Editing Garth Brooks (section)

===1985–1989: Musical beginnings===
In 1985, Brooks began his professional music career, singing and playing guitar in Oklahoma clubs and bars, most notably Wild Willie's Saloon in Stillwater.<ref>{{cite news |title=Garth Brooks Emerging from Retirement with Solo Shows at Wynn Las Vegas |url=http://www.cmt.com/news/1623996/garth-brooks-emerging-from-retirement-with-solo-shows-at-wynn-las-vegas/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629225113/http://www.cmt.com/news/1623996/garth-brooks-emerging-from-retirement-with-solo-shows-at-wynn-las-vegas/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 29, 2015 |publisher=[[CMT (American TV channel)|CMT]] |date=October 15, 2009 |access-date=October 25, 2015}}</ref> Through his elder siblings, Brooks was exposed to a wide range of music. Although he listened to some [[country music]], especially that of [[George Jones]], Brooks was most fond of rock music, citing [[James Taylor]], [[Dan Fogelberg]], and [[Townes Van Zandt]] as major influences.<ref name=cox8/> In 1981, after hearing "[[Unwound (song)|Unwound]]", the debut single of [[George Strait]], Brooks decided that he was more interested in playing country music.<ref name=cox8/>

In 1985, entertainment attorney Rod Phelps drove from [[Dallas]] to listen to Brooks. Phelps liked what he heard and offered to produce Brooks' first demo. With Phelps' encouragement, including a list of Phelps' contacts in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] and some of his credit cards, Brooks traveled to Nashville to pursue a recording contract; he returned to Oklahoma within 24 hours.<ref>See "Chicken Soup for the Country Soul", page 148</ref> Phelps continued to urge Brooks to return to Nashville, which he did. In 1987, Brooks and wife Sandy Mahl moved to Nashville, and Brooks began making contacts in the music industry.