When Rascal Flatts prepares to record a new album, the songs can come from a variety of places. Joe Don Rooney says they write individually and as a group, and he says, “We do most of our writing on the road, believe it or not. When we’re in town we try to spend time with our families in Nashville, Tennessee, where we live.”
They also get a ton of great songs from outside writers. “Other songwriters write us wonderful songs that we’ve been fortunate enough to cut through the past years,” says Joe Don. “Fourteen years now we’ve been doin’ this and songs like ‘Broken Road’, ‘What Hurts the Most’, ‘Life Is A Highway’, were written by other writers and geez, we’re blessed because of that.”
Rascal Flatts latest single, “Payback,” was written by Aaron Eshuis, Neil Mason and Ryan Hurd.
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Rascal Flatts – creative process :29
Joe Don Rooney – “We all write individually, we write together, we do most of our writing on the road, believe it or not. When we’re in town we try to spend time with our families in Nashville, Tennessee, where we live. I think it’s a group effort and it’s also individual, but we also looks for songs and other songwriters write us wonderful songs that we’ve been fortunate enough to cut through the past years. Fourteen years now we’ve been doin’ this and songs like ‘Broken Road’, ‘What Hurts the Most’, ‘Life Is A Highway’, were written by other writers and geez, we’re blessed because of that.”
WHAT THEY’RE DOING THIS WEEK – NOVEMBER 3, 2014 – MONDAY
Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney has partnered with professional golfer Brian Gay and clothing sponsor Sligo Wear to design a line of golf clothes for men and boys, inspired by and named after his son Jagger. A portion of the proceeds of all Jagger apparel is donated to the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville.
On Thursday (11/6), Rascal Flatts will perform for an exclusive concert for SiriusXM listeners at Fiddle & Steel Guitar Bar in Nashville, the club where they first formed and played in 1999, and which will close at the end of 2014. “Rascal Flatts Rewind—Back to Where It All Began” will air live on Thursday, November 6 at 8:00 pm ET via satellite on SiriusXM’s new Y2Kountry channel 57.
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: “Payback”
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 retweeted
J•D•R• @JoeDonRooney · October 31
So happy for my lil man Jag this morn. He sung his lil pumpkin heart out!
#prouddaddy http://instagram.com/p/u1B_QOocB7/
Rascal Flatts @rascalflatts · October 30
What is your favorite song off of our #REWIND album?
Give it a listen on @YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kogygyyfG5Y
Rascal Flatts retweeted
Grand Ole Opry @opry · October 28
And we’re PINK! Thanks to @rascalflatts for flipping the switch! #OpryGoesPink #Opry @WRFTC
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)