WASHINGTON – It seems Garth Brooks has won every award possible in his nearly 40-year career.
But he managed to get his hands on another music industry unicorn.
On June 3, at the Recording Industry Association of America headquarters in Washington, D.C., Brooks was honored with the inaugural Artist of a Lifetime Award and became the only artist in history to achieve 10 Diamond album certifications (more than 10 million copies sold each).
After a moving introduction from longtime friend and legendary producer/musician Don Was, who recounted his nightly visits to Shoney's in Nashville with the country music icon, a modest Brooks, dressed in his usual uniform of jeans and a cowboy hat, took to the small stage with a microphone. Speaking without notes, he said, "They say gratitude is the seed of happiness, and I'm grateful every day for the opportunity I've been given.".
Garth Brooks performs at the RIAA Honors on June 3, 2026, at the organization's headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Brooks also paid tribute to his wife, Trisha Yearwood, who glowed in a floral dress and broke down in tears, calling her "talented and beautiful both inside and out.".
Before singing a few songs for the small audience, Brooks joked that the 14-year hiatus he took in 2001 to help raise his daughters would be his last.
«"No more retirements! I'll have to drag myself out of there by force," he said with tears in his eyes.
Brooks, who is also the best-selling solo artist in US history with over 200 million albums sold, regaled the crowd with stories about one of his greatest heroes, James Taylor. He then performed excerpts from "Fire and Rain" and "Carolina on My Mind," before transitioning into a tender and touching rendition of his own song, "The River.".
Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks got their first look at the RIAA's 10 Diamond Album Awards plaque, which is on display at the organization's Washington, D.C., headquarters.
«"I love music," he said, launching into a favorite song by "a great storyteller... I adore that guy, and he has such a powerful, strong voice." Brooks talked about Bob Seger and sang a bit of the Detroit rocker's melancholy "Turn the Page" before launching into the Seger-inspired "The Thunder Rolls.".
Brooks switched guitars to talk about his favorite "greatest singers of all time" (Steve Perry, Freddie Mercury) and performers (Tina Turner, Michael Jackson), laughing, "I could never do anything like that." He then turned to the music of George Strait—"I still want to be George Strait," he said with a smile—and performed King George's "Amarillo By Morning," before asking the audience to join in a rousing collaborative rendition of his 1990 breakout hit, "Friends in Low Places.".
«"Thank you for my life!" Brooks shouted as he left the stage.
In addition to recognizing Brooks' unprecedented album sales success, the annual RIAA Awards honored Disney Music Group President Ken Bunt and U.S. Representatives Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) and Madeline Dean (PA-04) for their work advancing music policy, such as the NO FAKES Act, currently before Congress and aimed at protecting artists and preventing the theft of voices and likenesses using artificial intelligence.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Garth Brooks achieves unprecedented success with album sales.