Garth Brooks is the best-selling solo artist in the history of music: He is the only artist in music history to have released nine albums that were certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America.

He's kind of a big deal!

But we all have to start somewhere, and it wasn't always sold out stadiums, massive albums and superstar status for this Oklahoma-born boy. As a kid, Brooks often sang in casual family settings, but his primary focus was athletics.

In high school, he played football and baseball and ran track — he was even offered a scholarship to Oklahoma State University for track and field! Interestingly, Brooks worked as a bouncer at local bars at night to help fund his college shenanigans.

Little did he know, bars, auditoriums and arenas were in his future. Not as a bouncer, though — as the entertainer that everyone clamors over in 2024. Brooks starting making his mark on Nashville and the country music scene in the late 1980s and hasn't stopped since.

We all know what Garth Brooks is up to nowadays, but let's take a stroll down memory lane with 25 pictures of a younger Garth Brooks.

25 Photos of Garth Brooks Young

Garth Brooks is one of the most successful musicians in any genre of music. Take a look back in time, to a younger Garth.

Gallery Credit: Evan Paul

See Inside Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood's Malibu Beach House:

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood's former beachside house in Malibu offered a gorgeous vacation paradise for the country music power couple to relax.

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

10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks is the most successful country entertainer of all time, and his long career is full of lore and incredible stories. But there's a few fun facts about the star that even his most dedicated fans might not know. Read on to test your Garth Brooks trivia knowledge!

Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak

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