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Garth Brooks glad to perform in Cincinnati after 20-year absence

Posted at 6:15 PM, Jan 21, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-22 00:15:08-05

CINCINNATI — For the first time in nearly 20 years Garth Brooks will perform Saturday night at a sold out show in U.S Bank Arena.

Hours before the Oklahoma native was set to take the stage at 7 p.m. with is wife and fellow country music star Trisha Yearwood, Brooks held a media question-and-answer session to discuss his return to the Queen City.

 

Waiting for the 3 p.m. press conference for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood @usbankarena. #garthbrooks #trishayearwood #usbankarena

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Brooks said he and his wife arrived in Cincinnati on Thursday to prepare for Saturday's show, the first of five concerts at U.S. Bank Arena that end Sunday, Jan. 29.

He also said he and Yearwood played some basketball before the press conference.

Brooks joked the game put Yearwood behind getting ready for their evening performance and made her not-too-pleased about not missing the press conference she was originally scheduled to attend. 

Luckily, Yearwood shared her impressions of Cincinnati, and Skyline Chili, during her regular "T's Coffee Talk" Facebook live stream page earlier in the morning.

Brooks said he and Yearwood have also spent long hours since arriving in Cincinnati to prepare and put on the best show Saturday, the first in the new year after a couple of months hiatus. 

"Pretty much all of our crew is here for tonight's show to make it the best," he said.

In between shows Brooks and Yearwood plan to also host youth events through Brooks' Teammates for Kids foundation in partnership with Procamps and the Anthony Munoz Foundation.

"Anthony is a good, sweet man," Brooks said. "I'm telling you, we'll be easy to find around town."

The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee last played seven nearly sold out shows in Cincinnati beginning on Nov. 14, 1996.

RELATED: Julie O'Neill welcomes Garth Brooks back to Cincinnati

He said he has always been a pleasantly surprised by the strength of his Cincinnati fan base

"With where I am in my career, I'm grateful," Brooks said about his five shows, the second of which is 7 p.m. Sunday, followed by performances the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

During his interview, Brooks also touched upon a statement he released earlier in the week about why he did not perform at President Donald Trump's inauguration celebration.

"I decided to leave it up to ticket sales for these tour dates," Brooks said.

The tour dates were set before the outcome of the Nov. 8 general election, he added.