Rascal Flatts on Game 4 anthem
10/27/13 | 00:02:1010/27/13: Rascal Flatts joins Tara Gore of MLB.com to talk about preparing to sing the national anthem prior to Game 4 and their new album
Source MLB.com
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Rascal Flatts Interview @ World Series
Source MLB.com
Monday, November 14, 2011
Luke Bryan on the Red Carpet for Ellen
I love Ellen! She is so funny. Check out this video of Luke Bryan on the red carpet at the 2011 CMA Awards as Ellen's correspondent. He interviews Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Lionel Richie and Reba.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Rascal Flatts Next Album Scheduled For April 2012 Release
Now that the tour is over Rascal Flatts will work to finish their next album and spend time with family in Nashville, TN. The trio consisting of Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney have announced that the scheduled release for their next album is April 3, 2012. This will be the second release under the Big Machine Label following thier current Nothing Like This album. Nothing Like This has produced two number one hits Why Wait and I Won't Let Go with the most recent single Easy currently in the 15th position on Billborad's Top 100 Country Songs and making a steady climb up the charts. This will be the groups eighth studio album since hitting the airwaves with Praying For Daylight in 2000 off their self titled debut Rascal Flatts.
Check out this video (recorded at the iHeart Radio Festival) as Rascal Flatts along with Natasha Bedingfield discuss their latest video Easy and the upcoming album release.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Rascal Flatts Reaction To Opry Invitation
Congratulations Rascal Flatts!
Watch the video below to see and hear Rascal Flatts reaction to their recent Opry invitation.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Jay DeMarcus Interview on "Long Road To Nashville"
I found this interview with Jay and Wayne DeMarcus tucked away where I had prepared it (in March 2011) but had not actually posted it! So now, 6 months later for your enjoyment 3 videos of Jay and Wayne DeMarcus on Long Road To Nashville with Jonalee White.
Rascal Flatts Discuss iHeart Radio Music Festival
Check out this video of Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus as they discuss the upcoming iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. The sold out festival will run September 23 and 24.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
"I Won't Let Go" #1 Party
Rascal Flatts single I Won't Let Go is the second release from their Nothing Like This album to make it to the number one spot giving Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney their 13th song to top the charts. The group celebrated the occasion at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville, TN and Y'all*Wire was there with their cameras rolling. Check out this video of Rascal Flatts acceptance speech and an interview with songwriter Jason Sellers.
Congratulations Rascal Flatts on your 13th #1 hit!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Rascal Flatts Surgery Center
This is straight of the pages of ......
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Rascal Flatts has raised nearly $3 million over the past several years through concerts and other events, and they also have spent generous amounts of time with children and families. Money from their fundraisers will be used to build a new specialized radiology suite.
As a tribute to their continued dedication, Children's Hospital administration will unveil the naming of the pediatric surgical suite as the “Rascal Flatts Surgery Center.”
“In honor of the extraordinary philanthropic commitment of Rascal Flatts to our patients and families at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, we are truly delighted to announce the naming of the new Rascal Flatts Surgery Center,” said Jonathan Gitlin, M.D., James C. Overall Professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics.
“Most importantly, this center, which houses all our existing and new surgical programs, will become the home for our new state-of-the-art interventional radiology suite for the care of children with heart disease, cancer and other critical surgical and medical problems.”
Rascal Flatts members, whose photos and albums decorate walls in Children's Hospital, said they are humbled by the generous display of appreciation.
“We became involved with the work at Children's Hospital so that children will continue to have a wonderful place to get better and to help their families move on with their lives,” said Gary LeVox. “We have built some long-lasting relationships, not only with the staff, but with some of the kids and their parents as well.”
Rascal Flatts' contributions will allow Children's Hospital's surgery center to develop a new interventional radiology suite to expand services offered to families.
Pediatric surgeons and radiologists will use the suite for challenging surgical issues that involve procedures such as liver transplants and difficult abdomen and chest infections.
Designs have been drafted to build the suite on the third floor of the hospital.
It will include high-tech radiology equipment and devices, including a bi-planar imaging system.
More than 12,700 pediatric surgeries are performed each year at Children's Hospital.
Doctors conduct general and specialized surgeries on children, from infancy to adolescence, to address a myriad of congenital and acquired health conditions.
“We are so fortunate to have forged a relationship with Rascal Flatts. I continue to be amazed, as I have told them, by their level of commitment to this hospital,” said John Brock III, M.D., surgeon in chief of Children's Hospital. “Their gift to develop an interventional radiology suite will allow us to further our services for children.”
A sign that bears the group's name will adorn the entrance to the surgery center.
“All parents and children who enter the area will walk under the Rascal Flatts sign, but the words we write will never adequately express what they have done and how people like them, as well as others, allow us to do what we do,” Brock said.
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Rascal Flatts honored for tireless support
10/28/2010 - Award-winning music group Rascal Flatts is being honored today at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital for their unwavering devotion to the care of children.Rascal Flatts has raised nearly $3 million over the past several years through concerts and other events, and they also have spent generous amounts of time with children and families. Money from their fundraisers will be used to build a new specialized radiology suite.
As a tribute to their continued dedication, Children's Hospital administration will unveil the naming of the pediatric surgical suite as the “Rascal Flatts Surgery Center.”
“In honor of the extraordinary philanthropic commitment of Rascal Flatts to our patients and families at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital, we are truly delighted to announce the naming of the new Rascal Flatts Surgery Center,” said Jonathan Gitlin, M.D., James C. Overall Professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics.
“Most importantly, this center, which houses all our existing and new surgical programs, will become the home for our new state-of-the-art interventional radiology suite for the care of children with heart disease, cancer and other critical surgical and medical problems.”
Rascal Flatts members, whose photos and albums decorate walls in Children's Hospital, said they are humbled by the generous display of appreciation.
“We became involved with the work at Children's Hospital so that children will continue to have a wonderful place to get better and to help their families move on with their lives,” said Gary LeVox. “We have built some long-lasting relationships, not only with the staff, but with some of the kids and their parents as well.”
