Why I got into music was James Taylor, so to see him be a real

Hear the words of Garth Brooks: “Why I got into music was James Taylor, so to see him be a real down-to-earth guy that's unbelievably talented... then to hear him sing those lyrics of ‘What I'm Thankful For,’ which is a song Ms. Yearwood and I got to write together, that was definitely a highlight of my recording life.” At first glance, these words appear as the admiration of one artist for another. Yet beneath them lies a river of wisdom: the gratitude of a disciple who meets his master, the humility of a man who honors the roots of his calling, and the joy of creating something beautiful with those who inspired him to begin.

The origin of this saying rests in the heart of inspiration. Brooks tells us plainly that it was James Taylor who called him into music, the spark that lit the fire of his own journey. To see the man not as an idol upon a pedestal, but as a “real down-to-earth guy,” both human and yet supremely gifted, was for Brooks a revelation. Inspiration becomes all the more powerful when it is proven true, when the one admired from afar turns out to be as genuine as the art they create. This is a moment of confirmation, when the student knows that the path he chose was indeed noble.

The ancients knew this kind of moment well. Think of Aristotle and Alexander, the teacher and the pupil. Alexander’s vision of empire was shaped in part by Aristotle’s lessons, and though he went on to conquer the known world, he often carried with him the wisdom and humanity of his teacher. In Brooks’s encounter with Taylor, we see a reflection of that same bond: the great musician who planted the seed, and the disciple who carried the harvest into new fields. And when they met, the circle was completed—not in conquest, but in music, in the sharing of song.

There is also a profound note of gratitude in Brooks’s words. He does not claim the moment as a triumph of his own achievement; rather, he calls it a highlight to have Taylor sing a song that he himself wrote with Trisha Yearwood. It is not pride that shines through here, but thankfulness—that his work was lifted up by the voice of the man who once lifted him. Gratitude here is both backward and forward: backward to the one who inspired him, forward to the blessing of collaboration.

The song he names, “What I’m Thankful For,” stands as more than melody. It is an anthem of gratitude, a reminder that thankfulness is the root of both art and life. To hear those words sung by his mentor gave Brooks not only joy but validation—that his own voice, born of inspiration, now contributed back to the wellspring of inspiration itself. It is the cycle of creativity: to be inspired, to create, and to inspire again.

What lesson, then, must we carry? That every life is shaped by voices before us, and the highest honor is to recognize them with humility. To meet our inspirations, not with arrogance, but with gratitude, is to complete the circle of our own journey. The artist who forgets his teachers is like a tree that forgets its roots—doomed to fall when the storm comes. But the one who honors those roots grows stronger, and in time becomes an inspiration to others.

Practical actions flow from this wisdom. Remember those who set you on your path—teachers, mentors, even unseen voices that stirred your soul—and give them thanks. When you create, do so not to exalt yourself, but to honor the lineage of greatness that brought you here. And when you stand where your heroes once stood, receive the moment not with pride, but with reverence, so that others may see in you what you once saw in them.

Thus, let Garth Brooks’s words be remembered: to honor your inspirations with gratitude is to keep the flame of art alive. For inspiration flows like a river, from teacher to pupil, from master to disciple, and from one generation to the next. To receive that gift with humility and pass it forward with love is to become not just an artist, but a keeper of the eternal fire.