Last week, Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts talked about enjoying being stuck at home during the pandemic for the simple fact that it has allowed him to really connect with his kids. His bandmate, Joe Don Rooney, feels the same way. “Yeah, the down time’s been pretty good, to be honest,” says Joe Don. “Reconnect with the family and reintroduce myself to my kids.”
One of the more interesting aspects of everybody being at home was figuring out home schooling with his three kids who are five, nine and twelve. “Homeschooling was crazy,” says Joe Don. I have a whole new respect for teachers instructors out there. I don’t know how they do it. It was challenging but we got through it and I was really proud of my kids, a different deal for them.”
Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts has enjoyed having some time off, but he’s also had enough at this point. He says, “I’ve done all kinds of work around the house, I’ve written songs. I mean you really run out of stuff to do. But it certainly put life back in perspective, for sure. But it’s not where I want to stay.”
Besides being able to be back together with Jay and Joe Don to promote their new song, “How They Remember You,” and their upcoming EP by the same name, which will be released on July 31st, Gary says, “I can’t wait to start going back to work, singing some music, doing something other than what I’ve been doing. But you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do and stay home and stay safe, and that’s the most important thing.”
For now, Rascal Flatts is relying on technology to bring them together and to get the word out about their new music.
Rascal Flatts – quarantine Gary & Joe Don :51
Gary LeVox – “It’s been awesome to have time off. I’ve done all kinds of work around the house, I’ve written songs. I mean you really run out of stuff to do. But it certainly put life back in perspective, for sure. But it’s not where I want to stay. I can’t wait to start going back to work, singing some music, doing something other than what I’ve been doing. But you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do and stay home and stay safe, and that’s the most important thing.”
Joe Don Rooney – “Yeah, the down time’s been pretty good, to be honest. Reconnect with the family and reintroduce myself to my kids. But homeschooling was crazy, I will say that. I have a whole new respect for teachers, instructors out there. I don’t know how they do it. It was challenging but we got through it and I was really proud of my kids, a different deal for them. They miss their friends so bad. It’s really neat though, to have dinner at our dinner table and actually talk, like no devices and actually talk about life and just what they’re going through and their day, and that’s been kind of nice to connect in a really different way with the kids.”