Rascal Flatts has been together for 15 years and while they’ve had their ups and downs, they say they’re experiencing a sense of renewal and excitement, as well as good harmony in the band. Jay DeMarcus reveals a big part of that is someone he calls their “secret weapon,” Dr. Phil (not that Dr. Phil), who is their performance and sort of life coach who travels a lot with them on the road.

Jay reveals about two years ago, “He sat us down. When you get to the point in this career where you need a boost from somebody and he’s been a godsend for us ‘cause he’s become the fourth Flatt for sure. He’s lived with us on the road. We spend a lot a time talkin’ about our goals and what it means to still continue to compete after you’ve been around for 15 years, and it’s been challenging for us (but) it’s been really, really rewarding.”

Jay says Dr. Phil has helped him and Gary and Joe Don navigate through those times when they weren’t necessarily in the spotlight or didn’t have a song on the charts, when it would have been easy to focus on their families and their personal lives and forget about work. Jay says it in those times, “You’ve got to rediscover that in some ways. When you’ve had success it’s easy to rest on that and go; well, we’ve done that, and not be as hungry. And so, it’s been fun to reinvigorate ourselves and find new hunger and new fire and new drive, to still wanna be relevant in this business, and we feel like we are.”

Rascal Flatts is top 30 and climbing with their latest single, “Riot,” and they’ll kick off the Riot Tour May 29th in St. Louis, Missouri, with special guest Scotty McCreery.

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Rascal Flatts – performance coach Dr. Phil 1:01
Jay DeMarcus – “We have a secret weapon too, and it’s Dr. Phil right back there. He’s been on the road with us the last two years as our performance coach, and he sat us down. When you get to the point in this career where you need a boost from somebody and he’s been a godsend for us ‘cause he’s become the fourth Flatt for sure. He’s lived with us on the road. We spend a lot a time talkin’ about our goals and what it means to still continue to compete after you’ve been around for 15 years, and it’s been challenging for us. It’s been really, really rewarding because as you get older and you have a little more maturity and you grow up a little bit different things become important. And we all have families now, we all have kids, and finding and keeping that hunger you have when you have nothing, when you don’t have a song on the chart and you haven’t sold a record, you’ve got to rediscover that in some ways. When you’ve had success it’s easy to rest on that and go; well, we’ve done that, and not be as hungry. And so, it’s been fun to reinvigorate ourselves and find new hunger and new fire and new drive, to still wanna be relevant in this business, and we feel like we are.”

WHAT THEY’RE DOING THIS WEEK – APRIL 20, 2015 – MONDAY 

Rascal Flatts performed on last night’s (4/19) ACM Awards in Dallas where they were nominated for Vocal Group of the Year. The guys have also been gearing up for their “Riot! Tour,” which kicks off in late May.

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 two girls (one baby girl born September 2014) and a boy.

DEBUT SINGLE: “Prayin For Daylight” in 2000.

DEBUT ALBUM: Rascal Flatts released on 2000.

CURRENT ALBUM: Rewind  RELEASED: March 4, 2014

CURRENT SINGLE: “Riot” sits at number 28 on the country charts this week.

GRAND OLE OPRY DEBUT: In 2000. They were made members of the Grand Ole Opry on October 8, 2011.

LATEST MUSIC VIDEO – 2015 – “Riot”

RECENT TWEETS:

Rascal Flatts @rascalflatts · Sunday, April 19
Tune in TONIGHT to see the guys perform on the @ACMawards with @xtina! 8PM ET on @CBS #ACMAwards50 http://bit.ly/1bcj47J

Rascal Flatts @rascalflatts · April 17
Flattheads, check out #Fly video by @AvrilLavigne: http://vevo.ly/RS0sl0. Proceeds from the song will go to support @SpecialOlympics!

Rascal Flatts @rascalflatts · April 17
Flattheads, Help promote our new single “Riot” + earn points to win prizes like tix to #RiotTour + merch! Enter here: http://tuns.pk/jWSDQ54

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)