Rascal Flatts has been playing arenas and stadiums for many years now, but every once in a while they miss the intimacy and connection of their old club shows. Jay DeMarcus says, “That’s kind a where we cut our teeth. We started out as a bar band, so we’re playin’ in front of twenty people sometimes, so there are elements about those days that we talk about all the time that we miss because you can’t manufacture the feeling of being in front of a small crowd and connecting on every single level to the very last person in the very last row of the back.”
While Rascal Flatts is incredibly grateful that their career is where it is now, Jay says sometimes they long for a bit of the intimacy that you can only get from playing in a small club. He says, “That’s one of the things that I love most about performing live. When we first started out doing covers down Printer’s Alley one of the most fun things was to be able to see the crowd dancin’ out there and know what the crowd wanted next, and feed off of them and know how to take the crowd on the ride with you. When you do an arena show and the lights have to sync up to the sound and the sound has to sync up to the music, and all of that, things are a little bit more mapped out and you lose some of that spontaneity.”
Even in arenas the guys find ways to connect with their fans while delivering their hits, like their latest #1 song, “I Like the Sound of That,” on a grander scale.
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Rascal Flatts – playing bars and clubs 1:08
Jay DeMarcus – “And that’s kind a where we cut our teeth. We started out as a bar band, so we’re playin’ in front of twenty people sometimes, so there are elements about those days that we talk about all the time that we miss because you can’t manufacture the feeling of being in front of a small crowd and connecting on every single level to the very last person in the very last row of the back. And I think when you start to evolve into a headline act and things get bigger some of that intimacy, and some of that energy gets lost a little bit. So, being in a room like The Joint definitely takes you back to those days to where you’re feeding off the crowd every single second, and that’s one of the things that I love most about performing live. When we first started out doing covers down Printer’s Alley one of the most fun things was to be able to see the crowd dancin’ out there and know what the crowd wanted next, and feed off of them and know how to take the crowd on the ride with you. When you do an arena show and the lights have to sync up to the sound and the sound has to sync up to the music, and all of that, things are a little bit more mapped out and you lose some of that spontaneity.”
WHAT THEY’RE DOING THIS WEEK – APRIL 25, 2016 – MONDAY
- Rascal Flatts’ “I Like The Sound of That” scored a number on recently becoming the trio’s first chart topper since 2012’s “Banjo.”
- The guys play the Grand Ole Opry on May 3 and then again on May 10.
- Jay DeMarcus celebrates a birthday on Tuesday (4/26).
RASCAL FLATTS – JUST THE FACTS
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.rascalflatts.com
FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/rascalflatts
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/rascalflatts
RECENT TWEETS:
Rascal Flatts Retweeted Jay DeMarcus @JayDeMarcus Apr 22
Happy 80th Birthday to one of the best music men ever, Mr. Glen Campbell… #legend #HappyBDayGlen #Aprilbabies
Rascal Flatts Retweeted Jay DeMarcus @JayDeMarcus Apr 22
How many huge musical icons are we going to lose?! Prince was revolutionary, his contributions to the industry can’t be counted… RIP
Rascal Flatts @rascalflatts Apr 19
THANK YOU Flattheads & country radio for making #ILiketheSoundofThat our 16th #1 song!
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/demarcusflatt/
MEMBERS: Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney
BIRTH DATES: Gary – July 10, 1970 (He’s 45) Jay – April 26, 1971 (He’s 44) Joe Don – September 13, 1975 (He’s 40)
HOMETOWN / ORIGIN: Columbus, Ohio (Gary and Jay) Picher, Oklahoma (Joe Don)
WIVES: Gary’s wife’s name is Tara. Jay’s wife’s name is Allison. Joe Don’s wife’s name is Tiffany.
CHILDREN: Gary has two daughters, Jay has a daughter and a son and Joe Don has two girls (one baby girl born September 2014) and a boy.
- CURRENT SINGLE: “I Like The Sound of That” went number one!
- DEBUT SINGLE: “Prayin For Daylight” in 2000.