Rascal Flatts' contributions will allow Children's Hospital's surgery center to develop a new interventional radiology suite to expand services offered to families.
Pediatric surgeons and radiologists will use the suite for challenging surgical issues that involve procedures such as liver transplants and difficult abdomen and chest infections.
Designs have been drafted to build the suite on the third floor of the hospital.
It will include high-tech radiology equipment and devices, including a bi-planar imaging system.
More than 12,700 pediatric surgeries are performed each year at Children's Hospital.
Doctors conduct general and specialized surgeries on children, from infancy to adolescence, to address a myriad of congenital and acquired health conditions.
“We are so fortunate to have forged a relationship with Rascal Flatts. I continue to be amazed, as I have told them, by their level of commitment to this hospital,” said John Brock III, M.D., surgeon in chief of Children's Hospital. “Their gift to develop an interventional radiology suite will allow us to further our services for children.”
A sign that bears the group's name will adorn the entrance to the surgery center.
“All parents and children who enter the area will walk under the Rascal Flatts sign, but the words we write will never adequately express what they have done and how people like them, as well as others, allow us to do what we do,” Brock said.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Great Day in Columbus, Ohio
I am happy to report that it was a successful day for both Rascal Flatts and OSU Buckeye's. As you see from this photo Rascal Flatts was able to complete their joint mission with Hershey's, then they performed beautifully and Ohio won!
"We're doing the build it, wrap it and grill it with S'mores," LeVox explained of his S'mores making strategy.
What a great day for Rascal Flatts members Joe Don Rooney a native of Oklahoma, Jay DeMarcus and Gary LeVox both from Ohio, as they becoming the first people to ever sing the National Anthem during the pregame festivities. I am sure this day held special meaning to Gary who is an alumni of Ohio State University.
"There is nothing like Ohio State Buckeye football," said lead singer Gary LeVox "Especially for Jay and I being back home, we grew up right here and we bleed scarlet and gray."
Regulars on the Ohio State campus, attending day practices this year with the approval of their close friend, Jim Tressel. Before the game Gary LeVox was heard joking ...
"We've drawn up a few plays [for him]"
And on a more serious note he also noted ...
"Coach Tressel is one of the finest men on the planet. He's not only a great coach but his heart and who he is as a person is actually maybe more magnificent than his coaching abilities."
~ Congratulations Rascal Flatts & OSU Buckeyes well done! ~
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Rascal Flatts Reflects on 10 Epic Years
Find this page online at: http://www.rodeoattitude.com/spur/countrymusic/headlines/rascal-flatts-reflects-on-4994.shtml
Posted Tuesday, August 24, 2010
It’s the year 2000. “Gladiator” is named Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Gas costs around $1.60 a gallon. The Tennessee Titans make it to the Super Bowl, only to lose to the St. Louis Rams by seven points. “Hanging chad” enters the political vernacular. Entertainer of the Year is among the honors extended to the Dixie Chicks at the CMA Awards. And a new group named Rascal Flatts, composed of Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney, releases its debut single, “Prayin’ for Daylight,” written by Steve Bogard and Rick Giles.
Fast-forward a decade. The trio has sold more than 20 million albums, with the latest, Unstoppable, certified Platinum and all the rest achieving multi-Platinum status. They had one of the top-grossing tours over the past few years and hit the top of the charts 11 times. Their six consecutive Vocal Group of the Year triumphs at the CMA Awards tie the record set by The Statler Brothers, who won nine times overall in that category. They have played 400 dates as a headline act, more than 700 since 2000, with a ticket tally of nearly six million. These shows have included three consecutive sold-out performances at Madison Square Garden and the first and only concert by a Country artist to sell out Wrigley Field.
They are also marking their 10th anniversary in the business with numerous celebrations, which included honoring their loyal fans at CMA Music Festival by signing autographs and performing a short acoustic set in the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall. Their scorching Festival set at LP Field was a practice run for their “JC Penney Presents Rascal Flatts Nothing Like This Tour.” On this trek, the guys take their fans on a musical journey, spanning their 10 years of hits, from that first single to their most recent smash, “Unstoppable.”
They also entertained attendees at Country Radio Seminar in February by showing somewhat amusing older band photographs and performing some of their hits. That same month they paid tribute to Blair Daly, Marcus Hummon, Wendell Mobley, Jeffrey Steele, Neil Thrasher and the rest of the more than 75 songwriters who have contributed to the band’s six studio albums with a festive event at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.
“That was a lot of fun,” recalled Rooney. “They’ve been such supporters of ours for the past 10 years. It all starts with a hit song, a great song, so we thought it would be cool to give back to them. It was a wonderful evening, and they all got up and sang their songs that they wrote for us. It was really cool to hear them do their versions of so many great songs.”
There is no sure-fire way to achieve success in the music business, much less sustain that achievement for a decade. But for Rascal Flatts, the formula truly does begin with the music. “We just really concentrated and focused so hard on picking and writing and cutting the greatest songs that we could cut,” said LeVox. “I think our personalities have helped, but it all comes down to the music that we’ve cut and the lives that we’ve touched that way. Being fans of music first, we always, from Day One, put on a live show that we would want to go see. I think all those kinds of things combined really helped get us where we are. But I would say our music has probably been the No. 1 factor.”
Many of the band’s peers agree, especially those who have known them the longest. “The Flatts came to our fan club party with an acoustic guitar and three great voices,” said Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn in a written statement, recalling their first meeting. “Joe Don, Gary and Jay are all blessed with the gift of talent God gave. They can write, play, sing and entertain millions with an ease that is unmatched. … But most importantly, they are great guys who we are proud to call friends.”
Rascal Flatts traveled with Brooks & Dunn on the duo’s “Neon Circus and Wild West Show” in 2003; they also opened shows for Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and Jo Dee Messina before they began headlining their own tours. Part of their success over the years stems from watching and learning from those acts who took them on the road.
