The CD cover of Garth Brooks' new 3-disc set, The Ultimate Hits. Photo courtesy of Pearl Records.

• Sept. 23, 1998 Garth becomes the first artist to win the CMA's Entertainer of the Year honor four
times. He accepts the trophy via satellite from a concert stage in Buffalo, New York.

• Nov. 17, 1998 Capitol releases the two-CD concert package Garth Brooks: Double
Live.

• Feb. 23, 1999 Garth goes to spring training for the first time, working out with the San Diego
Padres in Arizona.

• Aug. 6, 1999 Garth's mother, Colleen, dies of throat cancer.

• Sept. 28, 1999 He releases his pop album In... The Life Of Chris Gaines.

• Oct. 26, 2000 Garth announces his retirement, saying he'll record one more album before he quits.

• Nov. 13, 2001 The album Scarecrow appears in stores.

• May 25, 2005 Garth proposes to Trisha Yearwood on stage in front of 7,000 fans in Bakersfield,
California. She says yes.

• Dec. 10, 2005 Garth and Trisha are married at their home in Oklahoma.

• July 7, 2007 Garth and Trisha perform "We Shall Be Free" from Washington, D.C., during Al
Gore's Live Earth concerts.

• Nov. 6, 2007 He releases The Ultimate Hits.