Garth Brooks [ tickets ], during a Wednesday (12/16) appearance on the TNN talk show "Crook & Chase," said he'll "probably" retire from touring at the end of next year so that he can devote more time to his children. Brooks also indicated that he plans to stay out of the public eye for much of 2000, and then end the year with a major event.

Brooks is the father of three daughters: Taylor, 7, August, 5, and Allie, 3.

''I feel like I've been a good dad the times I've been home, but if you put your name on something . . . you [should] give everything you've got to it,'' Brooks told hosts Lorainne Crook and Charlie Chase. ''Well, I put my name on [Taylor] seven years ago -- and August and Allie -- but I've always seemed to find some way to justify it by saying I was out making a living for the family. The time has come to settle down and focus on them.

''I never ever thought in my life I'd say this, but music is not the first thing in my life anymore.''

Brooks said he doesn't intend to quit working. He said he will continue writing songs and movie scripts, and he added that he has a commitment to record the soundtrack for ''The Lamb,'' a forthcoming movie based upon the life of his rock star alter-ego Chris Gaines.

Brooks was widely rumored to be pondering retirement prior to the release of his 1997 album ''Sevens.'' At the time, he was unhappy with his label's promotion of the album.

Earlier this year, Brooks put his music career on hold to participate in spring training with Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres.

In other news, Brooks performed a free acoustic concert Tuesday (10/14) at the Saenger Theatre in Mobile, Ala., for the contest winners of a ''backyard concert.'' The concert was to have taken place in a backyard this summer, but was postponed due to scheduling conflicts, according to Capitol Nashville.

Truck driver Charles Toler of Daphne, Ala., held the winning entry in the contest, which ran in connection with the release of Brooks' ''Double Live'' CD last November. According to the label, the Toler family invited underprivileged children from their community to the show, as well as members of a local youth group, the local ROTC, and other friends and family members. In all, 1,500 people packed the theater for Brooks' 90 minute performance.

Brooks' holiday album ''The Magic of Christmas'' (Capitol-Nashville) moved to No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart this week. According to the label, it is the first holiday album to ever reach the top spot on that chart.