Trisha Yearwood Reflects on Choosing Family Over Fame

A Country Superstar Who Chose Family First

Trisha Yearwood is opening up about the decision that reshaped her career in the mid-2000s. At a recent “In Her Own Words” event, the Grammy-winning singer shared that after marrying Garth Brooks in 2005, she made a deliberate choice to slow down professionally — stepping back from the grind of touring and embracing life as a “bonus mom” to Brooks’ three daughters.

“When I married Garth and I moved to Oklahoma, I stopped,” Yearwood recalled, noting she was no longer touring 200 days a year. Instead, she focused on building a strong family foundation: “You have to be together. I made a conscious effort to be there, to go to soccer games and cook dinner.”

From Chart-Topping Star to Devoted Stepmom

By the time she stepped back, Yearwood had already established herself as one of the defining voices of 1990s country music, with hits like “She’s in Love with the Boy,” “Walkaway Joe,” “How Do I Live,” and “XXX’s and OOO’s.” Her debut album went double platinum, and she collected three Grammys along the way.

Her friendship with Brooks dated back to the 1980s, evolving into a romance after his 2001 divorce. The couple wed in a private ceremony near Tulsa and have remained one of country music’s most beloved duos ever since.

A New Creative Chapter — and a Lifelong Cheerleader

Stepping back didn’t mean stepping away from creativity. Yearwood launched Trisha’s Southern Kitchen in 2012, earning a Daytime Emmy and writing multiple cookbooks during the show’s 17-season run. Through every chapter, she says Brooks has been her biggest supporter — “the love of my life” — celebrating her accomplishments even more enthusiastically than his own.

At her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony this year, she told him, “Nobody wants it more than you.” Their partnership, she says, remains her greatest success story.