Garth Brooks on Songwriting & Sentiment of New Album: The Ram Report
The first episode of Garth Brooks‘ new Inside Studio G social media video series will include a look inside what will be only the third photo shoot he’s ever done with wife of 11 years, Trisha Yearwood. The pair will pose for the cover art to their upcoming Christmas duets album. It’s one of two new LPs Brooks is plotting for release later this year. The other is the much-hyped followup to 2014’s Man Against Machine and is what the country music icon calls “the most Garth thing” he’s created since 1997’s Sevens album.
“I just find my pen in everything we’re doing,” he tells Rolling Stone Country, explaining that he’s finally trusting his songwriting skills after a long hiatus from the studio pre-Machine.
Putting such a personal touch on the album is taking some time, with Brooks expressing gratitude to fans for their patience. The project’s delay is also due to a tragedy, as the singer’s longtime bass player, Mike Chapman, died of cancer last month.
“This album has been pushed back because we’re having to re-look at how this thing sounds now that Chapman is no longer part of this process,” says Brooks. “You just keep going back to tracks you haven’t used that have his playing on them; you just so want to preserve his sound. So we’re just looking at all our options now. We don’t want to rush it.”
Brooks is currently juggling his world tour with recording the new album at his own Allentown Studios in Nashville. That’s the same spot where Inside Studio G: A Monday Night Conversation will broadcast every Monday, premiering July 18th at 7:00 p.m. ET. The legendary entertainer promises to take fans inside the studio to see some of the recording process during the live video series. He’ll also answer fan questions and promises to keep a guitar handy for each episode in case an inquiry is best answered in song.