Garth Brooks reminisced about how far he's come over the years during a stop at 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' this week. The icon also performed his latest single, 'Mom' -- this time without getting choked up.

Brooks sat down with the late night host in a pair of dark jeans, a black button-down and a black hat to dish on, well, why he's been gone so long! Kimmel joked with the singer about his "very long vacation," as it's been 13 years since Brooks released an album and 10 years since he toured in the U.S.

Brooks reiterated why it was so important for him to take time off to raise his kids.

"The greatest gift I've ever been given by God and the people was the time allotted just to stay home and raise my babies," Brooks shares. "I got to know 'em inside and out, which when I came off the road, to tell you the truth, I didn't. I didn't know my own children. I know them now -- trust me -- more than they like or more than I'm comfortable with."

All three kids are now all in college, and Brooks jokes now that he is touring again merely to pay for tuition. His kids won't be around for the tour, and a lot of changes that have occurred since his first tour van hit the pavement.

"We had seven of us in a six passenger van and all our gear ... when we got our first bus though, what I loved about our first bus was it smelled so bad of diesel," Brooks recalls. "Your clothes reeked, and if you wanted to go in reverse, you had to get out and push it 'cause it didn't have reverse."

These days, Brooks has a jet, which Kimmel smartly points out also doesn't have a reverse mode! Night after night, the iconic country singer brings his older hits to the fans he's missed so much, in addition to new songs like 'Mom,' which he performed during his television appearance.

Watch Garth Brooks Sing 'Mom' on 'Jimmy Kimmel'

You Think You Know Garth Brooks?

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