Brooks plays Wal-Mart.(WIDE ANGLE)(Garth Brooks)(Brief Article)

Video Business, August, 2005 by Gallo, Phil

Country music superstar Garth Brooks has granted Wal-Mart exclusive rights to sell his catalog. He is the first superstar act with control of his master recordings to broker a deal with a single retailer. Brooks, who has not issued a studio recording since November 2001, ended his deal with EMI's Capitol Records in June.

Capitol is allowed to sell its inventory of already pressed discs. It is expected that Wal-Mart, which also will sell Brooks' music online and at Sam's Club stores, will offer new packages and create sets that can be sold at a lower-than-usual price point. Brooks also will supply Wal-Mart access to unreleased recordings and, it is expected, create boxed sets with some of that material.