Garth Brooks on fire for five-concert benefit

By Justin Kroll

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Country music star Garth Brooks knows he has his work cut out for him as he prepares to play five concerts in two days, starting on Friday, to benefit California firefighters and wildfire victims.

But with at least $5 million (2.5 million pounds) in ticket sales and donations collected before he sings a single note -- and roughly $5 million more to go to reach his fund-raising goal -- Brooks, 45, insists he's up for the challenge.

"I think it comes down to turning it on," Brooks said at a news conference at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, where he will perform all five shows. "I haven't done this since the old days, so we'll see how it goes."

The first concert opens at 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by a second performance starting at 10 p.m. the same night, with three more shows on Saturday, said Staples Center general manager Lee Zeidman. Brooks will have only about an hour break between each show.

The first hour of Friday's opening concert will be broadcast live on CBS, with viewers encouraged to call in pledges for Brooks' latest charity, the Southern California 2008 Fire Intervention Relief Effort.

As usual, Brooks charged a modest ticket price -- just $41 a seat -- and all five shows sold out in less than an hour, organizers said.

Brooks said he got the idea for the benefit watching TV news coverage of the devastating wildfires that swept through Southern California last fall and felt moved to lend a hand.

"I have much respect (for the firefighters) and these guys need all the help they can get," he said.