Why Garth Brooks isn't playing Trump's inauguration
Garth Brooks won't be performing at the inauguration festivities for President-elect Donald Trump this week — but the country star was invited.
Brooks addressed the situation during a live Facebook video chat with fans on Monday. He confirmed he was invited to perform at the inauguration through he and Trump's mutual friend, Steve Wynn.
"Steve is my brother, and I love him to death," Brooks said. "So he approached me, and we (sat) down and talked about it. And we left it up to karma."
In this case, it meant Brooks' tour schedule, and whether he would need to play additional dates in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"We said, 'If Cincinnati goes two weekends instead of one, then of course we're out.' Sure enough, Cincinnati did five shows, two weekends and backed us up into there. So we got knocked out of (the inauguration)."
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Speculation swirled last month about Brooks' potential involvement in the inauguration, and was spurred on by a paparazzi video posted by TMZ on December 1. When asked if he would perform at the inauguration, Brooks replied, "It's always about serving. It's what you do."
On Monday, Brooks said he hadn't yet been invited when he was asked that question.
"They always stick a camera in your face, and they go, 'Hey man, what about the inauguration? And the response was, 'It's always an honor to serve.' I wasn't asked at that point."
Brooks was part of a presidential event just last month — performing at President Obama's final White House tree lighting ceremony. During his video chat on Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), Brooks called for unity.
"I'm gonna tell you, with this whole presidential thing: we've got one going out. Pray for him and his family. And for the president going in, pray for him and his family to guide this nation. Let's stay together. Love, unity, that's what it's all about. In the immortal words of Martin Luther King, the most durable power that we've known is love. It will always be that way. Again, (I) can't thank the Obamas enough for serving this country, and may God hold Trump's hand in the decisions that he makes in this country's name as well."