Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts is an avid golfer. In fact he was recently ranked #16 on the list of the top 100 Golfers in Music according to Golf Digest. If he had the chance to put together his dream golf foursome, he says he would start with the legendary Arnold Palmer. “He’s slowly not playing much golf anymore, so if I caught him on a good day, it’d be great to have him part of my foursome,” says Joe Don.
His next pick might seem a little funny to some people, but Joe Don says, “Somebody I’ve not played golf with, that I know loves golf, is Alice Cooper.” Alice was ranked 13th on Golf Digest’s list of Top 100 Golfers in Music and Joe Don says, “I think that’d be so cool to go out and play with Alice Cooper as well, partly to hear all of his amazing stories, ‘cause I can’t imagine the stories he could tell, on a golf course especially.”
Finally, Joe Don says he’d love to have Tiger Woods as the final member of his dream golf foursome. “I’ve never played with him. It’d be pretty awesome to get to play with Tiger. So, it’d be Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and, of course, Alice Cooper. That’s quite a random foursome. That’d be amazing though.”
Joe Don manages to find golf courses all over the country when Rascal Flatts is on tour. For now he’s playing closer to home while the group promotes their latest single, “Riot,” and plans their next tour.
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Rascal Flatts – Joe Don dream golf foursome :51
“I would probably choose Mr. Arnold Palmer, for sure, as he’s getting up there in years. He’s slowly not playing much golf anymore, so if I caught him on a good day, it’d be great to have him part of my foursome. And also, this is gonna be funny, but somebody I’ve not played golf with, that I know loves golf, is Alice Cooper, and I think that’d be so cool to go out and play with Alice Cooper as well, partly to hear all of his amazing stories, ‘cause I can’t imagine the stories he could tell, on a golf course especially. And then also, probably the fourth, I’d probably bring along, I guess Tiger Woods probably be pretty cool to have. I’ve never played with him, it’d be pretty awesome to get to play with Tiger. So, it’d be Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and, of course, Alice Cooper. That’s quite a random foursome. That’d be amazing though.”
WHAT THEY’RE DOING THIS WEEK – JANUARY 19, 2015 – MONDAY
On Saturday (1/17) Rascal Flatts performed at the Ohio Governor’s inaugural ball in Gary and Jay’s home state.
Meanwhile, the guys have been nominated for International Video of the Year for their Rewind music video and International Artist of the Year at the CMC Music Awards 2015. And last week it was announced that NBC’s The Voice winner Craig Wayne Boyd is set to open for the trio at their Vegas Riot! residency at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which kicks off next month.
RASCAL FLATTS – JUST THE FACTS
MEMBERS: Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney
BIRTH DATES: Gary – July 10, 1970 (He’s 44) Jay – April 26, 1971 (He’s 43) Joe Don – September 13, 1975 (He’s 39)
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 a girl and a boy with a baby on the way.
DEBUT SINGLE: “Prayin For Daylight” in 2000.
DEBUT ALBUM: Rascal Flatts released on 2000.
CURRENT ALBUM: Rewind RELEASED: March 4, 2014
CURRENT SINGLE: “Riot”
GRAND OLE OPRY DEBUT: In 2000. They were made members of the Grand Ole Opry on October 8, 2011.
LATEST MUSIC VIDEO – 2014 – “Payback”
RECENT TWEETS:
Rascal Flatts @rascalflatts · Saturday, January 17
RT @JoeDonRooney Just singing at the gov’s inaugural ball tonight…. What y’all doing? 🙂 http://instagram.com/p/x-tT-IocC9/
Rascal Flatts retweeted
J•D•R• @JoeDonRooney · January 15
Staying warm with one of my angels http://instagram.com/p/x4mClgocNM/
Rascal Flatts @rascalflatts · January 13
Our new single “Riot” is at country radio now! You can download it on @iTunesMusic here: http://smarturl.it/rewindiIT
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)