Trisha Yearwood became a star straight out of the gate when she released her self-titled debut album in 1991.
Yearwood came to Nashville from her native Georgia to study at Belmont University, then landed a job with MTM Records. She sang on a number of demo tapes for the label, and at one session she met a young singer named Garth Brooks.
The pair became fast friends and promised each other that whoever succeeded first, they’d help the other one. Brooks kept that promise, inviting Yearwood to sing backing vocals on his No Fences album in 1990.
He introduced her to his producer, who introduced her to Garth Fundis. That led to a deal at MCA Records, and Fundis produced her debut album for the label, which was released on July 2, 1991.
READ MORE: The Top Trisha Yearwood Songs
The album was an immediate hit, with its lead single, “She’s in Love With the Boy,” hitting No. 1 on Billboard‘s U.S. Country chart.
Brooks co-wrote and sang backing vocals on Yearwood’s second single, “Like We Never Had a Broken Heart,” which reached No. 4, and two more singles, “That’s What I Like About You” and “The Woman Before Me,” both hit the Top 10 as well.
Brooks also took Yearwood on tour, opening for him in 1991.
Trisha Yearwood peaked at No. 2 and went Double Platinum for sales of more than 2 million units.
It also earned rave reviews, with Entertainment Weekly gushing, “Whether tackling bluegrass, country rock, or ’50s-style R&B, she sings with deeply imagined experience, making herself one of the most exhilarating — and classiest — of newcomers,” while the Chicago Tribune wrote, “This is as good as it gets in female country album debuts … It is probably the most impressive female country debut in Nashville since the Judds.”
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.
PICTURES: See Inside Trisha Yearwood’s $3.95 Million Historic Southern Manor
Trisha Yearwood is selling her historic Southern manor home, and pictures show a mix of elegance and down-home living.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
30 Gushy Photos of Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood Together
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are two peas in a pod. The pair not only support each other professionally, they are big fans of each other on a personal level, as well. Both of them have been known to gush about their spouse in interviews — they speak very highly of one another!
After tying the knot in 2005, the couple’s love has grown over the years. Now, nearly 20 years later, Brooks and Yearwood are closer than ever. The two are partners in life, music and even a new business with the opening of Nashville’s newest bar Friends in Low Places, which they curated.
Trisha Yearwood Celebrates 25 Years at the Grand Ole Opry
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
See Inside Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s Malibu Beach House:
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