Country Music Group Rascal Flatts Gives Other Genres a Run for Their Money.
Rascal Flatts consists of second cousins Jay DeMarcus (born April 26, 1971) and Gary LeVox (born July 10, 1970) both of Columbus Ohio and Joe Don Rooney (born September 13, 1975) of Pitcher, Oklahoma. First Jay moved to Nashville in 1992 to pursue becoming a country musician (he plays the keyboards, mandolin, guitar, and bass). Then in 1997 he persuaded Gary to come and become a singing star. DeMarcus met Joe Don Rooney when they were both a part of the Chely Wright’s band. On their own DeMarcus and LeVox played gigs in a local Printer’s Alley bar in Nashville Tennessee. One night their guitarist failed to show so DeMarcus called on Rooney and the beginning of Rascal Flatts came to be.
With the first album released by Lyric Street Rascal Flatts began creeping up the billboard charts. The first three hits “Prayin for Daylight”, “This Everyday Love” and “While you Loved Me” help them sell 500.000+ albums reaching their first platinum album. In 2005 Rascal Flatts was the most played artist on country radio, they were #1 for 10 weeks. It has been nearly 5 years since they entered the music scene and in this time they have sold more than 8 million albums.
Later in 2002 the album Melt also hit in the top of the Billboard charts. They won the CMA’s Horizon Award and made the music video “I Melt”. The video stirred the hearts of females everywhere and country video channel’s had to preview to make sure it was pg rated as the naked back side of the only single member (Joe Don) showed. Later in 2005 they won Vocal Group of the year for the 3rd time at the American Country Music awards, again at the Country Music Awards and Billboard’s Artist of the Year. They also received 3 Grammy nominations winning one for “Bless The Broken Road” as Country Song of the Year. At the Country Music Television awards they won the Flameworthy Favorite Group or Dou Award for the video “These Days”.
In the beginning they opened for groups the likes of Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson. Now selling more than 2 million of their latest album “Me and My Gang” has Rascal Flatts headlining and playing larger venues on their own merit with this year’s latest tour. The “Here’s To You” tour last year brought in an average of 750,000 people and spanned over 70 cities breaking attendance records and becoming the second highest grossing tour in country music. The currently they have been selling out large arenas with capacity reaching 26,000 in less than 10 minutes. So far with the first “leg” of the tour over Rascal Flatts have sung to over 166,000 thousand fans in 20 cities.
Now not only are they selling albums, performing in concerts but also recording songs for movie soundtracks. They recorded “Walk The Llama Llama” for the Disney movie The Emperor’s New Groove and “The Glory of Life” for We Were Soldiers. Rascal Flatts has also done two made for TV one-hour concerts and performed live at the Grand Ole Opry.
That is a lot in such a short time for three small town guys. Along with their musical achievements they have reached personal ones. Gary’s married with two children daughter’s Brittany (6) and Brooklyn (2), Jay’s married (no kids as of yet) and Joe Don is planning one for this year. Rascal Flatts is a group of guys still reaching for that star with no plans right now to stop. “The three of us have wanted to do this since we were kidsâÂ?¦. we are nowhere near done yet.” They say.
