The Recording Industry Association of America recently presented Garth Brooks with the first-ever Artist of a Lifetime Award at the RIAA Honors event in Washington, D.C., recognizing him as the No. 1-selling album artist in history, with more than 200 million certified album sales.
He is also the only artist to receive 10 RIAA Diamond Awards for 10 albums certified at over 10 million: Garth Brooks, No Fences, Ropin' the Wind, The Chase, In Pieces, The Hits, Sevens, Double Live, The Ultimate Hits, and Triple Live.
RIAA Chairman & CEO Mitch Glazier; Universal Music Publishing Group, North America President Evan Lamberg; and Blue Note Records President Don Was presented the Award to Brooks.
"No one I've ever worked with projects charisma through a microphone the way Garth Brooks does," Was said.
Accepting the award, Garth reflected, "They say that gratefulness is the seed of happiness, and I am grateful every single day to have been given this shot. A lot of people get the shot. But Bob Doyle told me early on that getting the shot wasn't going to be the hard part. The hard part was going to be hanging on to it. I can't thank God and the people enough for my life and the career I have been so lucky to have."
Garth then thrilled the crowd with an acoustic medley of his hits and the songs that inspired him. James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind" and "Fire and Rain" flowed into "The River," while Bob Seger's "Turn The Page" led to "The Thunder Rolls." He wrapped the set with George Strait's "Amarillo By Morning" and "Friends in Low Places," bringing the audience to their feet.
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