1990 Garth Brooks Hit, Turned Down By George Strait, Named Among the Greatest Country Songs of All Time

Rachel SchneiderSun, August 23, 2026 at 4:40 AM UTC

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There are few songs more closely associated with Garth Brooks than “Friends in Low Places.” (And few who can command a sing-along quite like the huge hit).

The 1990 hit became a four-week No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, helped define Brooks’ blockbuster No Fences era, and remains so synonymous with the country superstar that he eventually named his Nashville bar and entertainment venue after it.

More than three decades later, the song is still being recognized as one of the genre’s all-time greats.

Parade recently placed “Friends in Low Places” at No. 4 on its list of the 101 Best Country Songs of All Time, putting it alongside classics from Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, and Loretta Lynn.

But before it became one of the biggest songs of Brooks’ career, “Friends in Low Places” was nearly recorded by another country music legend.

George Strait Passed on Garth Brooks’ Biggest Hit

According to American Songwriter, “Friends in Low Places” was originally written by Dewayne Blackwell and Earl Bud Lee with George Strait in mind. In fact, Brooks was asked to record the song’s demo because he had spent years trying to sound like Strait.

“The reason they asked me to do the demo was because I wanted to be George Strait for years,” Brooks previously explained. “So I do a pretty good impersonation of him.”

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Brooks recorded the demo before he even had a record deal, but Strait ultimately passed on the song.

That decision changed the course of the song—and perhaps country music history.

Garth Brooks Couldn’t Get the Song Out of His Head

After Brooks signed with Capitol Records, he recorded his debut album and then prepared to release No Fences. But he hadn’t forgotten about “Friends in Low Places.”

Brooks later recalled that recording the demo was the last session he ever did as a singer before his own career took off. The song’s chorus stuck with him, and he eventually asked Blackwell and Lee if he could hold onto the song for his upcoming album.

Released in August 1990 as the lead single from No Fences, “Friends in Low Places” became an immediate smash. The song spent four weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and later won Single of the Year honors from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

Friends in Low Places Became Garth Brooks’ Signature Song

Of course, “Friends in Low Places” went on to become far more than just another No. 1 hit. The song has become a fixture at concerts, weddings, bars, sporting events, and just about anywhere a large group of people might be willing to sing along at the top of their lungs.

It’s also still one of the most celebrated songs in country music. In addition to landing at No. 4 on Parade’s recent ranking, SiriusXM previously named it the best country song of all time.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Aug 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”