‘Bonus Mom’ Trisha Yearwood Says She ‘Couldn’t Live Without’ Garth Brooks’ Daughters
Yearwood gets honest about her role as a “bonus mom.”
Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood; Photo via Facebook
When Trisha Yearwood married Garth Brooks in 2005, she not only became a wife, but also a “bonus mom” to Brooks’ three daughters, Allie, August, and Taylor, from his previous marriage to Sandy Mahl.
In a recent interview, Yearwood got honest about her role as a “bonus mom” and admitted her new title didn’t always come easy.
The three-time GRAMMY winner never had any kids of her own, so marrying Brooks meant she was not only committing to him, but his children as well. She says she had to learn to become more of a selfless person now that she had three bonus daughters to take care of.
“When you don’t have children, you have the luxury of being selfish, because it’s just about you. You don’t have to think about somebody else first,” Yearwood explained to SheKnows. “And as an artist, it’s easy to be really egocentric because your job is to be thinking about your career, what you have to do next, how you’re going to take yourself to the next level. So to get out of that space and to realize that it doesn’t matter what I have going on, it was a real lesson for me.”
Yearwood has now been a part of Brooks’ daughter’s lives for over 16 years. They’ve been through a lot together and she’s watched them grown from girls to young women. Now, they’re closer than ever and it’s something Yearwood says she’ll be forever grateful for.
“It was a gift that I received from Garth and the girls of having them in a life that I didn’t even know I was missing, you know, and I can’t imagine my life without them,” Yearwood sweetly shared.
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And don’t go using the term “stepmom” around Yearwood. She prefers to be called a “bonus mom.”
“When I think stepmom, I think Cinderella, you know, so I always prefer bonus mom,” she explained. “Jada Pinkett Smith told me years ago, she’s like, ‘you’re a bonus mom, don’t call yourself something else.’ So I’ve taken that and run with it.”
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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