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Rascal Flatts is an American
country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, o ...
band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background vocals). DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousin, a brother-in-law of country music singer James Otto, and a former member of the
contemporary Christian music Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and ...
duo
East to West East to West was a Contemporary Christian music duo from Cleveland, Tennessee, formed in 1993. Background Neal Coomer and Jay DeMarcus met in Cleveland, Tennessee, at Lee College (now Lee University) and decided to form a Christian pop group alo ...
. From 2000 to 2010, they recorded for Disney Music Group's former Lyric Street Records division. While on that label, they released six studio albums, all of which have been
certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
platinum or higher by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA). In order of release, they are '' Rascal Flatts'' (2000), ''
Melt Melt may refer to: Science and technology * Melting, in physics, the process of heating a solid substance to a liquid * Melt (manufacturing), the semi-liquid material used in steelmaking and glassblowing * Melt (geology), magma ** Melt inclusions, ...
'' (2002), '' Feels Like Today'' (2004), '' Me and My Gang'' (2006), ''
Still Feels Good ''Still Feels Good'' is the fifth studio album by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released September 25, 2007, via Lyric Street Records. The album sold 2,192,000 copies in the United States up to May 2009 and was certified 2× P ...
'' (2007), and '' Unstoppable'' (2009). After Lyric Street closed in 2010, they moved to Big Machine Records for five more studio albums: '' Nothing Like This'' (2010), ''
Changed Change or Changing may refer to: Alteration * Impermanence, a difference in a state of affairs at different points in time * Menopause, also referred to as "the change", the permanent cessation of the menstrual period * Metamorphosis, or change, ...
'' (2012), ''
Rewind Rewind may refer to: General uses * Rewind, the process of winding magnetic tape inside a cassette or a microfilm reel backwards to a previous point on the reel ** Rewind symbol, a media control symbol indicating tape rewind or analogous operatio ...
'' (2014), '' The Greatest Gift of All'' (2016), and their final studio album, '' Back to Us'' (2017). Rascal Flatts released more than forty singles, sixteen of which reached number one on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs, Country Airplay, and/or
Canada Country The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the wor ...
charts. Their longest-lasting number-one single, a cover of Marcus Hummon's " Bless the Broken Road", spent five weeks in that position in 2005. Through 2006–07, " What Hurts the Most" was number one on both the Hot Country Songs and
Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
charts, and their highest peak on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number six. The band also had commercial success with a cover of Tom Cochrane's " Life Is a Highway", which they recorded for the
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
of the Pixar animated movie '' Cars'' (2006). Their music is defined by country pop influences, as well as their distinct vocal harmonies. In addition to their own songs, DeMarcus has produced albums for
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, Jennette McCurdy, and Brooks & Dunn member Kix Brooks. On January 7, 2020, Rascal Flatts announced that they would be disbanding following a farewell tour after 22 years together. However, this farewell tour was canceled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
; the group's disbandment was not officially confirmed until October 2021.


History

Rascal Flatts' founding was at Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar in Nashville, Tennessee. Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus are second cousins from a musical family. DeMarcus moved to Nashville in 1992, earning his first record deal as part of a Christian group called
East to West East to West was a Contemporary Christian music duo from Cleveland, Tennessee, formed in 1993. Background Neal Coomer and Jay DeMarcus met in Cleveland, Tennessee, at Lee College (now Lee University) and decided to form a Christian pop group alo ...
; his brother-in-law, James Otto, is also a country music singer. In 1997, DeMarcus called LeVox, and convinced him to come to Nashville and provide some harmonies on Michael English's album ''Gospel'', which he was producing. They engineered the album together, and became English's back-up band. At the same time, DeMarcus had become the bandleader of Chely Wright's band, where he met Joe Don Rooney, the guitarist in that band. DeMarcus and LeVox were working in a Printer's Alley nightclub, and when their part-time guitarist could not make it one night, DeMarcus invited Rooney to join them. Jim Riley was the drummer and bandleader for the band. The group covered the hit Shenandoah single " The Church on Cumberland Road" that night. To the group's recollection, a bond was formed instantly. Singer Mila Mason recommended the group to record producers Mark Bright and Marty Williams, who played Lyric Street Records A&R Doug Howard a three-song demo and Howard thought they were "just incredible." After he'd heard the demos, the band went into the Lyric Street offices the next day, sat down with acoustic guitars, and played a couple of songs. According to Howard in an interview with HitQuarters: "The vocals and harmonies, it was all there—I was just blown away. The lead singer has such a unique and compelling voice." The band was signed to Lyric Street in late 1999.


