The country music scene was completely “shocked by the allegations” against , a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.
“People in Nashville are having a hard time wrapping their head around the allegations,” the insider tells Us Weekly. “He was the last person in country music people would think of as acting inappropriately sexually.”
Brooks, 62, was named in a Thursday, October 3, lawsuit, where an anonymous woman referred to as Jane Roe claimed that the country singer raped her in 2019. In court documents obtained by Us, Roe also alleged that Brooks sent her sexually explicit text messages, repeatedly exposed his genitals in her presence and made “repeated remarks” about “having a threesome” with . (Brooks and Yearwood have been married since 2005 following their respective divorces.)
Brooks denied Roe’s allegations while Yearwood, 60, has yet to address the scandal.
“Trisha and Garth always seem so in love when they’re together,” the insider notes. “He looks at her like he adores the ground she walks on, they’re always holding hands and act like a loving team.”
Days before Roe’s lawsuit, Brooks and Yearwood shared matching Instagram photos from their September concert in Las Vegas. Since the country couple are so beloved in Nashville — the source notes that Brooks and Yearwood are often referred to as “the King and Queen of Nashville” — the allegations appeared to come out of left field to locals.
“Garth always remembers everyone’s name he works with and most he interacts with,” the insider tells Us. “Garth makes it a point to introduce himself to everyone he can when he enters an arena. He will make friends with people in all levels of jobs, he’s kind to everyone.”
The source further claims that Brooks often sends “gifts to his superfans on their birthdays” and flowers to hospitals if his staff members have a sick relative.
“Garth will see that person with the sick relative a year later and remember and ask how they’re doing,” the insider adds. “Garth also remembers the name of all the local radio hosts and local press, he works really hard to make everyone feel special.”
In addition to denying the claims, Brooks filed an anonymous response to Roe’s lawsuit in an attempt to get the hairstylist from spreading her account.
“For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars. It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face,” Brooks told Us in a Thursday statement. “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of — ugly acts no human should ever do to another.”
He added, “We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides. … I want to continue our good deeds going forward. It breaks my heart these wonderful things are in question now. I trust the system, I do not fear the truth, and I am not the man they have painted me to be.”
An attorney for Roe has since denied the claims made by Brooks.
“I cannot get into settlement discussions, but the suggestion made by Brooks that he was unwilling to pay millions is simply not true,” attorney told Us in a Friday, October 4, statement. “It seems as though Sean Combs and Garth Brooks are using the same public relations team by attacking legitimate victims.”
Wigdor also represented (real name Casandra Ventura) when she sued in 2023 for repeated sexual assault and abuse. Diddy, 54, vehemently denied the allegations before he and Cassie, 37, settled out of court within a day. Diddy has since been arrested in New York on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Diddy pleaded not guilty to the charges before a judge denied him bail. He was remanded to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn until his trial.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Diddy’s attorney told Us Weekly in a statement. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children and working to uplift the Black community.”
Agnifilo added, “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
It is not known whether Brooks or Diddy are connected. Us reached out for comment.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
With reporting by Travis Cronin
