During his Feb. 20 acoustic solo set at Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2020 in Nashville, Garth Brooks explained that "Friends in Low Places" wasn't his only hit once intended as a George Strait song.
Per Brooks, a major goal when he permanently moved to Tennessee from Oklahoma in 1987 was to successfully pitch "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" as a honky-tonk throwback for Strait.
Much greater markers of singer-songwriter success followed after Brooks' own recording of "Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" became the single that preceded career-launching No. 1 hits "If Tomorrow Never Comes" and "The Dance"— as opposed to being in the same discography as "Unwound" and "Amarillo By Morning."
Early singles for Capitol Records plus the runaway success of his second album No Fences (1990) catapulted Brooks to the top of the popular music mountain: A spot he maintained throughout a record-setting decade and en route to a 2012 call from the Country Music Hall of Fame.
As Brooks explains in the clip above, he finally got his wish upon his Hall of Fame induction. Trisha Yearwood helped pick James Taylor, Bob Seger and Strait to honor her husband's music, with the latter finally singing that deliberate line about "no more aces in the hole" to bring Brooks' superstar journey full-circle.
"You just didn't try hard enough," Strait told Brooks during the ceremony (as reported by USA Today). "I need songs like this."
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Strait also admitted his initial uncertainty of whether Brooks' rock 'n' roll meets Chris LeDoux stage antics would be accepted by country music audiences. Fortunately, over-the-top showmanship became part of the reason why, as Strait puts it, Brooks "brought so many fans to our music; it helped all of us."
This story originally ran on March 9, 2020.
"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" Lyrics
This ol' highway's getting longer
Seems there ain't no end in sight
To sleep would be best, but I just can't afford to rest
I've got to ride in Denver tomorrow night
I called the house but no one answered
For the last two weeks no one's been home
I guess she's through with me, to tell the truth I just can't see
What's kept the woman holding on this long
And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
The competition's getting younger
Tougher broncs, you know I can't recall
A worn out tape of Chris LeDoux, lonely women and bad booze
Seem to be the only friends I've left at all
And the white line's getting longer and the saddle's getting cold
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
All my cards are on the table with no ace left in the hole
I'm much too young to feel this damn old
Lord, I'm much too young to feel this damn old
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