“We got to steal a lot of their ideas when it came time to headline,” said DeMarcus, with a laugh, as Rooney added, “That’s actually a true statement.”
“It really puts you in a place, in all due respect to all of those acts, because they were certainly instrumental to us,” DeMarcus continued. “But it puts us in a place to learn what to do and what not to do, and you can learn a little bit of both by being out there with big headlining tours like that. And we learned how we wanted to run our crew, how we wanted to treat our people. They were very good tours. They treated their people very well, and they treated us as an opening act very well.”
According to Trey Turner, who co-manages Rascal Flatts with Doug Nichols under the auspices of Turner & Nichols and Associates, there is plenty for upcoming artists to learn from the example of this group in terms of staying successful and relevant. “I think it’s all due to the act,” he suggested. “They have to stay hungry. They have to want to keep going, because you get into making the money that they make, it’s not about where they were 10 years ago. It’s about what the next 10 years is going to be. They have to want it, and they have to want to go do it, because this is a very tough business and it’s so easy to say, ‘I’m gonna stay at the house this year, or two years or three years.’
“The other thing that is so important for a group is the bond between the people,” Turner continued. “It’s so easy for a group to not make it, just personality-wise. It’s like a second marriage, and they have to really be committed to each other, so that’s a big factor in a group. The other factor is the music. It’s not about who wrote what or who publishes what. It really gets down to every album they cut. They look at the best song and the best song wins.”
Summing up, Turner said, “To me, when you’ve got those three things going together, it’s a magical combination because then you’re going to be successful and you can go compete. The business is too hard to put out one bad song after another. So if you’ve got them wanting to be together and wanting to be a group and wanting to cut hit songs, and you still have that hunger to go fight and do what you need to do and get up and do radio and videos and press, now you’re talking about the next 10 years. That’s what they’ve rededicated themselves to do.”
The immediate future for Rascal Flatts includes a new album, Nothing Like This, scheduled to release Nov. 16 on their new label, Big Machine Records. According to DeMarcus, it will complete the 10-year saga by harking back to aspects of the band’s earlier sound. “The first couple of records we did with Dann (Huff, producer), Me and My Gang and Still Feels Good, we went down a path to where we really captured the high energy of our shows — a lot of big arena-rock sound and big massive ballads. It was a bit of a departure for us from Feels Like Today and Melt, which tended to be more rootsy and a little more Country and focused on our vocals more than our big-band presentation.”
“I feel we’ve recaptured a little bit of what the old Flatts records were about, both with being a little more Country and a little more focused on the vocals and not so much on the bigness of things,” Rooney concurred. “We’ve gone back to a little bit more of the heart and soul of what the older Flatts (albums) were about. It feels like a new beginning, like we’re evolving a little bit and showing some growth once again.”
With their former label, Lyric Street Records, shuttered, the group expressed its enthusiasm over joining the Big Machine family at a special media event in a vast open suite overlooking Downtown Nashville from the 22nd floor of The Pinnacle at Symphony Place. Following opening remarks from Scott Borchetta, President/CEO, Big Machine Label Group, Rascal Flatts emerged from behind black curtains at the back of the room to field questions.
The mood was upbeat, as Borchetta and the trio briefly improvised some dance steps as speakers pumped out the album’s debut single, "Why Wait," written by Neil Thrasher, Tom Shapiro and Jimmy Yeary. But consistent with the spirit of their anniversary year, they were thoughtful too.
“We feel like we’re just getting started,” DeMarcus mused. “We keep celebrating 10 years but we feel like there’s so much left to do. Not very many people who get into this industry are able to look back and say they’ve been able to do it for 10 years. That’s what we’re really thankful and grateful for.”
LeVox echoed this point. “When our day is done and it’s time for us to go home and our time on Earth has passed, one thing that we’ll never have to do is to ask ‘what if?’ Never — because we did it.”
“We all feel the same way,” Rooney affirmed. “I’ve learned that you can take chances and make things happen with a leap of faith, as simple as that sounds. If you can dream it, it can be accomplished.”
Rascal Flatts will appear on “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock,” a three-hour television special to air Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 8/7c on the ABC Television Network. Hosted by Tim McGraw, the “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” television special also features performances by Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, McGraw, Justin Moore, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Uncle Kracker, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.
Visit www.ABC.com to view a series of 20 online videos of behind-the-scenes action of the 2010 CMA Music Festival.
"CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" is executive produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson. The 2010 CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" is filmed in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
On the Web: www.RascalFlatts.com
Posted Tuesday, August 24, 2010
It’s the year 2000. “Gladiator” is named Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Gas costs around $1.60 a gallon. The Tennessee Titans make it to the Super Bowl, only to lose to the St. Louis Rams by seven points. “Hanging chad” enters the political vernacular. Entertainer of the Year is among the honors extended to the Dixie Chicks at the CMA Awards. And a new group named Rascal Flatts, composed of Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney, releases its debut single, “Prayin’ for Daylight,” written by Steve Bogard and Rick Giles.
Fast-forward a decade. The trio has sold more than 20 million albums, with the latest, Unstoppable, certified Platinum and all the rest achieving multi-Platinum status. They had one of the top-grossing tours over the past few years and hit the top of the charts 11 times. Their six consecutive Vocal Group of the Year triumphs at the CMA Awards tie the record set by The Statler Brothers, who won nine times overall in that category. They have played 400 dates as a headline act, more than 700 since 2000, with a ticket tally of nearly six million. These shows have included three consecutive sold-out performances at Madison Square Garden and the first and only concert by a Country artist to sell out Wrigley Field.
They are also marking their 10th anniversary in the business with numerous celebrations, which included honoring their loyal fans at CMA Music Festival by signing autographs and performing a short acoustic set in the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall. Their scorching Festival set at LP Field was a practice run for their “JC Penney Presents Rascal Flatts Nothing Like This Tour.” On this trek, the guys take their fans on a musical journey, spanning their 10 years of hits, from that first single to their most recent smash, “Unstoppable.”
