Country music superstar Garth Brooks has found himself in the middle of serious allegations of sexual assault and battery after a lawsuit was filed in California’s Supreme Court on October 3, 2024. The accusations sent shockwaves across the music industry and have left many fans just speechless.
The lawsuit which was filed by a former hair and makeup artist who chose to remain anonymous, referred to only as “Jane Roe” to protect her privacy-alleges that Brooks repeatedly raped and harassed her during the course of their professional relationship.
Roe alleges that Brooks raped her once in a hotel room during a 2019 work trip for a Grammy performance tribute and another time forced her to touch him in ways she didn’t want to. She also describes unwanted advances, explicit comments, and sexually charged messages from Brooks as part of a pattern of harassment and abuse.
Roe claims Brooks took advantage of her vulnerable times and subjected her to indecent exposure when she was in a helpless state. She began her professional relationship with Brooks in 2017 and had been employed by his wife, Trisha Yearwood, since 1999, for which reason trust was breached within their professional relationship.
The legal team for Ms. Roe, including prominent attorney Douglas Wigdor-he has represented some of the most high-profile accusers in Hollywood-said Brooks is ”desperate to prevent his millions of fans from learning about the horrific things he has said and done to a junior female employee who did nothing to deserve such treatment.”
In response, Garth Brooks has countered these allegations, even going as far as to refer to them as “extortion and defamation.” He says he is “not the man they have painted me to be,” and filed a countersuit in Mississippi, claiming that Roe is attempting to exploit the situation for money. Brooks is confident that the truth will come out in court and is willing to defend himself.
The case also contributes to the larger issue of sexual misconduct allegations within the country music industry in a pattern similar to other parts of the entertainment industry. Many fans and industry people are working through how the claims will affect the image of Brooks as an industry favorite.
But adding to the complication was the revelation that Brooks had filed a lawsuit in federal court in Mississippi against the accuser in an attempt to block the accuser from suing Brooks. In the lawsuit, filed under “John Doe,” Brooks claimed he was being extorted after refusing Roe’s demands for a raise and health insurance coverage.
According to reports, tensions between the two broke to a head in 2020 when Roe, in an email which included Brooks’ wife, too, said she could no longer “work in an environment where explicit sexual comments are made.” The lawsuit continues to state that Roe even considered suicide after the incidents.
The accusations have brought divided reactions among his fans, with some still supporting Brooks and citing all his philanthropic work and the good things he has done for the music community, while others claim to be betrayed and unhappy. The polarization echoes some pushback Brooks experienced from fans earlier this year when it was disclosed that Brooks would sell Bud Light beers at his bar-an action angering some because the brand is associated with LGBTQ+ marketing campaigns.
Like other corners of the entertainment world, country music has been grappling in recent years with an steady drumbeat of public accusations of sexual misconduct committed by high-profile figures-Brooks, now, among them. To many of his fans, the personal nature of the allegations cuts particularly deep.
