Garth Brooks' Daughters Don't Look Like This Anymore
Garth Brooks is pretty much an American treasure. The singer-songwriter has been creating country and rock hits since the 80s, even with a few breaks from music. Many of those "maybe retirements" were surrounding his daughters. In 1992, the "If Tomorrow Never Comes" singer had his first child Taylor Mayne Pearl with his college sweetheart and wife songwriter Sandy Mahl.
In the first issue of his magazine The Believer (via Tulsa World), Brooks said he and Mahl had agreed to wait "three to five" years to have children but while "just practicing" on "a quick vacation in Maine," that plan didn't pan out exactly. Apparently the father-to-be told the Modern Screen Yearbook that he "jumped out of bed the next morning and took Sandy's picture" because he intuitively knew their "practice" run ended up being the real deal.
"I want to take a picture of you the first day you're pregnant," Brooks told Mahl. Following Taylor came August Anna in 1994 and Allie Colleen in 1996. Brooks and Mahl divorced in 2001 after their 15-year marriage. Brooks lived with the girls "in a one-bedroom bunkhouse on his ranch," according to People, and had to become a girl-dad really fast. Eventually, the proud father had help. Brooks got remarried in 2005 to fellow country star cookbook author Trisha Yearwood and they raised the three sisters together. Let's take a look at where these Brooks girls ended up.
Taylor Mayne Pearl Brooks is deep into her academics
The eldest daughter of Garth Brooks and Sandy Mahl, Taylor Mayne Pearl Brooks (picture above left with her sister, August Anna Brooks), is more on the private side of fame, however it's reported that she loved posting #ThrowbackThursdays of her childhood with her sisters. According to CountryFanCast, Taylor graduated from Oklahoma State University in May 2016 where she studied history. As of 2020, she was enrolled in a seminary school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. where she'd receive her Master's in Theological Studies. In the 2019 A&E documentary Garth Brooks: The Road I'm On (via Rolling Stone) the father of three said that his eldest, Taylor, had a "quiet courage."
"Taylor will trade her life for someone she doesn't know," he said proudly. Though Taylor stayed to herself and out of the Garth Brook spotlight, one of her younger sisters is looking for her own limelight and is gaining more traction in her individual music career.
Allie Colleen Brooks is a rocker just like her dad
Allie Colleen Brooks, professionally known as Allie Colleen, chose to walk in her father's footsteps and take the musical route of life. Though she has a degree from Belmont University (per The Boot), the up-and-coming singer-songwriter is making a name for herself in the country genre. She released her debut single "Work in Progress" in 2019 and immediately saw a positive response.
"For the first time, I wasn't worried about how commercial the song was or what everyone else was going to think about the song. I was just honest," she told the outlet, adding, "I think that is why we are so proud and excited to let you all in on who we are, as a work in progress." According to a July 2020 Taste of Country report, the singer had a "mild case of coronavirus" as reported by her father Garth Brooks.
"Truth is, as a parent, nobody knows what COVID is going to do in the future," he said. "So you just watch over them, you pray a lot and hopefully she'll come out of this thing with just that. That would be wonderful."
August Anna Brooks is a phenomenal mother
Middle daughter August Anna Brooks (above left) got a jumpstart on starting her family much earlier than her sisters. According to Tulsa World (via CMT News), at the age 19, August gave birth to Karalynn Grace Russell in July 2013 with her boyfriend of over two years Chance Russell. August also graduated from Owasso High School that same year and then continued her education at the University of Oklahoma. Though a surprise, the family — especially grandpa Garth Brooks — were excited about the family's newest addition.
Speaking with Kicks 105.5 back in 2016, Garth referred to "Baby K" as pure "joy," and said she is "the glue that holds the whole family together." The country legend also had sterling words for his daughter on being an exceptional mother to the newborn. "No offense to my mom or [Trisha] Yearwood's mom, or Sandy's mom — I'm not sure any of them could hold a candle to my daughter. I think she was made to be a mom."