Career


2000–2005: ''Rascal Flatts'', ''Melt'', and ''Feels Like Today''

In early 2000, the group made its debut with the single " Prayin' for Daylight". This song had been on the three-song demo that had gotten the band signed. The song, which reached No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' country charts, was the first single from their self-titled debut, which was issued in early 2000 on Lyric Street. Following "Prayin' for Daylight", the album's other three singles all made the Top 10 on that chart with " This Everyday Love", " While You Loved Me", and " I'm Movin' On", which respectively peaked at numbers 9, 7, and 4. "I'm Movin' On" was awarded Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music in 2002. Stephen Thomas Erlewine reviewed the album with favor, calling it "a sunny, pleasing modern country-pop album". Their second album, entitled ''
Melt Melt may refer to: Science and technology * Melting, in physics, the process of heating a solid substance to a liquid * Melt (manufacturing), the semi-liquid material used in steelmaking and glassblowing * Melt (geology), magma ** Melt inclusions, ...
'', was released in 2002. Unlike their previous album, the band had a hand in producing it. The album's first single, " These Days", became the band's first number one hit on the U.S. country charts. The album included two more Top 10 hits with " Love You Out Loud" " I Melt", and "
Mayberry Mayberry, North Carolina, is a fictional community that was the setting for two popular American television sitcoms, ''The Andy Griffith Show'' (1960–1968) and ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' (1968–1971); Mayberry was also the setting for a 1986 reuni ...
". The latter became the band's second number one. The
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devi ...
for "I Melt" featured partial nudity and was banned from the Great American Country (GAC) network. Rascal Flatts' third album, '' Feels Like Today'', was released in late 2004. The album's title track was released as its first single. Following it was " Bless the Broken Road". The song was originally recorded by its co-writer, Marcus Hummon, and had also been recorded by Melodie Crittenden (whose version made the country chart in 1998), the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Sons of the Desert. In early 2005, Rascal Flatts's version became the band's third number one hit on the U.S. country charts and spent five weeks at that position. The third single, " Fast Cars and Freedom", hit number one as well. While the latter was climbing the charts, some radio stations began playing a hidden track on the album, titled "Skin". This airplay caused "Skin" to enter the top 40. The song was released as a single under the title " Skin (Sarabeth)" and officially added to the album's track list.


2005–2007: ''Me and My Gang'' and ''Still Feels Good''

Rascal Flatts's thirteenth chart entry, " What Hurts the Most", was released in December 2005. This song had previously been recorded by Mark Wills in 2003. Rascal Flatts' version of that song was released as the first single from their fourth album '' Me and My Gang'', which was released in 2006. For this album, the band worked with producer Dann Huff. They switched producers to create a more band-oriented album. Rascal Flatts' rendition of "What Hurts the Most" was a crossover hit for the band, reaching No. 1 on both the country and adult contemporary charts, as well as peaking with the top 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. After it, the album's title track was released as the second single and charted in the Top 10 at number 6. The third and fourth singles, " My Wish" and " Stand", both reached number one. Also in 2006, the group charted in the top 10 of the Hot 100 with a cover of Tom Cochrane's " Life Is a Highway", which they recorded for the Pixar film '' Cars''. Although "Life Is a Highway" was not released to country radio, several country stations did begin playing the song, causing it to chart within the top 20 of Hot Country Songs. ''Me and My Gang'' had the highest US debut of 2006, with 722,000 units in April. The album spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Top Country Albums chart and was the second-best selling album of 2006 (behind '' High School Musical''), with sales totaling to about 3.5 million by year's end.Tucker, Ken (August 25, 2007), "Can Rascal Repeat?" ''Billboard''. 119 (34):20–22 The album's success led the band to take the spot of top-selling artist for all genres of music, which had not been accomplished in 15 years by a country group. Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts performed together at the 2007 Grammy Awards ceremony. Later the same year, the group released the single " Take Me There", a song which Kenny Chesney co-wrote and had initially planned to record himself. That song became a number-one country hit in September and served as the first single from the album ''
Still Feels Good ''Still Feels Good'' is the fifth studio album by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released September 25, 2007, via Lyric Street Records. The album sold 2,192,000 copies in the United States up to May 2009 and was certified 2× P ...
''. It was followed by "
Winner at a Losing Game "Winner at a Losing Game" is a song written and recorded by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released in October 2007 as the second single from their album '' Still Feels Good'', as well as their nineteenth chart single overall. ...
", which was the first single which the band wrote themselves. Both it and its followup " Every Day" peaked at No. 2 on the country charts. The fourth single from the album, " Bob That Head", became the band's first single to miss the Top 10 on the chart. The fifth and final single, " Here", was released in August 2008 and became the band's ninth Number One hit on the chart week of January 3, 2009.