NUMBER ONE SONGS – BILLBOARD’S HOT COUNTRY SONGS CHART
Banjo – Rascal Flatts – 2012
Here Comes Goodbye – Rascal Flatts – Unstoppable – April 2009
Here – Rascal Flatts – Still Feels Good – January 2009
Stand – Rascal Flatts – Me and My Gang – May 2007
My Wish – Rascal Flatts – Me and My Gang – December 2006
Fast Cars And Freedom – Rascal Flatts – Feels Like Today – July 2005
Bless The Broken Road – Rascal Flatts – Feels Like Today – February 2005
Mayberry – Rascal Flatts – Live DVD – May 2004
- DEBUT ALBUM: Rascal Flats
- CURRENT ALBUM: RewindRELEASED: March 4, 2014
THE STUDIO ALBUMS
Rewind – March 2014
Changed – April 2012
Nothing Like This – November 2010
Unstoppable – April 2009
Still Feels Good – September 2007
Me and My Gang – April 2006
Feels Like Today – September 2004
Melt – October 2002
Rascal Flatts – June 2000
- GRAND OLE OPRY DEBUT: In 2000. They were made members of the Grand Ole Opry on October 8, 2011.
- LATEST MUSIC VIDEO – 2015 – “I Like The Sound of That” You can see it
RASCAL FLATTS – AWARD WINS
2000 – Academy of Country Music – Top New Vocal Duo Or Group (presented 2001)
2002 – Country Music Association – Horizon Award
2002 – Academy of Country Music – Song of the Year (“I’m Movin’ On”) (presented 2003)
2002 – Academy of Country Music – Top Vocal Group (presented 2003)
2003 – CMT Flameworthy – Video Music Award for Group/Duo of the Year (“These Days”)
2003 – Country Music Association – Vocal Group of the Year
2003 – Academy of Country Music – Top Vocal Group (presented 2004)
2004 – CMT Flameworthy – Music Video Award for Group/Duo of the Year (“I Melt”)
2004 – Country Music Association – Vocal Group
2004 – Academy of Country Music – Top Vocal Group (presented 2005)
2005 – CMT Music Award – Group/Duo of the Year (“Feels Like Today”)
2005 – Country Music Association – Vocal Group of the Year
2005 – Academy of Country Music – Top Vocal Group (presented 2006)
2005 – Radio Music Award – Song of the Year/Country Radio (“Bless The Broken Road”)
2005 – Billboard – Roadworks ’05 Touring Awards for Breakthrough Act[56]
2006 – CMT Music Award – Group/Duo of the Year (“Skin (Sarabeth)”)[57]
2006 – Country Music Association – Vocal Group of the Year
2006 – American Music Award – Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group
2006 – American Music Award – T-Mobile Text-In Award
2006 – People’s Choice Award – Favorite Song from a Movie (“Life Is A Highway”)
2006 – People’s Choice Award – Favorite Song Remake (“Life Is A Highway”)
2006 – CMT Loaded Awards – Number One Digitally Active Group/Duo
2006 – CMT Loaded Awards – Number One Streamed Music Video (“What Hurts the Most”)
2006 – Grammy Award – Best Country Song (“Bless the Broken Road”); songwriter award
2007 – CMT Music Award – Group Video of the Year (“What Hurts the Most”)
2007 – Academy of Country Music – Top Vocal Group (presented 2008)
2007 – Country Music Association – Vocal Group of the Year
2007 – American Music Award – Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group
2007 – BMI – Song of The Year (“What Hurts The Most”)
2008 – People’s Choice Awards – Favorite Country Song (“Stand”)
2008 – CMT Music Award – Group Video of the Year (“Take Me There”)
2008 – Academy of Country Music – Top Vocal Group (presented 2009)
2008 – Academy of Country Music – Humanitarian Award
2008 – Country Music Association – Vocal Group of the Year
2008 – American Music Award – Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group
2009 – People’s Choice Award – Favorite Group
2009 – CMT Music Award – Group Video of the Year (“Every Day”)
2010 – Star on the Music City Walk of Fame
2010 – American Country Award – Decade Artist award
2011 – Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award
2011 – CMT Music Award – for Collaborative Video of the Year (“That Should Be Me”)
2011 – Member of the Grand Ole Opry
2012 – CRS 2012 – Artist Humanitarian Award
2012 – Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
2013 – Academy of Country Music – Jim Reeves International Award (presented 2014)