The country music community was stunned to learn a woman was accusing Garth Brooks of sexual assault and battery.
Her claims also depict a rape in a Los Angeles hotel room — something that few people will publicly admit they thought him capable of. Brooks has denied all charges, labeling his accuser’s claims as “extortion.”
- A makeup artist identified as “Jane Roe” is accusing Brooks of sexual assault and battery in a complaint filed in California on Oct. 3.
- On Sept. 13, Brooks preemptively filed to proceed with all filings under pseudonyms “John Doe” and “Jane Doe.” His complaint was filed in Mississippi.
- He’s since labeled the accusations a “malicious scheme” stemming from Jane Roe being denied a salary and medical benefits.
Since last Thursday’s news broke, no one has come forward with knowledge that supports either Brooks or Jane Roe. There have been no additional accusations from Roe or anyone else, and no witness who has presented unassailable evidence that Brooks couldn’t have committed these acts.
There have been a handful of “insiders” talking to magazines like People who say, “Everyone is shocked. Even People that don’t like him were shocked.”
Related: Garth Brooks Sexual Assault Accusations Fact Sheet
Another source told US Weekly, “Many around him think this is out of character and something he would never do. Everyone around him is shocked.”
Brooks has addressed the accusations on two occasions. Last Thursday, he performed in Las Vegas and later posted a photo with a caption reading, “If there was ever a night that I really needed this, TONIGHT was that night!”
On Monday, during Inside Studio G, Brooks acknowledged the lawsuit and indicated it’d be a two-year legal battle.
“So my suggestion is, we all take a deep breath, just kinda settle in and let’s hold hands and take a trip together,” Brooks said. “Because it is something that we cannot talk about. That’s all we can say about it.”
Additionally, he filed a second motion in Mississippi to get a case he brought against his accuser dismissed, because in it, he was seeking to proceed under pseudonyms, and she used his name in her California case.
Brooks changed the names in that filing (an amendment to the first) to John Doe and her real name, a move that has angered some.
Top 20 Songs of 2024, Ranked (So Far)
New country artists rule this Top Country Songs of 2024 list, but that doesn’t mean traditional country isn’t represented early and often.
Airplay charts, sales data and streaming numbers helped make this list of country music’s Top 20 Songs of 2024, but staff and Taste of Country reader opinion were most influential.
Songs included on previous Top Country Songs lists were not eligible. A song may have been released in 2023, but it had to have the majority of recorded airplay or impact this year to count.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
See Inside Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s Malibu Beach House:
Brooks and Yearwood bought their 4-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 4,200-square-foot house in Malibu for slightly less than $5 million in June of 2008. The house itself is fairly modest, but very well-appointed, featuring an open floor plan.
The living room boasts a corner fireplace and multiple sets of French doors that open to the backyard. The kitchen includes marble countertops, while skylights offer plenty of natural California sunlight. The den features floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on either side of a fireplace of white brick.
The backyard is spectacular, featuring a loggia, an outdoor fireplace, a half-court basketball court and elaborate landscaping. The house provides direct access to the world-famous Malibu beach via a set of steps.
The couple sold the house in Malibu in late 2016 for $7 million.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
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