Garth Brooks' Sexual Assault Lawsuit 'Shocking' to Nashville Community: 'Known as a Nice Guy' (Exclusive Source)
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"There are also billboards all over town with him on it," a source tells PEOPLE
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Garth BrooksThe tight-knit Nashville community is feeling stunned after news broke on Thursday, Oct. 3, that Garth Brooks is facing Garth Brooks' sexual assault and rape allegations.
"The news is definitely shocking. Garth and Trisha are the king and queen of Nashville — he literally refers to her as the queen," a music industry source exclusively tells PEOPLE, referring to Brooks' wife Trisha Yearwood.
"There are also billboards all over town with him on it [promoting his bar, Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk]," the source adds, describing how the "Much Too Young" singer, 62, is popular in the community. "[It] will be interesting to see if they come down."
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Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood in May 2023On Thursday, Oct. 3, Brooks' former hairstylist and makeup artist filed a lawsuit under "Jane Roe" in California state court accusing him of sexual assault and battery.
In her complaint, Roe alleges that in 2019 Brooks sexually assaulted and raped her, undressed and stood nude in front of her, spoke openly about sex and related fantasies (including threesomes with Yearwood), and sent her sexually explicit text messages.
Brooks denied the claims in a complaint filed under "John Doe" on Sept. 13, intending to block her allegations from going public. He alleged that Roe "was a lying extortionist who intended on destroying his professional reputation."
He also addressed the allegations in a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday and said, "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."
"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."
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"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," the country singer continued.
"I want to play music tonight. 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."
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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