2008–2010: ''Greatest Hits Volume 1'' and ''Unstoppable''

Rascal Flatts released their first compilation album, '' Greatest Hits Volume 1'', on October 28, 2008. The album contains 13 of their biggest songs, starting with " Prayin' for Daylight" and going through " Life Is a Highway". The limited edition of the album contains a second disc with three Christmas songs: "
White Christmas White Christmas most commonly refers to: * White Christmas (weather), snowfall or snow-covered ground on Christmas Day * "White Christmas" (song), a 1942 song written by Irving Berlin White Christmas may also refer to: Film, television, and the ...
", " Jingle Bell Rock", and " I'll Be Home for Christmas". A year later in October 2009, they released a second edition of their greatest hits collection, this time with a second disc containing live performances of "Take Me There", "Summer Nights", "Me & My Gang", and "Winner at a Losing Game". In January 2009, Rascal Flatts released the song " Here Comes Goodbye" as the first single from the album '' Unstoppable'', which was released on April 7 of that year. Co-written by '' American Idol'' season six finalist Chris Sligh, "Here Comes Goodbye" became the group's tenth number one hit. The second single form the ''Unstoppable'' album, " Summer Nights", which was co-written by Gary LeVox, was released in early May 2009. That song debuted at No. 57 and topped out at No. 2 on the country charts. The group performed "Summer Nights" at the '' CMT Music Awards'', '' Oprah''s Kickoff Party, and the finale of '' America's Got Talent''. The third single off the album, " Why", peaked at No. 18 on the country charts. Rascal Flatts performed that song on '' The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien''. The title track was released as the album's fourth single in January 2010. A special release version of their album ''Unstoppable'' was sold at JCPenney stores nationwide. It features a special release song entitled "
American Living Ralph Lauren Corporation is an American publicly traded fashion company that was founded in 1967 by American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. The company is headquartered in New York City, producing products ranging from the mid-range to the luxur ...
" only available on the albums sold at JCPenney stores. JCPenney is an official sponsor of Rascal Flatts' Unstoppable American Living Tour in a two-year partnership and $1 of every CD sold at JCPenney will be donated to the
JCPenney Afterschool Fund J. C. Penney Company, Inc. established JCPenney Afterschool, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to ensuring that every child in need has access to an afterschool program in their community. As an advocate for the afterschool issue, JCPe ...
. On July 16, 2009, as part of the JCPenney American Living Tour, Rascal Flatts made history as the first country music group to play
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
's Wrigley Field. The trio was joined by fellow artists Vince Gill and Darius Rucker for a near-sellout crowd.


2010–2011: ''Nothing Like This'' and ''The Best of Rascal Flatts Live''

After the closure of Lyric Street in April 2010, Rascal Flatts signed to Big Machine Records in July of that year. The group's first single from the label was the song " Why Wait". The song was the first single from the album '' Nothing Like This'', which was released November 16, 2010. In December 2010, "Why Wait" became the trio's eleventh number one hit on the U.S. country charts. In March 2011, Rascal Flatts was featured on a remix of Justin Bieber's song " That Should Be Me". The second single from ''Nothing Like This'' was " I Won't Let Go". That song went to number 2 in early 2011. Following it was the band's first collaborative release to country radio, " Easy", which is a duet with British
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...
singer Natasha Bedingfield. "I Won't Let Go", and "Easy" peaked at numbers 2 and 3 respectively on the country charts. On November 8, 2011, Hollywood Records released '' The Best of Rascal Flatts Live''.


2012–2013: ''Changed''

