Why Chicago Means So Much to Garth Brooks

When Garth Brooks returns to Chicago next month, he’ll be coming back to a city he says he can never repay.

The country superstar recently announced two nights at Allstate Arena as part of his new Blame It All on My Roots Tour, with tickets going on sale Friday (Aug. 7). But for Brooks, these aren’t just another pair of tour dates.

Chicago represents one of the most important chapters of his career.

Why Chicago Means So Much to Garth Brooks

In 2014, Brooks was preparing for his long-awaited comeback after more than a decade away from touring.

Read More: Garth Brooks Is Bringing Back a Piece of His Legendary ’90s Career

The plan was to launch with five massive concerts in Dublin, Ireland, but after the shows lost their event licenses, all five were canceled. More than 400,000 tickets were refunded.

According to his wife, Trisha Yearwood, the disappointment devastated Brooks. “It was like a death in the family,” she recalled on GarthBrooks.com. “He took that hard… everyone did.”

With his comeback suddenly in jeopardy, Brooks and his team scrambled to find another city that could host the opening shows. That city was Chicago.

‘Chicago Saved Garth’

Instead of watching his comeback stall before it even began, Brooks opened the tour with an incredible 11 consecutive sold-out shows at Allstate Arena.

Read More: Garth Brooks’ Most Important Songs, Ranked Worst to First

According to Yearwood, that’s when everything changed.

That was when the life came back into our house. Call me dramatic, but Chicago saved Garth and that tour.

The run not only launched one of the biggest tours in country music history, but also cemented Brooks’ bond with the city.

Today, Brooks still holds the Allstate Arena record for the most performances by a single artist, with 23 shows. When he returns on Sept. 11 and 12, that total will climb even higher.

Coming Full Circle

Brooks has never forgotten what Chicago meant to him during one of the lowest moments of his career.

I owe that city; we all do on this team. I can’t wait to get there to show the people of Chicago our gratitude and how much we love them.

For Brooks, these shows are more than another stop on his new arena tour. They’re a chance to return to the city that helped save one of country music’s greatest comebacks.