TRISHA GETS CANDID
Despite her expanding empire, the Georgia native says she’ll never leave her roots behind
Trisha Yearwood talks cooking, music and her growing empire.
She’s written three best-selling cookbooks, hosts her own award-winning show on the Food Network, has a successful home-goods line and has even released a perfume. But Trisha Yearwood says her true passion will always be music. “Luckily, I don’t have to make a choice. But if I did, I’d pick music every time,” she tells In Touch. “I just can’t imagine not singing.” Here, the 52-yearold, who married fellow country crooner Garth Brooks in 2005 (she calls herself a “bonus mom” to his three grown daughters from his previous marriage) and who recently debuted a new summer line of food mixes and kits with Williams Sonoma (think barbecue sauce and tropical cocktails), took a break from her hectic schedule to talk to Katie Bruno about her rock-solid marriage, her world tour with Garth and her dream of making it to Broadway.
You’ve accomplished so much in your career! Is there anything else you want to tackle? TY: There’s always something! I’ve talked about Broadway,and Garth has which agreedI wouldto move love to to New do, York for a while if I want to do it, but the timing would have to be right. I’ve done a little bit of acting, but I’d also love to find a little role in an independent film.
But you’ll never give up singing, right? TY: Music is always No. 1. It’s what I feel like I was born to do.
Phew! Speaking of music, you and Garth are traveling the world together on your joint tour. How’s that going? TY: It’s good! When we got married, we made a conscious decision that we didn’t want to be together to be apart. The best thing about touring together is we pack our bags and go and do the thing we love and don’t have to leave the other at home, which I hate.
You guys have been married almost 12 years. What’s your secret? TY: We’re best friends. And we really enjoy each other’s company.
You don’t ever drive each other nuts? TY: We both have our own things, like I’m doing a book signing today, and sometimes he’s working with his charity called Teammates for Kids, so it’s not like we’re together 24/7. But even when we are, we like it that way!
You’re obviously a great chef. Does Garth ever help out with cooking? TY: He is very comfortable in the kitchen. But he doesn’t like being on my cooking show! I’m like, “You’re a five-time [Country Music Association Awards] Entertainer of the Year, what is the problem?” He says, “I walk out there and they give you like 18 things to handle and I just stand there like I don’t know what to do!”
What’s his favorite thing you cook? TY: There’s a black bean lasagna with a tofu ricotta. It’s a ricotta that you make out of tofu that’s better than fresh ricotta. It sounds crazy and I would never have thought this would be one of his favorite things, but he loves it! ◼