Rascal Flatts are not only great singers, but they’re also great songwriters, having co-written several of their hits, and they say the biggest challenge of being a songwriter is taking the same ideas and emotions that people have been writing about for decades and turning them into fresh, original songs. Gary LeVox says, “As time goes by, as a songwriter and a singer, you take the Merle Haggards and the George Jones and the Earl Thomas Conleys and the Keith Whitleys and you take what was so impactful to you in the stories that they told through song, and you may tell the same story, but you have to tell it a different way.”

The goal isn’t to imitate past writers, but rather to be inspired by them. Gary says, “You have to bring something different to the table and that’s the trick to being a songwriter is taking those classic, iconic heroes, those legends that you grew up with, and being able to say what they said in just a little bit of a different way, and in your own way.”

Rascal Flatts latest single, “I Like the Sound of That,” is off of their Rewind album. They’re currently working on their next album, doing plenty of writing and finding ways to say things just a little differently.

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Rascal Flatts – new ways to say old things (audio via AXS-TV) :41
Gary LeVox – “As time goes by, as a songwriter and a singer, you take the Merle Haggards and the George Jones and the Earl Thomas Conleys and the Keith Whitleys and you take what was so impactful to you in the stories that they told through song, and you may tell the same story, but you have to tell it a different way. There will never be another Charlie Pride, another Merle Haggard, another George Jones, another George Strait. You have to bring something different to the table and that’s the trick to being a songwriter is taking those classic, iconic heroes, those legends that you grew up with, and being able to say what they said in just a little bit of a different way, and in your own way.”

WHAT THEY’RE DOING THIS WEEK – JANUARY 11, 2016 – MONDAY 

• Rascal Flatts will be performing in Vegas in February again this year at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. You can get tickets here.
• There latest single “I Like The Sound of That” entered the top 20 on the charts this week.

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 ‏@rascalflatts Jan 9
Let’s go boys!!! Let’s win us a playoff game today, what’d ya say?!?! #wildcardweekend @Bengals –@JayDeMarcus

Rascal Flatts ‏@rascalflatts Jan 8
Hey Flattheads, Chk out this message below… @JoeDonRooney @JayDeMarcus @GaryLevox @rascalflatts https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYPJ-B2WkAAzPwg.jpg

Rascal Flatts Retweeted J•D•R• ‏@JoeDonRooney Jan 7
Just a little fade for 2016 & some really messy nap hair. Lol #newyear #newhair #nofilter #2016… https://www.instagram.com/p/BAP6GeoIcBh/

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” sits at number 19 this week on the Media Base country charts.

• DEBUT SINGLE: “Prayin For Daylight” in 2000.

NUMBER ONE SONGS – BILLBOARD’S HOT COUNTRY SONGS CHART

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 Flatts

• CURRENT ALBUM: Rewind RELEASED: 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 here.

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)