They also entertained attendees at Country Radio Seminar in February by showing somewhat amusing older band photographs and performing some of their hits. That same month they paid tribute to Blair Daly, Marcus Hummon, Wendell Mobley, Jeffrey Steele, Neil Thrasher and the rest of the more than 75 songwriters who have contributed to the band’s six studio albums with a festive event at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.
“That was a lot of fun,” recalled Rooney. “They’ve been such supporters of ours for the past 10 years. It all starts with a hit song, a great song, so we thought it would be cool to give back to them. It was a wonderful evening, and they all got up and sang their songs that they wrote for us. It was really cool to hear them do their versions of so many great songs.”
There is no sure-fire way to achieve success in the music business, much less sustain that achievement for a decade. But for Rascal Flatts, the formula truly does begin with the music. “We just really concentrated and focused so hard on picking and writing and cutting the greatest songs that we could cut,” said LeVox. “I think our personalities have helped, but it all comes down to the music that we’ve cut and the lives that we’ve touched that way. Being fans of music first, we always, from Day One, put on a live show that we would want to go see. I think all those kinds of things combined really helped get us where we are. But I would say our music has probably been the No. 1 factor.”
Many of the band’s peers agree, especially those who have known them the longest. “The Flatts came to our fan club party with an acoustic guitar and three great voices,” said Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn in a written statement, recalling their first meeting. “Joe Don, Gary and Jay are all blessed with the gift of talent God gave. They can write, play, sing and entertain millions with an ease that is unmatched. … But most importantly, they are great guys who we are proud to call friends.”
Rascal Flatts traveled with Brooks & Dunn on the duo’s “Neon Circus and Wild West Show” in 2003; they also opened shows for Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and Jo Dee Messina before they began headlining their own tours. Part of their success over the years stems from watching and learning from those acts who took them on the road.
“We got to steal a lot of their ideas when it came time to headline,” said DeMarcus, with a laugh, as Rooney added, “That’s actually a true statement.”
“It really puts you in a place, in all due respect to all of those acts, because they were certainly instrumental to us,” DeMarcus continued. “But it puts us in a place to learn what to do and what not to do, and you can learn a little bit of both by being out there with big headlining tours like that. And we learned how we wanted to run our crew, how we wanted to treat our people. They were very good tours. They treated their people very well, and they treated us as an opening act very well.”
According to Trey Turner, who co-manages Rascal Flatts with Doug Nichols under the auspices of Turner & Nichols and Associates, there is plenty for upcoming artists to learn from the example of this group in terms of staying successful and relevant. “I think it’s all due to the act,” he suggested. “They have to stay hungry. They have to want to keep going, because you get into making the money that they make, it’s not about where they were 10 years ago. It’s about what the next 10 years is going to be. They have to want it, and they have to want to go do it, because this is a very tough business and it’s so easy to say, ‘I’m gonna stay at the house this year, or two years or three years.’
“The other thing that is so important for a group is the bond between the people,” Turner continued. “It’s so easy for a group to not make it, just personality-wise. It’s like a second marriage, and they have to really be committed to each other, so that’s a big factor in a group. The other factor is the music. It’s not about who wrote what or who publishes what. It really gets down to every album they cut. They look at the best song and the best song wins.”
Summing up, Turner said, “To me, when you’ve got those three things going together, it’s a magical combination because then you’re going to be successful and you can go compete. The business is too hard to put out one bad song after another. So if you’ve got them wanting to be together and wanting to be a group and wanting to cut hit songs, and you still have that hunger to go fight and do what you need to do and get up and do radio and videos and press, now you’re talking about the next 10 years. That’s what they’ve rededicated themselves to do.”
The immediate future for Rascal Flatts includes a new album, Nothing Like This, scheduled to release Nov. 16 on their new label, Big Machine Records. According to DeMarcus, it will complete the 10-year saga by harking back to aspects of the band’s earlier sound. “The first couple of records we did with Dann (Huff, producer), Me and My Gang and Still Feels Good, we went down a path to where we really captured the high energy of our shows — a lot of big arena-rock sound and big massive ballads. It was a bit of a departure for us from Feels Like Today and Melt, which tended to be more rootsy and a little more Country and focused on our vocals more than our big-band presentation.”
“I feel we’ve recaptured a little bit of what the old Flatts records were about, both with being a little more Country and a little more focused on the vocals and not so much on the bigness of things,” Rooney concurred. “We’ve gone back to a little bit more of the heart and soul of what the older Flatts (albums) were about. It feels like a new beginning, like we’re evolving a little bit and showing some growth once again.”
With their former label, Lyric Street Records, shuttered, the group expressed its enthusiasm over joining the Big Machine family at a special media event in a vast open suite overlooking Downtown Nashville from the 22nd floor of The Pinnacle at Symphony Place. Following opening remarks from Scott Borchetta, President/CEO, Big Machine Label Group, Rascal Flatts emerged from behind black curtains at the back of the room to field questions.
The mood was upbeat, as Borchetta and the trio briefly improvised some dance steps as speakers pumped out the album’s debut single, "Why Wait," written by Neil Thrasher, Tom Shapiro and Jimmy Yeary. But consistent with the spirit of their anniversary year, they were thoughtful too.
“We feel like we’re just getting started,” DeMarcus mused. “We keep celebrating 10 years but we feel like there’s so much left to do. Not very many people who get into this industry are able to look back and say they’ve been able to do it for 10 years. That’s what we’re really thankful and grateful for.”
LeVox echoed this point. “When our day is done and it’s time for us to go home and our time on Earth has passed, one thing that we’ll never have to do is to ask ‘what if?’ Never — because we did it.”
“We all feel the same way,” Rooney affirmed. “I’ve learned that you can take chances and make things happen with a leap of faith, as simple as that sounds. If you can dream it, it can be accomplished.”
Rascal Flatts will appear on “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock,” a three-hour television special to air Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 8/7c on the ABC Television Network. Hosted by Tim McGraw, the “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” television special also features performances by Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, McGraw, Justin Moore, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Uncle Kracker, Keith Urban, and Zac Brown Band.
