Just one day after his electrifying performance of “Amazing Grace” during President Joe Biden’s inauguration, country music star Garth Brooks on Jan. 21 was honored with NAMM’s Music For Life award during Believe in Music Week.
Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO, asked Brooks what he was thinking about when he took the stage in Washington D.C. on Jan. 20. “Keep your guts sucked in,” responded Brooks, who added he would have taken his whole family to the event if he had known how special it would be.
“I got to hug four presidents in 15 seconds,” added Brooks.
Lamond, who was joined by “Pensado’s Place’s” Herb Trawick, shifted the focus to Brooks’ band and crew, and what makes them so special. “They are my family,” stated Brooks. “Nothing is below them. Nobody has a bigger heart or works harder than [drummer] Mike Palmer.”
Brooks added that Palmer, who has played with the country music legend since 1989, is also a great entertainer with his 360-degree drum kit, as is the rest of his band.
Post-pandemic periods often bring on periods of music renaissance, Lamond noted. He expects this to be the case again when the world gets to a post-COVID-19 era. Brooks agreed.
“There will be a gratefulness you never knew was there,” relayed Brooks. “There will be a passion like you have never seen from the artist, crew and audience.”
Prior to interviewing Brooks, Lamond offered some opening comments in what normally would have been his NAMM Show opening Breakfast Sessions speech. As usual, he delivered this speech, although from a San Diego studio, on a Thursday morning. “We are 10 months into a global pandemic that has seen the entire world upside down. This is the first [non in-person] NAMM Show in nearly 80 years. We have 180 countries registered for Believe in Music Week.
“We have accelerated 10 years of change in 10 months,” continued Lamond. “But we are music people. We love change.”
“Take this time to make your career better,” added Trawick.
Click here for more of the Music & Sound Retailer’s CTV @ Believe In Music Week coverage.