Garth Brooks Heard Nashville Shooting Sirens Driving To Studio

Garth Brooks hosted a short and somber Studio G last night after news of the world focused on the Nashville school shooting yesterday morning (3/27) that killed three children and three adults at a private Christian school.

An emotional and stoic Garth said he heard several emergency vehicles drive past him heading into the studio. "It never hit me. But on my way to the studio today as I got hit by five or six coming on the shoulder. I didn't even think about it. It just seemed like a regular morning. And then when you get to the studio, we were probably in there about an hour. When you get the news of what's happened and then what it's like a mile away from where you're at."

Brooks added, "It's always heartbreaking when you see any kind of situation like what happened today, but to know it's in your own hometown, it's a little tough."

He said that he told his producer that he didn't feel like doing Studio G, "You start thinking when things like this happen, you really don't want to be by yourself. So, I drove home and me, and Miss Yearwood just kind of went on the farm in the sunshine and really didn't say much. We just kind of held each other. That's kind of where we're at. This is the kind of thing to be sad, be confused, be angry, all those things I think are expected right now. I have no idea what people are going through, and I pray I never know. Thank God for our first responders; I don't know how they do their job, and thank God for our teachers; they are the angels of our children."

Garth got emotional and held back tears, saying, "So, that's it, really not a lot to say." His producer tells him off camera that fans are thanking him for being there. He says, "What do you say because it's the world that we live in right now. I was talking to someone today, and it's just like, something like this happens, and here comes the thoughts and prayers, and here comes the anger, and here come the debates about all the stuff, and then it kind of fades for those who aren't victims until it happens again and the same cycle starts up."

Brooks then says to reach out to friends and family who are struggling with life. "Just ask them if they want to talk." He returns to the victims saying, "Those poor parents and those poor parents of everyone involved. That's the only position that I know is the parent role. And our babies were fortunate enough to go through school without anything like this happening in their areas. God love those people who want to teach the children, and God love those people that want to protect them."

Garth ended the Studio G session by saying, "I want to say to everyone around the planet your thoughts are appreciated for the focus of your prayers and your thoughts toward those families here in Nashville. Love you. Love one another. Here's to us finding what's in us to choose love as the first option instead of the last one."

Garth Brooks is a country superstar that can command a stadium full of people in any city he plays, even though his last stadium tour is one that he says was his last. Now with his sites set on a Las Vegas "Garth Brooks / Plus One" at the Coliseum at Caesars Palace residency for the foreseeable future, Garth is celebrating his 61st birthday today (2/7).

Brooks chatted with fans on his weekly Studio G recently (1/9). He said, "I'll tell you right now, this will be the busiest year of our career." It's a big statement coming from a guy who's filled many years of his life on the road and in the studio. He added, "There are going to be so many things happening this year."

Later in the year, he and Trisha Yearwood are committed to a Habitat for Humanity building project on behalf of former President and First Lady Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. But what else does he have on tap? He does have his new downtown Nashville entertainment venue, Friends in Low Places. Brooks laughs, "This year, we get to open up, I hope."

Garth is also expecting to return to the recording studio this year. He offered, "The studio is going to be wide open this year. We're going to go in and just do a lot of things that probably never will see the light of day. But, to be honest with you, those are my favorite sessions." He added, "This'll probably be one of the heaviest years we've ever had 'cause everything's just coming around to an end or a beginning, which is cool."

We look at 30 songs that solidified his place in music history and made him one of the biggest stars to ever emerge from Nashville.