Garth + Dierks Both Almost Had Very Different Stage Names

Garth Brooks and Dierks Bentley have both been massive figures in country music for decades now, and many fans know that those aren’t their legal names.

But something you may not know is that both of these artists are not fans of their own stage names.

In a past interview on Taste of Country Nights, I asked Brooks if he was ever asked to change his name when he first started.

Brooks told me that it got close to happening. Due to the fact that there was already a Kix Brooks, the label wanted to change his last name. But when Kix got teamed up with Ronnie Dunn, to form Brooks and Dunn, the chatter went away.

Once his record label said his last name was cleared, Brooks and his label joked that he should change his first name.

It was then that Brooks took a jab at his own stage name, saying that they should have wanted to change Garth instead of Brooks. “What the heck is a Garth?” he joked.

Fast forward a little while down the road, Bentley was a guest with me on Taste of Country Nights and I asked him a similar question. Bentley’s answer was actually not too different from Brooks’.

Read More: 7 Unforgettable Garth Brooks Moments

Bentley told me he too wishes someone in the industry would have nudged him to change his name because he would’ve made it something a lot cooler, like “Buck Bentley”.

He said, “I can’t believe they let me out of the door with Dierks, what a weird name.”

Bentley noted that he and Brooks were on the same label at the time as well, but under different management.

What is Garth Brooks’ Real Name?

Troyal Garth Brooks is his real, full name. Could you imagine a world where we called the country legend that sings friends in low places Troyal Brooks?

What is Dierks Bentley’s Real Name?

Frederick Dierks Bentley is his real, full name.

As we did with Brooks above, could you imagine living in a world where the “Drunk On a Plane“ singer’s name was Frederick Bentley?

While it seems like both Brooks and Bentley would have changed their first names if asked, there is something that sticks with the first names Garth and Dierks.

Those are names that you won’t forget. So maybe the executives at the record label knew something we didn’t know at that time, and made the decision to keep their stage names the same for a reason.