Garth Brooks photo by Mark Tucker, courtesy of Pearl Records.
September 17, 2007 — Garth Brooks, who has received just about every honor the recording industry can present to an artist, is about to get one more.
Tulsa World reports that Garth will share the spotlight with the memory of Will Rogers when he receives the Spirit Award during the Will Rogers Gala, "Good Ride, Cowboy," to take place in Tulsa on Nov. 4, which would be Rogers' 128th birthday .
In recent years, the event has raised money for Garth's Teammates for Kids Foundation and the Rotary Club of Will Rogers Scholarship Program. The foundation has teamed with professional baseball, hockey and football players, whose on-field/on-ice performances determine their donations.
Garth has said he is most proud of the fact that 100 percent of the players' donations are tripled by the foundation and 100 percent of the money is given to children, with the focus on health, education and inner-city needs.
Garth has received countless honors and has been given many titles, but the titles most fitting would be those of husband, father, friend, and humanitarian — much like Rogers.
"Our industry seems to focus on the numbers and awards. I've always been told if you take care of the music, those things will take care of themselves," Brooks has said.