Rascal Flatts' eighth studio album, ''
Changed Change or Changing may refer to: Alteration * Impermanence, a difference in a state of affairs at different points in time * Menopause, also referred to as "the change", the permanent cessation of the menstrual period * Metamorphosis, or change, ...
'', was released on April 3, 2012. It was produced by Dann Huff and Rascal Flatts. The first single from that album, " Banjo", became their twelfth number one on the country charts. The second single off the album, " Come Wake Me Up", reached the top five on the Country Airplay chart. The third single from the album is the title track. Band member Jay DeMarcus and his wife, ''CMT Insider'' correspondent Allison Alderson DeMarcus, welcomed the arrival of their second child, Dylan Jay DeMarcus, on July 20 in Nashville. Rascal Flatts received the 2,480th star in the category of recording of the Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 17, 2012. The star is located in front of the Sergeant Supply Store at 6664 Hollywood Boulevard. They became the second country artist with Oklahoma ties to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame that month after Vince Gill received his star the previous week. On November 19, Rascal Flatts released their second DVD, ''All Access & Uncovered: The Making of Changed and Beyond'', inviting the public into their inner circle. The DVD project reveals a more intimate side of Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus' lives during the making of their ''Changed'' album and more. The project made a one-night-only debut in movie theaters across the country in conjunction with the album release earlier that year, with the band celebrating with fans at the
AMC Theater AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a AMC Theatres, originally an abbreviation for American Multi-Cinema; often referred to simply as AMC and known in some countries as AMC Cinemas or AMC Multi-Cinemas) is an American movie theater chain fou ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
's Times Square. On November 20, the band made a guest appearance on NBC's '' The Voice'' to promote their new DVD. They performed "Changed" with Cody Belew and Cassadee Pope, contestants from the show. In December 2012, Rascal Flatts and '' Nashville'' actress Hayden Panettiere hosted the third annual 2012 ''CMT Artists of the Year'' to honor the top country acts of the year. Rascal Flatts also hosted ''The 14th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Rascal Flatts''. The show earned a 4.91(million) rating. Lionheart Music Group, a Swedish independent company within the Universal Music Group, announced they will release Rascal Flatts' album, ''Changed'', on January 2, 2013, in Sweden. Earlier, Rascal Flatts re-recorded their hit " Come Wake Me Up" with Swedish country/pop female singer, Jill Johnson, who is also under Lionheart Music Group, as a duet version on Johnson's new album, ''A Woman Can Change Her Mind''. The duet version was also released as a digital download internationally on November 16, 2012. The record label also released their former album, '' Nothing Like This'', on January 23, 2013. Rascal Flatts and Journey headlined the Super Bowl XLVII '' CMT Crossroads'' concert at the New Orleans Sugar Mill on February 2, 2013. This marked the second collaboration for Rascal Flatts and Journey. In June 2012, Rascal Flatts closed the CMT Music Awards by inviting Journey to perform their hit " Don't Stop Believin'" with them on stage. Rascal Flatts was nominated for International Artist of the Year and International Music Video of the Year (for "Banjo" and "Come Wake Me Up") at the 2013 CMC Music Awards.


2013–2016: ''Rewind'' and ''The Greatest Gift of All''

On April 8, 2013, Jay DeMarcus tweeted that Rascal Flatts was working on a new album The lead single, "
Rewind Rewind may refer to: General uses * Rewind, the process of winding magnetic tape inside a cassette or a microfilm reel backwards to a previous point on the reel ** Rewind symbol, a media control symbol indicating tape rewind or analogous operatio ...
", was issued in January 2014 from the album of the same name, which was released on May 13, 2014. The band admitted they were lip-syncing to a recording of their song "Rewind" during Academy of Country Music (ACM) awards show on April 6, 2014. In response to the controversy, Rascal Flatts communicated afterwards that lead singer Gary LeVox had lost his voice and so they made a last-minute decision to lip-sync. "Rewind" became a Top 5 hit on the Country Airplay chart in 2014. ''Rewind'' has produced three more singles with " Payback", which peaked at 21, " Riot", which reached 20, and " I Like the Sound of That", which was released to country radio on September 14, 2015. The latter song, co-written by Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay and pop musician Meghan Trainor, reached number 1 on the Country Airplay chart in April 2016. That year, Rascal Flatts were selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "''Forever Country''", a mash-up track of Take Me Home, Country Roads,
On the Road Again On the Road Again may refer to: Albums * ''On the Road Again'', a 1976 D. J. Rogers album * ''On the Road Again'', a 1978 Rockets album * ''On the Road Again'', a 1979 Roy Wood album * ''On the Road Again'', a 1989 compilation album by Canned ...
and I Will Always Love You which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards. The band released a Christmas album entitled '' The Greatest Gift of All'' in October 2016.