Visit www.ABC.com to view a series of 20 online videos of behind-the-scenes action of the 2010 CMA Music Festival.
"CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" is executive produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson. The 2010 CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" is filmed in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.
On the Web: www.RascalFlatts.com
Monday, July 19, 2010
Reader's Digest Interview with Gary
I know this is old, April 2009 but I thought I would add some past articles to this site. There is also a link to a telephone conversation with Gary that I am sure you will enjoy. All credit for this article goes to Reader's Digest
Up Close with Rascal Flatts Lead Singer
Gary LeVox
Gary LeVox is on the road again with country pop's Rascal Flatts. Here he talks about singing gospel, becoming a star, and staying a family man at heart.
By Matt Hendrickson
From Reader's Digest 
Also in this article:
To say that Rascal Flatts has a faithful and fervent fan base is an understatement. "We've had women schedule their C-sections around our tour dates," says the lead singer of the country-pop group, Gary LeVox, 38. "If you have great songs, people come out to see you." In fact, ever since Rascal Flatts—which also includes bassist Jay DeMarcus, 38, and guitarist Joe Don Rooney, 33—joined forces in 1999, not only have people come out, they've helped the band sell more than 20 million records, the latest of which is Unstoppable. Here LeVox describes his humble beginnings and his family values.
A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll: (from left) DeMarcus, LeVox, and Rooney.
As a kid growing up in Columbus, Ohio, I was moved by music. Whether a song was happy or sad, if it made me feel something, that was all that mattered. Whether at home or church, music was what we did as a family.
Every Saturday night, I stayed with my grandparents. My grandpa played guitar, my cousin [DeMarcus] played piano, my grandmother played the spoons, and I sang. I memorized songs like the spiritual hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" and sang it over and over. My grandmother was Pentecostal, and she'd say, "Secular music is from the devil," but she thought country music was okay. I wasn't allowed to listen to the Kinks, but I could listen to Merle Haggard.
I knew I had a musical gift, but I didn't know where to start. After high school, I got a job with the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation, where I worked for ten years. I was responsible for 85 people at one time, teaching them skills so they could live on their own and get jobs. I became their father, their best friend, and their confidant.
My break came in Nashville, where I was visiting, in 1998. It was at a karaoke bar called Lonnie's Western Room. The owner of the famous Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar approached me after I sang and asked if I would like to perform at his place. Great musicians hung out there. I said, "Man, I don't even live here, but if I ever move down, I'd sure like to."
Shortly after, I was standing in my mom's kitchen and it hit me: I thought, Lord, I don't think you gave me this gift just so I could use it in my mom's kitchen. I headed off to Nashville and started working three jobs: building swimming pools, selling newspapers, and performing at the Fiddle and Steel.
The fan base for our new band grew so large that the Fiddle and Steel owner bought the building next door and knocked down a wall so we could have a bigger stage. We took on the name Rascal Flatts [after a fan's former high school band] and signed a record deal in 1999. Boy bands were all the rage at the time, so people assumed that some Svengali—like producer had put us together. But it wasn't like that. We didn't do Star Search. We took songs by serious country musicians and put our own spin on them. I think we had a hard time winning over the critics because we didn't wear cowboy hats or big belt buckles. But you've got to be true to who you are. I didn't grow up sitting on a bale of hay with a piece of straw in my mouth. I grew up hunting and fishing
I do have regrets in my life. My grandparents passed on without getting to hold my kids [Brittany, eight, and Brooklyn, five] or see me perform. When we first played at the Grand Ole Opry, I thought about how proud they would have been.
I've also experienced heartbreak. My parents divorced when I was eight, and my mother remarried when I was ten. My stepfather, Randy, taught me how to hunt, as well as how to be responsible. When I was 18, my mom and stepdad announced that they were divorcing. I was shattered. I wanted a father. My stepdad hasn't been part of my life since then. Sometimes I think about reaching out to him.
Living through divorce has made me a better husband and father. I may not be the best-looking guy in the world, but my wife [Tara, whom he married in 1999] and kids love me for who I am. It's hard to remember life before my daughters. I'm such a sap. Some days I'll be singing in the studio and think of them and just start crying. It's like, Man up, Gary, come on. I have exceeded every dream I've ever had.
Every Saturday night, I stayed with my grandparents. My grandpa played guitar, my cousin [DeMarcus] played piano, my grandmother played the spoons, and I sang. I memorized songs like the spiritual hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" and sang it over and over. My grandmother was Pentecostal, and she'd say, "Secular music is from the devil," but she thought country music was okay. I wasn't allowed to listen to the Kinks, but I could listen to Merle Haggard.
I knew I had a musical gift, but I didn't know where to start. After high school, I got a job with the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation, where I worked for ten years. I was responsible for 85 people at one time, teaching them skills so they could live on their own and get jobs. I became their father, their best friend, and their confidant.
My break came in Nashville, where I was visiting, in 1998. It was at a karaoke bar called Lonnie's Western Room. The owner of the famous Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar approached me after I sang and asked if I would like to perform at his place. Great musicians hung out there. I said, "Man, I don't even live here, but if I ever move down, I'd sure like to."
Shortly after, I was standing in my mom's kitchen and it hit me: I thought, Lord, I don't think you gave me this gift just so I could use it in my mom's kitchen. I headed off to Nashville and started working three jobs: building swimming pools, selling newspapers, and performing at the Fiddle and Steel.
The fan base for our new band grew so large that the Fiddle and Steel owner bought the building next door and knocked down a wall so we could have a bigger stage. We took on the name Rascal Flatts [after a fan's former high school band] and signed a record deal in 1999. Boy bands were all the rage at the time, so people assumed that some Svengali—like producer had put us together. But it wasn't like that. We didn't do Star Search. We took songs by serious country musicians and put our own spin on them. I think we had a hard time winning over the critics because we didn't wear cowboy hats or big belt buckles. But you've got to be true to who you are. I didn't grow up sitting on a bale of hay with a piece of straw in my mouth. I grew up hunting and fishing
I do have regrets in my life. My grandparents passed on without getting to hold my kids [Brittany, eight, and Brooklyn, five] or see me perform. When we first played at the Grand Ole Opry, I thought about how proud they would have been.
