they’re just passin’ through / That’s what cowboys do.”

“That’s What Cowboys Do” follows lead single “All Day Long,” “Stronger Than Me,” “Dive Bar” with Blake Shelton and “Shallow” with Trisha Yearwood. “Dive Bar” was the only song of the four to enter the Top 10 of Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart. Brooks will take his new single on the road when he resumes his Stadium Tour, which is scheduled for its first show of 2021 in Las Vegas with a sold-out show at Allegiant Stadium on July 10. The Oklahoma native will follow with dates in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 17; Cheyenne, Wyoming on July 23 for Cheyenne Frontier Days; Nashville on July 31; Kansas City, Missouri on Aug. 7; Lincoln, Nebraska on Aug. 14; Cincinnati, Ohio on Sept. 18; and Charlotte, North Carolina on Sept. 25.

The tour will operate at 100% capacity, and Brooks told Billboard that “you do all you can do” to keep fans safe at such large venues. “You can open up as many lanes as possible,” he said. “They’re going to be hiring more ticket staff. We talked about doing masks for everybody and the stadiums stepped up and said, ‘That’s our job,’ so they’ll have masks for everyone there that wants one.”

The Oklahoma native added that more than a good review, he hopes that every fan who attends his upcoming shows feels safe. “What I hope is the week after the shows, people go, ‘Hey look man, we mass-assembled and we sang and we had fun like it was 2019 — and we’re not worse off for it,’” he said. “Let’s say we get the best reviews we’ve ever gotten in our life; still, for me, the most important thing is what happens after that in that city. Did everyone come out of it OK? And if so, then, thank you, God. That’s what you’re hoping for more than anything.”