2017–2020: ''Back to Us'', announced breakup, cancelled farewell tour, ''How They Remember You'' EP and second greatest hits package

Rascal Flatts' next single, "
Yours If You Want It "Yours If You Want It" is a song recorded by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released in January 2017 as the first single from their tenth studio album, ''Back to Us'' (2017). The song was written by Andrew Dorff and Jonathan Sin ...
", was released to country radio in early 2017. The track served as the lead single from their tenth studio album '' Back to Us'', which was released on May 19 of the same year. It topped the Country Airplay charts in August 2017, marking the band's fourteenth number one on the chart. On September 28, 2018, Rascal Flatts released a new single titled " Back to Life". The band embarked on their Summer Playlist tour in summer 2019. On January 7, 2020, Rascal Flatts appeared on '' CBS This Morning'' to announce a farewell tour, the "Rascal Flatts: Life Is a Highway Tour" to celebrate their twentieth anniversary. They also promised new music. On February 25, Gary LeVox posted on Instagram that the band was working on a new album. On May 1, the band released a cover of "Through the Years" as a tribute to the late
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted m ...
. On May 19, the group announced on social media that their farewell tour had been indefinitely postponed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.Rascal Flatts on Cancelled Farewell Tour and How They Want to Be Remembered , Billboard's 5-Minute Interview
retrieved July 31, 2020
The band released a new single entitled " How They Remember You" on June 19. It appears on an EP of the same name, released on July 31. On September 18, the band announced a new greatest hits package, '' Twenty Years of Rascal Flatts: The Greatest Hits'', released on October 2. In November 2020, the band was forced to cancel their performance at the 54th Annual CMA Awards after one of its members tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...
. However, it was not specified which member.


2021-present: Confirmed breakup and solo projects

Gary LeVox released a Christmas song entitled "Christmas Will Be Different This Year" on November 13, 2020 and bassist Jay DeMarcus released a song entitled "Music Man" on January 29, 2021, as a tribute to his late father. LeVox released a Christian single entitled "The Distance" on March 19, 2021. In an interview for '' Billboard'', LeVox revealed that Rascal Flatts would not tour at any point in 2021. On April 27, 2021, DeMarcus stated in an interview with ''Taste of Country'' that the pandemic may have altered the band's plans for a farewell tour, and that they may stay together and perform 10-15 concerts annually. DeMarcus and Rooney appeared at the 2021
Academy of Country Music The Academy of Country Music (ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country musi ...
Honors show on August 25 to receive the Cliffie Stone Icon Award on behalf of the group, though LeVox was neither present nor mentioned. In October, LeVox revealed that the band decided to break up officially, citing that Rooney had quit. LeVox also revealed he had not spoken to Rooney since his DUI arrest on September 10 and that the band quietly disbanded after the cancellation of their farewell tour. In 2020, DeMarcus formed a new band called Generation Radio alongside ex-
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vocalist Jason Scheff, Journey drummer Deen Castronovo, Scott Rodriguez and former Rascal Flatts live instrumenalist Tom Yankton. Their eponymous debut album, released on August 12, 2022, features a new rendition of Rascal Flatts' song "All Night to Get There," with DeMarcus on lead vocals. LeVox released a new single titled "Get Down Like That" on August 19, 2022.


Philanthropy and impact

Rascal Flatts helped support music education in disadvantaged U.S. public schools by filming a PSA with Little Kids Rock. Through their encouragement for music education, giving the gift of "music" is possible in children's lives. The band supported charities such as the Make A Wish Foundation. They helped raise one million dollars for the Central Ohio foundation. The event was
Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best pu ...
's second annual "Big Wish Gala". Their chart-topping song, " My Wish" is also used on ESPN as the soundtrack for its series that follows the Make-a-Wish Foundation as they turn dreams into reality for children with life-threatening illnesses. Since then, they have also contributed countable hours of their time—and $4 million—to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt which is among the nation's leading pediatric facilities, where the Rascal Flatts Pediatric Surgery Center was named in recognition of the trio's long-standing involvement.


Reception

The group has an uncommon youth demographic (18–25) for country music. In September 2007, '' Weekly Reader'' Research conducted a poll of more than 2,000 children and Rascal Flatts ranked as the sixth-most-popular act among ages 10–12. They have raised and donated millions of dollars to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. They were also involved with the American Red Cross as members on the celebrity cabinet board.


