When you look at the country music landscape these days, the spectrum of music is pretty wide, but Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts thinks it’s great. The music is always evolving, and Jay says, “I think one of the great things about Country music, as a genre, is we’ve allowed ourselves to be open-minded and allowed people to come in and make music that may not be traditional Country music, in the sense that you hear somebody like a George Strait, or George Jones or Merle Haggard, but we’re very, very tolerant of people expressing themselves through the art of music, and we’re one of the only genres where you can meld rap music together and loops and hip hop beats and put a steel guitar on it and it falls in line with Country music.”

While some people complain about the evolution of country music from its traditional roots and the fact that the boundaries are constantly being pushed, Jay says, “I think it’s fantastic because we still have our traditional artists, but we still have people that very much push the edge of what Country music is and what people consider to be Country.”

Rascal Flatts’ is kicking off 2016 with their latest single, “I Like the Sound of That,” hovering right around the top 20 while they work on their next album to release later this year.

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Rascal Flatts – span of country (audio via AXS-TV) :42
Jay DeMarcus – “I think one of the great things about Country music, as a genre, is we’ve allowed ourselves to be open-minded and allowed people to come in and make music that may not be traditional Country music, in the sense that you hear somebody like a George Strait, or George Jones or Merle Haggard, but we’re very, very tolerant of people expressing themselves through the art of music, and we’re one of the only genres where you can meld rap music together and loops and hip hop beats and put a steel guitar on it and it falls in line with Country music, and I think it’s fantastic because we still have our traditional artists, but we still have people that very much push the edge of what Country music is and what people consider to be Country.”

WHAT THEY’RE DOING THIS WEEK – JANUARY 4, 2016 – MONDAY 

• Rascal Flatts recently released their brand new music video for “I Like the Sound of That.” It can be seen exclusively on Tidal here.
• The guys will be performing in Vegas in February again this year at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. You can get tickets here.

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 30 Dec 2015
Headed back to Vegas for our second tour of duty at @TheJointLV Feb 17-Mar 5. Come out and see us!! Get tix here: http://www.rascalflatts.com/events

Rascal Flatts Retweeted Jay DeMarcus ‏@JayDeMarcus 26 Dec 2015
I hope everyone had one of your best Christmases ever, surrounded by the people you love. Life is too short, soak it up, breathe it in…

Rascal Flatts ‏@rascalflatts 25 Dec 2015
Merry Christmas! We hope you’re having a great holiday season. https://twitter.com/rascalflatts/status/680517442397843457

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 22 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)