One-on-one: Garth Brooks talks big performance and big project
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- A new era for Notre Dame will start this year and a legendary musician was on hand for the announcement Monday.
Garth Brooks will headline the first ever concert for the stadium and he came dressed to work.
He was in St. Joseph County, putting some manpower into the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Habitat for Humanity work project.
The announcement was met with quite a bit of excitement and fanfare on campus
“I can’t think of somebody that we could be more proud of to hold the first concert in Notre Dame Stadium—I and the university are deeply honored to introduce Garth Brooks as that artist,” said John Affleck, Graves Executive Vice President Notre Dame.
When he stepped out on stage the first thing the music legend addressed was his muddy clothes and his work for Habitat for Humanity.
“I don’t mean any disrespect, for how I look, we are heading back out there right after this is to finish the build for the day,” said Brooks.
That is a big reason he’s the man the university chose. There was a long list of credentials to fill this spot and not all had to do with music.
“We looked for somebody who had reputation for treating others with respect and kindness and we looked for someone who was committed to the communities in which they lived and worked,” said Affleck.
Garth brooks and his wife Tricia Yearwood have been longtime supporters of Habitat for Humanity and Brooks talked about his respect for Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
Brooks said, “They’re the perfect example you want to be like them. When it comes to work, you can’t outwork them.”
He says he doesn’t see them stepping aside anytime soon and he plans to continue supporting them and the cause.
“They’ve got the next year, two years, three years, all planned out, where they’re going. The Carters are going to go as long as God has put them on the earth and they’re not going to go any less than that,” he added.
As for the show he will play on Saturday, October 20th at Notre Dame Stadium but brooks say the pressure is on because he also wants it to be the best ever.
“Our job is to hopefully have someone on a hundred years say what was the best concert at Notre Dame and hopefully someone will stand up and speak your name and that’s what we are here for,” he said.
The tickets for his show go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. The university is expecting a sell-out crowd.
Garth will be playing with his band from his world tour show and this will be the last time they all perform together.