Rascal Flatts: 15 things you might not know about the country trio
Boost your knowledge of the hitmakers!
Last updated 15th Jul 2021
Rascal Flatts, the country group responsible for mammoth hits such as 'These Days', 'Bless the Broken Road' and 'What Hurts the Most', have been together for a whopping 21 years.
During their time together, the band - made up of Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney - have won a plethora of awards and sold an estimated 27 million records worldwide over the last two decades. Their latest release was 'Twenty Years Of Rascal Flatts: The Greatest Hits' in October 2020 to commemorate their long and successful career.
To celebrate the endless accomplishments of the country trio, we've gathered together 15 interesting facts you might not have known about Rascal Flatts.
Rascal Flatts: 15 facts about the country trio
1) The name Rascal Flatts doesn't mean anything
In fact, the band didn't even come up with the name. It was suggested by a friend who had played in a garage band called Rascal Flatts back in the '60s. The trio liked the name so much they signed a contract on a bar napkin to buy the name for $5,000.
2) Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus are related
Not many people realise that Rascal Flatt's lead singer and bass player are actually second cousins.
3) Rascal Flatts have appeared in multiple TV shows and movies
As well as making it big in the music world, Rascal Flatts have also made appearances in television and cinema. They had a cameo in Hannah Montana: The Movie, as well as guests appearances on TV shows CSI, The Voice and American Idol.
4) They've had 14 Number 1 singles
Their first Number 1 was for 'These Days', which was released back in 2002 and their longest-charting Number 1 was 'Bless the Broken Road' which stayed at the top of the charts for five weeks.
5) The first song the band played together was a cover
Rascall Flatts' rendition of the chart-topping 'The Church on Cumberland Road' by Shenandoah has become a signature for the band both on their tours and during TV appearances.
6) Gary LeVox used to be roomates with Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx
They lived together in California during the late '90s when Gary was pursuing his music career. The two remain friends and Jamie Foxx has even joined the band on stage previously.
7) Rascal Flatts have four Grammy award nominations
They might not have won a Grammy during their career yet, but the country music trio have been nominated for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals four times for their songs 'Here Comes Goodbye' (2009), 'Every Day' (2008), 'What Hurts The Most' (2006) and 'Bless The Broken Road' (2005).
8) Jay DeMarcus started his music career in Christian pop group East To West
Jay co-founded the group with school friend Neal Coomer in 1993, but they decided to break up in 1997. Shortly after, Jay join Chely Wright's band and met guitarist Joe Don Rooney. After convincing his cousin Gary to move from their hometown in Columbus, Ohio to Nashville, the trio played their first gig in a local bar and decided to form Rascal Flatts together.
9) Rascal Flatts are members of the Grand Ole Opry
11 years after making their Grand Ole Opry debut, Rascal Flatts were inducted as members of the legendary country music organisation on 8th October 2011.
10) Their single 'What Hurts The Most' was a huge crossover hit
Originally released by Mark Wills in 2003, the song went through various artists before Rascal Flatts took it and made it their own. Not only did the single reach Number 1 on the country charts, but it also topped the adult contemporary charts and reached Number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in 2006. This was the band's first single to reach the Top 10 in the pop charts, and a resurgence in the version's popularity was helped in part by the 2007 cover by German dance group Cascada.
11) Rascal Flatts have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The band unveiled their star, which was the 2,480th star to be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on 17th September 2012.
12) They have two 5x Platinum-selling albums
'Feels Like Today' (2004) and 'Me and My Gang' (2006) are Rascal Flatts highest certified albums, closely followed by 'Melt' which is certified 3x Platinum.
13) Their 2015 chart-topper 'I Like the Sound of That' was written by Meghan Trainor
The Grammy award-winning popstar wrote the song, alongside songwriter Jessie Frasure and Shay Mooney from country duo Dan + Shay, for Rascal Flatt's 2014 'Rewind' album.
14) Rascal Flatts have won 11 ACM awards during their career
Their awards include Group of the Year, Song of The Year for 'I'm Movin' On' and New Vocal Duo or Group. They've also been awarded The Home Depot Humanitarian Award for their charity work and The Jim Reeves International for their outstanding contributions to country music throughout the world.
15) All three members are now pursuing solo projects
After over 20 years of playing together, Rascal Flatts decided to break up in 2020 to pursue new solo projects. The band was set to embark on the 'Rascal Flatts Farewell: Life Is A Highway Tour' last year but this was cancelled indefinitely due to the pandemic.
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