Customer Reviews

The Garth Factor: The Career Behind Country's Big Boom

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In The Garth Factor, Patsi Bale Cox chronicles the highs and lows in
Garth Brooks roller coaster ride to becoming the biggest selling
recording artist of all time. In the process she sets straight many
misconceptions that have plagued Garth for much of his career. Through
interviews with many of the musicians, songwriters and executives
integral to Garth's success, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how
his music was recorded and marketed. You'll also learn the stories
behind your favorite Garth Brooks songs. Long-time fans who've
followed Garth's career closely may think they know all there is to
know about the major confrontations that Garth had with various music
row executives and other industry insiders, but I can guarantee that
they will be surprised by the perspective Bale Cox offers on these
major controversies. Fans will feel that they understand Garth better
both professionally and personally after they've finished this book.

The author not only offers the reader an in-depth analysis of Brooks
career, she also places it in the context of everything going on along
music row at the time, discussing both artists who influenced Garth,
as well as the careers of many of his "Class of '89" contemporaries,
and also the next generation of performers who have risen to
prominence in the wake of his retirement. In short, she paints a
comprehensive picture of Country Music in the '90's. It's this aspect
of The Garth Factor that elevates it above the realm of mere Biography
and makes it a work of serious scholarship. This book is essential
reading for every serious student of the genre, and even casual fans
of Garth, or those who came of age listening to Country Music in the
last two decades will find much to enjoy.

"The Garth Factor" is a quick read, but it's also a bit unsatisfying. Patsi Bale Cox doesn't have much distance or objectivity when it comes to Brooks, as one other reviewer mentioned. It comes off as if he can do no wrong, which is not true: He's only human, after all. But judging from this book, he virtually walks on water. Perhaps Cox was afraid of offending him? The same thing applies to people close to Brooks: When Trisha Yearwood's album sales falter, it's due to poor marketing, Cox writes. Couldn't it simply be the natural progression that happens with most artists, when their time on the charts is over? She is also overly effusive with people she interviews: She writes that "Gary Morris remained a player in Nashville" even though he longer lives there and hasn't been signed to a major label for nearly 20 years. It's as if there is a need to suck up to those who grant her interviews.

The book is a bit sloppy: She briefly mentions an incident involving Brooks' first wife putting her fist in a bathroom wall, but gives no details or explanation or even puts it in context. Did it happen early in the marriage, when they were dating or just before Brooks told a reporter about it? You get no clue from the book. Factual errors are also distracting. Eddy Raven's name is misspelled, and she states that Lacy J. Dalton's "The Heart" was the only Universal single that had much success -- "that was it," she writes. But Raven scored two No. 1 hits on the label ("In a Letter To You" and "Bayou Boys"), so the research seems a little haphazard.

I just found Garth Brooks' music (yeah, OK I'm a little slow on the uptake here)and found this book an interesting look at the music industry. It is obvious that the author likes Mr. Brooks, which I think says alot after working around the man for several years. Naysayers think there has to be a dark side to the man but Pollyana that I am I prefer to believe he's an all around nice guy who made it REAL big. What's wrong with that?

This book provides a pretty good glimpse of the behind the scenes controlled world of the music biz. Country music's biggest star ever seemingly stays gounded by his fans and emerges an all-time best selling superstar. In the chaos a small group of intensely loyal professionals stay with Garth through thick and thin staying focused on the music not the Nashville politics. Patsi has had unique access to all the people involved so when you read "The Garth Factor" it is like you are also in the room when everything was going on. Great fun to read.

This book is very good for anyone who enjoys listening to Garth Brooks or reading about him. I would recommend.

Interesting facts and chronology of the success of Garth Brooks. Nothing controversial or for that matter, surprising. It is clear that Garth Brooks was not involved in this as most of his quotes are from public events or other sources. Not a lot of raw honesty, just written so as not to offend anybody...

Good, popular writing and lots of insider informatiion. I have been a country music fan for decades and this book helped me feel that I had a privileged look at the way the industry works and who controls what and who.
A real pleausre and a book ot hold onto and refer to .

I think many in the Country Music Industry could benefit by reading this bio. In a time when country is turning into a business purely about marketing and what is "slick" and "hot," this book portrays the genre's biggest star as someone who succeeded purely because of the MUSIC.

"The Garth Factor" could be a textbook for youngsters wanting to get into the Country Music game. It shows the ins-and-outs of the business side, as well as what it takes to become truly GREAT as an entertainer.

I gladly recommend this!

I was late to counry music, having spent most of my musical formative years listening to rock and roll and pop music. Like probably millions of rock/pop fans I got tired of the glam and postering in the music videos on MTV and even eventually VH1, I was looking for music more pure and songs and videos that actually told a story or at least seemed sincere and not just about who had the hottest chicks in their videos, or the biggest hair and loudest spandex. It was a sweet video on VH1 with Amy Grant and Vince Gill that sent me over to CMT for more Vince info and from watching CMT I discovered the amazing world of country music, singers, songwriters and videos that actually told the story or at least tried to match the meaning of the song. What a feast of songs and artist, from Vince to Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Hal Ketchum, all who taught me to honor the legends, thus my love for the Grand Ole Opry and the men and women who have been members for over 50 years.

I have to admit I didn't come to this musical wonderland early, and thus all the crap written about Garth Brooks and his "marketing major" fueling some kind of "only in it to make money and sell more records" hype was already out there and I fell for it a bit and never gave him his due when he was putting out his music. But I did come around and learned to appreciate him.

Patsi has written a great book, so easy to read and so sincere in showing how much Garth really has tried to honor the SONG and the songwriter his whole career. He was a good guy and still is and reading this book will show any fan what YOUR favorite artist has to deal with on the busnines end of making his music. The work and care that an artist puts into trying to put the best music he can, the music that moves him, onto a finished cd is a long tedious job and often that effort is just trashed by the stroke of the pen of some music critic who thinks they know what was inside the artist's head and heart when he was recording.

Read this book and if you already have been a Garth fan you will appreciate him more and if you as not a fan, you will at least appreciate the process involved in getting that music to your cd player or IPod.

Great job, Patsi, your writing is so flowing and you tell the story indeed of the rise of country music via Garth, a true music maverick.

Boughtthe book for my wife she loves it. It is detailed it fills in a lot of blanks as to what Garth has been up to. I really hope he starts touring again but i cant blame him for settling down with out family the work well is just work