I've also experienced heartbreak. My parents divorced when I was eight, and my mother remarried when I was ten. My stepfather, Randy, taught me how to hunt, as well as how to be responsible. When I was 18, my mom and stepdad announced that they were divorcing. I was shattered. I wanted a father. My stepdad hasn't been part of my life since then. Sometimes I think about reaching out to him.
Living through divorce has made me a better husband and father. I may not be the best-looking guy in the world, but my wife [Tara, whom he married in 1999] and kids love me for who I am. It's hard to remember life before my daughters. I'm such a sap. Some days I'll be singing in the studio and think of them and just start crying. It's like, Man up, Gary, come on. I have exceeded every dream I've ever had.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Rascal Flatts CMA Interview
Enjoy this interview with Rascal Flatts sent to me by Nashville Country Club. Thanks for sharing!!!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Rascal Flatts Answers Fan Questions
Questions and answers from the Today Show on June 11, 2010.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Live Chat on the Video page
For those of you that missed it I have posted the video of tonight's Live Chat with Rascal Flatts on the Video page. It was awesome of them to do that, first one in a long time. Gary, Jay and Joe Don answered questions submitted to them via Facebook and Twitter. I hope that they enjoyed it as much as we did. I also hope we get to see more live video chats from Gary, Jay and Joe Don again soon.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Don't miss the video chat
Rascal Flatts will be hosting a live video chat tomorrow ~ June 2, 2010 on Facebook @ 7 pm Central (Nashville time) Be sure to join Gary, Jay and Joe Don for what I am sure will be a very entertaining 30-45 minutes.
Jay DeMarcus tweeted on June 1, 2010 @ 6 pm "I think it'll be about 30-45 mins..."
Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus at Helm for New Austin's Bridge CD
Seated in the studio that's located in the lower level of his spacious Nashville home, Jay DeMarcus is discussing guitar parts with producer Dann Huff, but it's not a Rascal Flatts record the two are working on. On this particular day, Jay is actually in the producer's seat and Dann, Rascal Flatts' longtime producer, is laying down guitar licks for the new Austin's Bridge album. The duo -- Justin Rivers and Jason Baird -- are soaking up the Kodak moment, still wanting to pinch themselves because they can't believe they are in the studio with two of their musical heroes.
The creativity and camaraderie in those recording sessions echoes throughout 'Times Like These,' the just-released album from Austin's Bridge, a Dove Award-winning duo with roots in the Southern Gospel field. Recorded last year with Jay at the controls, 'Times Like These' includes the upbeat message of hope and faith that the duo is known for, yet also takes them musically into some new territory.
"We were actually introduced to Jay by Norman Holland from the record label," Justin says of Daywind Music Group's senior VP of A&R who engineered the collaboration. "We just threw the idea out as something kind of fun and exciting and when we found it was actually a possibility, of course we were going crazy, and were just really excited when he decided to come on board and take on this project."
When asked what appealed to him about working with Austin's Bridge, Jay responds, "They are big Rascal Flatts fans. That was very appealing,"he says with a mischievous smile. "They reminded me a lot of what myself and the guys do -- really tight harmony and the really special blend that they have together."
For Jay, producing the album was also a return to his roots. He started his career as half of the Christian music duo East to West, recording for the Benson Music label. "A lot of my heart and soul has been in Christian music. That's where I got my start," Jay says. "Since I've been doing this for 10 years now with the Flatts, it's something that I very much missed being a part of. I wanted to find a way to get back involved in Christian music somehow and Norman came to me with the perfect opportunity to work with Austin's Bridge. It's been fun."
Justin and Jason enjoyed the experience as well and were impressed with Jay's studio and the relaxing vibe at his place. Whenever they'd take a break from recording, they enjoyed hanging out in the area outside the control room and vocal booths that boasts a full size Rascal Flatts arcade game and is decorated with lots of sports memorabilia including signed football jerseys from former Tennessee Titan Eddie George and former St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger.
Justin and Jason appreciate Jay's guidance on their new project."There's a lot of knowledge behind what he does and he has a phenomenal ear," Jason adds. "Going into this second project, we wanted something that was going to be able to stand out above where we were. You hear the about the sophomore slump, that a lot of times your sophomore record is never as good as your first one. We definitely wanted to knock that out of the water and I think we've done that."
Austin's Bridge debuted in 2007 with their self-titled debut album. The following year, they netted their first Dove Award in the Bluegrass Recorded Song of the Year category for the harmony-laden hit 'He's in Control.' They were also nominated for Best New Artist and Country Album of the Year. The duo has toured extensively, including dates on the Franklin Graham Crusade. They also taped an installment of 'Live at Oak Tree,' which earned them Dove nominations last month for Country Album of the Year and Longform Music Video of the Year.
The duo are hoping the new record will expand their audience. "One of our main goals since the beginning of Austin's Bridge was to eventually cross genres of music and take a message of hope into a main stream market," Justin says. "I think it's a very good possibility that that could happen."
Jay has enjoyed working as producer, but what's been the best part of the experience? "Working Dann Huff like a dog," he says with a laugh."My favorite part about making any kind of music is being in the studio and creating music that's going to last forever. That's kind of the exciting part for me is having a blank canvas to paint on and create from scratch, really that's the funnest part of the job for me. I've been fortunate enough to work with some of the best music producers in the business, and I've been able to learn a lot. I'm still learning myself and trying to apply all the knowledge that I learn from the great ones to what I'm doing myself."
