Garth Brooks Finds It Hard Not To Cry When Talking About Her

Garth Brooks is getting ready next week to host an award show for the first time. He's co-hosting The ACM Awards, along with country icon Dolly Parton.  Brooks recently said when discussing working with Parton, "She's amazing! It's hard to even speak about her without just crying just out of thankfulness and gratitude that we have her!"

Dolly recently told Good Morning America about hosting the show with Garth, "I love Garth, we've known each other for many years, and we've been backstage on shows together. But he's never hosted a show. I've been hosting shows off and off through the years. But this was a big deal for me to get to work with Garth, so we're looking forward to that. Everybody's been talking about it, so hopefully, we'll measure up. And I think we will."

Brooks is also just a week away from kicking off Garth Brooks/Plus ONE Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace that will extend into 2024. He said on Studio G, "Me…I don't get excited…just more nervous and more nervous." Garth then says what makes him so nervous, "The fear of letting people down. It just kills ya."

The Academy of Country Music Awards will take place on Thursday, May 11, at 8 p.m. ET. The show will stream on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. It's the second consecutive year that Parton will host the show and follows her recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Dolly said, "I am thrilled to return to host the ACM Awards, this time with my friend Garth. While I've had the pleasure of spending time with him throughout the years, I can't believe we've never had the chance to work together. In addition to getting to see all this great new talent in country music, I am excited to have the chance to premiere the lead single from my upcoming rock album on the show!"

Brooks said, "Anyone with Dolly Parton makes a fantastic couple."

Many country music superstars choose their middle names over their given first names. It is hard to imagine country music superstar Sam Smith (Tim McGraw's given name) and his superstar wife, Audrey Faith Perry (Faith Hill). Or how about sold-out stadium shows from a guy named Troyal (Garth Brooks)? And instead of two Lukes (Bryan and Combs), there would be two Thomas' (Rhett and Bryan).

Many celebrities change their name to fit who they have become, but in country music, the go-to name change for a superstar is to simply go with your middle name.

We take a look at five country superstars that go by their given middle names.

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Can you image Kenny Church? Eric, born in n Granite Falls, North Carolina, was named after his father, Ken. Church worked with his dad at Clayton Marcus, a furniture upholstery company where his father was president.

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Luke was named after his father, Tommy, who was a peanut farmer in Leesburg, Georgia.

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Garth was named for his father, Troyal Raymond Brooks Jr. He is the elder Troyal's youngest child. His mother, Colleen McElroy Carroll (who passed away in 1999), was a 1950s-era country singer who recorded on Capitol Records, the same label that Garth recorded on.

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Dierks has used his middle name publically since his music career began. The name Dierks is his maternal great-grandmother's surname. His parents' names are Leon Fife Bentley (who passed away in 2012) and Catherine Childs.

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Tim McGraw was not born as a McGraw, and Timothy was his middle name. He changed his last name at age 11 when he learned the identity of his real father, major league baseball pitcher "Tug" McGraw, who passed away in 2004.