Garth Brooks is putting his own spin on radio. The “Friends in Low Places” and “The Dance” singer has launched The BIG 615, a Nashville-based country music TuneIn station. The free stream will play the latest music from country music’s greatest acts — regardless of their current status with the major record labels.
“What this station is, is more artist-driven,” Brooks said during a Thursday press conference in Nashville, which PopCulture.com attended. “Terrestrial radio is an agenda to the labels. It works great, It worked great for me, right? But what happens on terrestrial radio is, as long as the labels have you, then you’re on the radio. The second something happens, and you’re not at that label, the career goes into some other stage.
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“Our thing is, I think there are some artists that outlive their label. One of them for me, is George Strait. I want to hear the new stuff from George Strait. I want to hear it right next to Luke Combs. I want to hear new stuff from The Chicks. We can talk about The Chicks all day and everything other than music, but this might just be one of the greatest music-making artists/bands/whatever you want to call them in our history. I want to hear their new stuff.”
Brooks, age 61, went on to note this Music-City-based station is an incredible opportunity to expand the reach of country music worldwide, with traditional-leaning country music playing 24/7. Based on his comments at the Nashville presser, Brooks sees The BIG 615 as his way to bring people together through music.
“The chance we have here with a global country station is to spread love, to spread family. That’s what it’s all about: inclusiveness,” Brooks said. “(If) we make this world smaller through music, then hopefully we can understand each other and fight less.”
The BIG 615 is just the first TuneIn station Brooks will launch via his SEVENS Radio Network. More station announcements are expected soon. Stay tuned to PopCulture.com for more updates from Garth Brooks’ BIG 615 launch, including quotes from our exclusive interview with the Country Music Hall of Famer.
Quick Hits About Garth Brooks:
- Garth Brooks’ wife is Trisha Yearwood. They married on Dec. 10, 2005.
- Garth Brooks has three children with his ex-wife, Sandy Mahl: Taylor Mayne Pearl, August Anna, and Allie Colleen Brooks.
- The “Thunder Rolls” and “Callin’ Baton Rouge” singer has been in the headlines as of late for vowing to serve Bud Light in his upcoming Nashville bar, Low Places. Bud Light has been pulled into a conservative culture war due to a sponsorship deal the brand made with transgender actress Dylan Mulvaney. Garth Brooks is a longtime ally of the LGBTQ+ community and doesn’t care a bit about the backlash. He told Billboard: “We’re going to serve every brand of beer. We just are. It’s not our decision to make. Our thing is this, if you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you’re an a–hole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway.”
- Garth Brooks is also known for his work as Chris Gaines, a rockstar alter-ego. He released one album under the Chris Gaines persona but recently revealed he wants to return to the character.
- After wrapping up his recent stadium tour — which earned an extremely positive review from us here at PopCulture.com — Garth Brooks is currently in the midst of a Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The Vegas run is titled “Garth Brooks/Plus ONE.”
- Garth Brooks is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. He returned to the college back in April for two fundraiser concerts.
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