In addition to producing, Jay also contributed his songwriting talents to the album, penning the title track and the song 'Angels.' "I feel I've been very, very blessed to be where I am at this point in my life and my career and I hope that if there's anything that they could sayat the end of the day is we found some really great hit songs that will move people and be special pieces in their ministry and touch people for a long time to come," Jay says. "That's really all that I can ask for is [that] I'm able to bring something to the table that they haven't had in the past and hopefully they can learn a little bit by working with guys like Dann and people that I'm able to introduce them to---some of the greatest musicians this town has to offer, songwriters, and players. Hopefully that will help them down the road somewhere."
'Times Like These' is available now.
Rascal Flatts answer 6 questions about 10 years in country music
In 2010, country trio Rascal Flatts celebrates 10 years in country music, and fans can expect a 10-year anniversary tour in the summer, along with a new album in the fall.
We sat the band's three members down to talk about albums, experiences and everything else that went into a decade of country music-making.
How do you think Rascal Flatts has changed over the past 10 years?
Jay DeMarcus: “When you’ve been together as long as we have and you spend as much time together on the stage as we do, I think we know more what our strengths are and maybe what our weaknesses are. And I think that’s enabled us to pick material through the years that has helped us better express ourselves as artists. The people who have been writing for us over the years have been able to latch on and get a better idea of what we’re about, so the material constantly gets better and better.When you take a Jeffrey Steele or a Neil Thrasher and they write a song and we do it and it becomes a No. 1, the next time around that’s a great template for them to start from so the material keeps evolving. And we have a knack for knowing what will perform well and what we can put our voices and talents to that will succeed for us.”
Do you have any regrets?
Joe Don Rooney: “I don’t think there are regrets. I think we made a lot of good decisions. I think there were times we could have made better decisions, but the decision we made was good enough. I think sometimes that leads you into an even better position to be in. I think that’s all the learning process of being an artist and finding yourself.”
Gary LeVox: “You have to make mistakes to get better and know not to do it again.”
DeMarcus: “We don’t always agree on every decision, but the good thing about us is we are willing to bend when the majority feels one way and maybe one person doesn’t. But that’s part of being a family and of being in a band and part of growing and loving each other through the disagreements. ... I’m not going to sit here and say there aren’t disagreements, but we grow from them.”
Is there anything left that Rascal Flatts still wants to do?
DeMarcus: (joking) “I want to do a polka record. Gary’s really been getting into it a lot lately.”
LeVox: (joking) “I’ve got a dance, too, but my hips are getting sore...We really just feel like we’re just getting started. We have so much left to say and so much left to do.”
DeMarcus: “We’ve talked about doing a gospel record someday. We’d like to do a full-blown Christmas record at some point, and we’d like to stretch some, too. The six records we’ve done have been unmistakably Rascal Flatts, but there’s an itch inside of each one of us that wants to do a hardcore country record that hearkens back to the stuff we grew up on, and that our parents loved, and that we’ve been singing our whole lives. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to see a few surprises from us.”
Why didn’t Rascal Flatts play the CMA Awards this year?
DeMarcus: “What’s gone on with the CMAs each year is that we have been asked to play, but last year was the first time we decided not to playin all the times we’ve been invited. The reason was we were under a really big schedule crunch doing the new record, and we couldn’t figure out which song to do. We had several choices, and we just couldn’t land on a choice we were confident was the right one during the awards. We weren’t intending to make a statement to anyone ... like Rascal Flatts is upset because they didn’t get this nomination.”
LeVox: “They will say we need (an uptempo) song or we need a ballad, and it’s always the opposite of what we have out.”
DeMarcus: “We got invited to play and we all collectively decided to sit this one out again to give it a rest. In hind sight, some people think it was because we had bad feelings toward the CMA. It really wasn’t, we just opted out again this year and it’s unfortunate that people drew their own conclusions about why we made decisions. We had a really heavy song on the radio called ‘Why’ that dealt with suicide and felt it wasn’t the appropriate venue to play that song.”
There are lots of opinions on (weekend party song) “Bob That Head.” Talk about why you thought it was good song to record.
LeVox: “We thought it was an arena, stadium show opener. People come to a show to party. They want to have a good time. ‘Bob That Head’ is about a dude who spends every dime he makes to go cruise the circle on the weekends. Everybody I knew in Ohio did that. And they are redneck country people.
“People should get their mind out of the gutter. I’m co-writer on that song. The stuff people were saying about it took me so far by surprise. I was like, ‘Wow.’ I was blown away by the offensiveness of it.”
What can fans expect from Rascal Flatts in 2010?
DeMarcus: “We’re going to have a big brand-new tour in summer of 2010,and it’s going to start the celebration of 10 years of Rascal Flatts.We’re going to have a lot of big surprises and do some old stuff that will throw some people off, and there will be some big surprises, and we’re going to keep doing what we’ve done. Our live shows are what we live for, and they’ve been the most rewarding part of what we’ve been able to do. Our fans are incredible. Each and every night in every city everywhere we go, we throw a huge, huge party. Every show we’ve done since we’ve headlined, I don’t know how, but it feels like it’s getting bigger and bigger and better and better.”
This article was originally posted by The Tennessean
Whether you love or hate their music — and many music fans stand passionately on either side — it’s hard to deny the star power attached to Rascal Fla
Whether you love or hate their music — and many music fans stand passionately on either side — it’s hard to deny the star power attached to Rascal Flatts.
To date, the country trio has sold some 20million albums and nearly 6 million concert tickets, notched 11 No. 1 singles and five No. 1 albums. With wins at the ACM and CMA Awards, The People’s Choice Awards, The American Music Awards and others, the band has amassed more trophies than any other country group in the history.
Their Unstoppable album emerged among a small handful of the year’s country records to go platinum.
But as the members of Rascal Flatts hatched plans to launch a 10-year anniversary tour in the summer of 2010 and to follow it up with a new CD in the fall, they approached both — perhaps surprisingly — spurred by feelings of frustration.
“I feel like Unstoppable is the best music we’ve ever done,” bassist Jay DeMarcus said. “It’s kind of disappointing for me that Unstoppable hasn’t sold like (quadruple-platinum 2006 LP) Me and My Gang did, because I feel like pound-for-pound and song-for-song we were able to cut the best record of our lives. I just hope as many people get to hear Unstoppable as heard Me and My Gang, because there are some brilliant songs written by some brilliant people that will sadly never be heard on the radio.”
