Here’s Why Garth Brooks Signed Autographs for 23 Straight Hours in 1996

Garth Brooks recently talked about the time he signed autographs for 23 straight hours.  His record company thought his career was done so to prove them wrong he showed up unannounced at an autograph fair.  The line was endless, so he kept signing because, quote, “I owed it to those people to stay with them.”

Garth Brooks offers us a good reason to watch tonight’s “Billboard Music Awards.”   He’ll be receiving the coveted Icon Award.  Past recipients include Neil Diamond, Cher, Prince, and Celine Dion.

If you’re a Garth fan you’re thinking, “Yep, it’s about time.”  But for the people who are maybe too young to know what makes him so special, this might explain the love.  Back in 1996 he was having a beef with his record company.

Even though he’d been churning out hits for years, they thought he was done.  To prove them wrong, he showed up unannounced at Fan Fair, which is now CMA Music Fest, and he signed autographs for 23 straight hours.  You heard right.  23 hours.

Here’s why.  Quote, “I wanted to find out who was right.  I’m getting the message from my own record label, ‘Hey, Garth, great run, but it’s over.’  And I’m like, ‘The people have always been the boss as far as I know, so I’m just going to go out and ask them.’

“I got my answer the first hour, but by the time the line was there, I owed it to those people to stay with them.  I don’t know if I could have lived with myself if I’d left people there.”