inauguration 2017

Garth Brooks Would Have Loved to Play the Inauguration, But He Left the Decision Up to ‘Karma’

AOL Build Speaker Series - Garth Brooks
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

If there’s anything the last six months has taught America, it’s that you can’t leave anything up to chance. After Garth Brooks publicly expressed a willingness to perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration this coming Friday, many of his fans were disappointed to learn that the country music superstar will be ringing in the new term in Cincinnati, Ohio, instead of Washington, D.C. In a new Facebook video, the singer explained that, while he had discussed performing, he decided in the end to let the chips fall where they may — and due to his concert schedule, they fell all over Cincinnati. “We left it up to karma,” Brooks says in the video. “We said, if Cincinnati goes two weekends instead of one, then of course, we’re out. Sure enough, Cincinnati did five shows, two weekends and backed us up into there, so we got knocked out of it.”

As for the inauguration itself, which lost the song stylings of the Bruce Springsteen cover band the B Street Band just yesterday, Garth concludes, “I’m going to tell you, with this whole presidential thing: We’ve got one going out. Pray for him and his family. And for the president going in, pray for him and his family to guide this nation. Let’s stay together. Love, unity, that’s what it’s all about.” And may karma and/or ticket sales guide you where the universe needs you most, which will almost always be Cincinnati, Ohio.

Garth Brooks Discusses Not Playing Inauguration