And it isn’t just album sales that have the band feeling down as they take stock at their decade milestone. The generally G-rated trio even tiptoed into four-letter-word territory when discussing the recent CMA Awards and some music industry folks’ general disrespect of or disregard for their music.
In November, Rascal Flatts lost the CMA group of the year award to Lady Antebellum, ending a six-year winning streak. It was also the second year in a row — after being nominated in 2006 and 2007 — that the band wasn’t nominated for the top entertainer of the year prize, despite having sold more than 1 million concert tickets over the previous 12 months.
“Nobody is going to sit here and not be honest and say that it isn’t disappointing to not get recognized for your hard work,” DeMarcus said. “We’ve been able to do so many incredible things. We’ve had so many great tours, and to look at those ballots and think you can’t be nominated for entertainer of the year is disappointing. But we absolutely do not begrudge any one else from being in those categories. We just feel like we’ve worked very hard, too, and it’s nice to be recognized for that hard work.”
Losing the group of the year CMA trophy, DeMarcus admitted, was a shock — and a motivator.
“Lady Antebellum had a great year,” DeMarcus said. “But honestly, losing lit a fire under our (butts) to say, ‘You know what, this has been our award for the last six years and we need to go take it back, and we are going to work our tails off to try and do that very thing. We’re not that old yet.’”
“Walking out after the group thing, fans we’re yelling, ‘Hey they didn’t sell out Wrigley Field,’” added guitarist Joe Don Rooney, referring to the fact that in 2009 the trio, with 38,000 tickets sold, became the only country act ever to sell out the park. “People were screaming from the seats. But they don’t have a voice.”
“I think every awards show should be fan voted,” singer Gary LeVox said. ‘We knew who we were’
Fans’ voices are heard loudly enough at the checkout line, however, and the members of Rascal Flatts can look back in 2010 on a decade of consistent cheers there.
To DeMarcus, that sustained success is due at least in part to he and his band mates sticking to a policy of trusting their own vision — one that was developed “singing covers until their vocal chords bled” during the 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. bar-band slot at the Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar in Printer’s Alley in the late’90s.
Connie Bradley, senior vice president for performing rights organization ASCAP, remembers seeing the trio play at an office on Music Row in 1999, and said she knew instantly she was seeing the future of country music.
“Some bands get good, but Rascal Flatts started out good,” she said. “They were just young kids then, and today they are responsible for bringing thousands of young fans to country music.”
In late 1999, Flatts signed with now-longtime label Lyric Street Records. The company gave the trio the chance to sing their own songs — and the creative freedom to apply their more contemporary sensibilities to their recording projects.
“Randy Goodman over there at Lyric Street really believed in what we were about from day one,” DeMarcus said. “…It was refreshing to think, ‘I get to make my own statement in the music industry now, and succeed or fail, it’s going to be us and we’re going to do it our way.’ … I know some artists are forced to cut songs they don’t believe in and their identity is somewhat ambiguous, but ours never was. We knew who we were, and we knew what we were about, and we were going to try and put music out that we believed in so hopefully other people would believe in us, too.”
The band’s first single, “Prayin’ for Daylight,” peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s country singles chart, and the subsequent singles from their self-titled debut all landed soundly in the Top 10.
Sophomore CD Melt earned Rascal Flatts their first multi-platinum LP and their first and second No. 1 hits (“These Days”and “Mayberry”).
“I remember that was a really big week for us in town,” Rooney said of the album’s debut week, which fell around 2002’s CMA Awards, “and a lot of people were talking about, ‘Who is the new artist going to be that’s going to lead the way for the next10-year period?’ It felt really good at that time, but we never dreamed we would be here. That’s really when the ruckus started.”
The ruckus continues
Rascal Flatts’ modern music and fashion sensibilities have, over 10 years, earned the band its share of barbs both inside and outside of Nashville(The New York Times, for one, categorized Flatts in 2008 as “by and large, a power-ballad band,” noting that their “pedal steel guitar or mandolin are usually more visible than audible”
.
“Because they don’t dress very country, or sing very country, or carry themselves as being very country, I think they are easy targets,” said critically acclaimed songwriter and recording artist Rory Feek, one half of country duo Joey + Rory. “Someone told me that after watching the CMA Awards that the thing that makes country music country music is disappearing right in front of us, and that’s sincerity, humility and story telling. Country music can be a big broad thing, but the thing that makes it are those things. And when that goes away, what do we have?”
Whether they’re too pop or not, country songwriters certainly still seem to want their songs on Flatts records. Jody Williams, vice president of writer publisher relations at performing rights organization BMI, said a Rascal Flatts cut remains one of the most coveted among songwriters and publishers in town.
“You know Flatts records are going to sell like crazy and go right to the top ofthe charts,” Williams said. “There’s no telling how many millions of dollars they’ve put into the songwriters and publishers in Nashville. They write some songs themselves, but they are smart enough that when they hear another great song by another writer they will always record it. That’s what’s so great, and why I think the songwriting and publishing community respects them so much because they know there’s a shot there.”
Opinions, whether positive or negative, Rooney said, ultimately aren’t going to sway the band’s now well-established approach to making modern country music.
“It’s no secret that we’ve always tried to push the envelope,” he said. “We wanted to be us. Our music does push the envelope of what traditionalists consider country music, and that’s totally cool. You can’t be like other people. You have to make your own niche. It feels really great to be where we’re at, and we know that comes with a price.”
“Hopefully at the end of the day we can have enough character to realize people are going to have their opinions about us, and as long as our fans keep getting what we’re doing and as long as we keep believing in the music we’re putting out there, at the very end of the day that’s all that matters," DeMarcus added. "We can walk around with our heads held high... Country is a lot more than cowboy boots and cowboy hats. It’s astate of mind.”
This article was originally posted by The Tennessean
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)