Garth Brooks - Willie's Saloon, Stillwater, OK, 1986 (A MIKE SOLOF GUEST POST)

This is another Mike Solof guest post, but I have some things to say. First off, I'm surprised to be posting a Garth Brooks album here, because I'm not a fan of his music at all. But Mike was raving about this concert, and when I found out it's a solo acoustic show almost entirely of cover versions, I decided to check it out. I figured this might not have the production issues and other issues that I don't like about his music, and sure enough, that's the case. 

This is an album for even people like me who don't like Garth Brooks. If you like acoustic versions of great, classic songs, this is chock-full of good stuff. Heck, you don't even have to be a country music fan. There are only two Brooks originals, and the vast majority of the covers are folk and rock - Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Bob Seger, etc...

And although it's a bootleg from three years before he even put out his first album, the sound quality is surprisingly good.

It's unclear if this comes from one concert or several. What we do know is that Brooks was playing at small clubs in the town where he was going to college, and he probably was the one who made this recording, in order to show others his musical skills and possibly to give away or sell at his gigs. It basically sounds like a soundboard bootleg, although whether it is or not is kind of a moot point, since it literally sounds like the audience consisted of about a dozen people who were totally quiet during his songs. There's also almost no banter between songs. I'm guessing that was cut out in order to fit more songs on the tape.

Speaking of that audience noise, this version I'm posting here is the first time you can hear the clapping at all. It was way quieter. But I detected faint strains, so I used the MVSEP audio editing program to split the recording into cheering and everything else. Then I boosted the cheering up, waaaay up. Even now, the clapping is still pretty quiet, but at least it can be heard after each song. 

I also made a major edit to one song, "You Never Even Called Me by My Name." Near the end of the song, Brooks had a guest join him on stage and take over singing. He was introduced mid-song as a sports star at the college, so that explains why anyone thought it was a good idea to have him sing. But it turns out he was really bad, really out of tune. I asked Mike if I could edit him out, and Mike responded "KILL, KILL, KILL!" So that's how bad it was. I cut out a minute or two at the end of the song, but still patched in the very end, so hopefully you won't notice there was any editing at all.

As is his usual style, Mike has written some notes which are included in a PDF file with the download. I suggest you check that out to learn more about this unique recording in Brooks' music career. Mike comes at this from a different perspective as a big Brooks fan, and it's thanks to his enthusiasm that I listened to this and liked it enough to suggest that we post it.

This album is an hour and 14 minutes long.

Here's a list of the original artists for each song. 

01 Tequila Sunrise - Eagles
02 Piano Man - Billy Joel
03 Much Too Young [To Feel This Damn Old] - Garth Brooks
05 Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce
06 Rocket Man [I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time] - Elton John
07 Steamroller Blues - James Taylor
08 Why Do Those Dreams Never Come True - Greg Jacobs
10 House at Pooh Corner - Loggins & Messina
11 Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
12 Cats in the Cradle - Harry Chapin
13 Come Monday - Jimmy Buffett
14 Please Come to Boston - Dave Loggins
15 Night Moves - Bob Seger
16 Mr. Bojangles - Jerry Jeff Walker / Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
17 The Boxer - Simon & Garfunkel
18 Sweet Baby James - James Taylor
19 Turn the Page - Bob Seger
20 Redneck Mother - Ray Wylie Hubbard
21 Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel
22 Guitar Town - Steve Earle
23 Taxi - Harry Chapin
25 You Never Even Called Me by My Name - Steve Goodman / David Allan Coe
26 That’s the Way Love Goes - Lefty Frizzell / Merle Haggard
27 Which One of Them - Garth Brooks

Here's the usual song list:

01 Tequila Sunrise (Garth Brooks)
02 Piano Man (Garth Brooks)
03 Much Too Young [To Feel This Damn Old] (Garth Brooks)
04 talk (Garth Brooks)
05 Time in a Bottle (Garth Brooks)
06 Rocket Man [I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time] (Garth Brooks)
07 Steamroller Blues (Garth Brooks)
08 Why Do Those Dreams Never Come True (Garth Brooks)
09 talk (Garth Brooks)
10 House at Pooh Corner (Garth Brooks)
11 Mrs. Robinson (Garth Brooks)
12 Cats in the Cradle (Garth Brooks)
13 Come Monday (Garth Brooks)
14 Please Come to Boston (Garth Brooks)
15 Night Moves (Garth Brooks)
16 Mr. Bojangles (Garth Brooks)
17 The Boxer (Garth Brooks)
18 Sweet Baby James (Garth Brooks)
19 Turn the Page (Garth Brooks)
20 Redneck Mother (Garth Brooks)
21 Only the Good Die Young (Garth Brooks)
22 Guitar Town (Garth Brooks)
23 Taxi (Garth Brooks)
24 talk (Garth Brooks)
25 You Never Even Called Me by My Name [Edit] (Garth Brooks)
26 That’s the Way Love Goes (Garth Brooks)
27 Which One of Them (Garth Brooks)

https://www.upload.ee/files/17187633/GARTBRKS1986WllisSlonStllwtrOK__1986_atse.zip.html

alternate:

https://pixeldrain.com/u/4FeuY6H3

The cover photo is of Brooks playing at this very club, probably in 1986. If you look closely, you can even see that his cap has the name of the club on it.

UPDATE: On October 1, 2024, I upgraded the photo with the use of the Krea AI program.