Touring

Rascal Flatts enjoyed financial success as touring artists. Nielsen reported that the band was the top selling artist in 2006: "Rascal Flatts was the biggest selling artist, with nearly 5 million physical album sales and nearly 4 million digital track sales." They had their first headlining tour beginning in Fall 2002, and by 2005 they were among the top 25 tours of the year, grossing $26.3 million in 777,384 tickets sold, according to Billboard Boxscore.Waddell, Ray; Tucker, Ken (August 25, 2007), "Rascal on the Road". ''Billboard''. 119 (34):22 Their follow-up tour in 2006 grossed $46.2 million, drawing more than a million people to 79 shows. Rascal Flatts had the third-highest US country tour in 2007, grossing $34 million from 588,009 tickets sold. The group grossed $16.8 million from their summer tour. Rascal Flatts' shows were heavy on special effects, including videos, pyrotechnics and laser lights. In 2013, Rascal Flatts headed to Australia for the first time to headline ''CMC Rocks The Hunter 2013'', which is a three-day festival from March 15 to 17. They closed the proceedings. Between 2004 and 2012, Rascal Flatts sold over 7 million tickets, making them one of the top selling music acts in that time. In 2012, Rascal Flatts began the year with their "Thaw Out 2012" tour adding 47 additional dates on the Farmers Insurance Presents "Changed Tour" to bring the 2012 year-end total to just over 60 concerts and 1 million fans attending shows in this year alone. On April 9, 2013, the group announced that they would co-headline a show with Journey on August 1 at Hersheypark Stadium with The Band Perry and Cassadee Pope as openers. In 2016, Rascal Flatts celebrated a career milestone of 10 million tickets sold. As of 2020, Rascal Flatts had sold over 11 million concert tickets.


Tours

;Headlining *2002–03: CMT Most Wanted Live/I Melt Tour *2004–05: Here's to You Tour *2006–07: Me & My Gang Tour *2007–08: Still Feels Good Tour *2008–09: Bob That Head Tour *2009–10: American Living Unstoppable Tour *2010–11: Nothing Like This Tour *2011: Flatts Fest Tour *2012: Thaw Out 2012 Tour *2012–13: Changed Tour *2013: Live & Loud Tour *2014:
Rewind Tour The Rewind Tour was the twelfth headlining concert tour by American country music trio Rascal Flatts, in support of their ninth studio album '' Rewind'' (2014). The tour began on May 16, 2014 in Maryland Heights, Missouri and ended on March 14, 2 ...
*2015: Riot Tour *2016: Rhythm and Roots Tour *2018: Back To Us Tour *2019: Summer Playlist Tour *2020: Rascal Flatts Farewell – Life Is a Highway Tour (cancelled) ;Supporting *2000–01: Burn Tour *2002: Alan Jackson's Drive Tour *2003: Neon Circus & Wild West Show *2004: Guitars, Tiki Bars & Whole Lotta Love Tour


Contributions for other artists

Rascal Flatts' members have also contributed to the work of other artists. In 2006 they provided backing vocals on the song 'Love Will Come Back' by Chicago, from the album Chicago XXX. The album was produced by Jay DeMarcus. LeVox, along with Jason Sellers and Wendell Mobley, co-wrote
Phil Stacey Joel Philip Stacey (born January 21, 1978) is an American singer who first gained national attention on season 6 of the television talent show ''American Idol''. After being eliminated from the competition on May 2, 2007, he was signed to a recor ...
's 2008 debut single "If You Didn't Love Me". DeMarcus has co-produced albums for several artists, including Chely Wright's 2002 album ''
Never Love You Enough ''Never Love You Enough'' is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Chely Wright. It was released on September 25, 2001 via MCA Nashville, and was her last album for the label. Content Its first two tracks — the title track and ...
'',
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
's '' Chicago XXX'', and James Otto's 2008 album '' Sunset Man'', the last of which had John Rich of Big & Rich as a co-producer. He also produced ''
New to This Town ''New to This Town'' is the second solo studio album by American country music artist Kix Brooks. It was released on September 11, 2012, via Arista Nashville. It is Brooks' first album after his split as one half of Brooks & Dunn. Brooks produce ...
'', the first solo album released by Kix Brooks following his split from Brooks & Dunn, The group has also contributed portions of the '' Hannah Montana: The Movie'' soundtrack, with acoustic versions of " Bless the Broken Road" and "Backwards". In 2011, they did a remix of " That Should Be Me" by Justin Bieber on his remix album '' Never Say Never – The Remixes''. In the same year, Anna Wilson's ''Countrypolitan Duets'' album also included a song featuring Rascal Flatts and Ray Price, " You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". Also in 2011, the band collaborated with Michael Bolton on his album '' Gems'', on the song "Love Is Everything". In 2012, Lionel Richie featured Rascal Flatts on his duet album, '' Tuskegee'', on the song " Dancing on the Ceiling". Also in 2012, Swedish country pop singer Jill Johnson featured Rascal Flatts on her album ''A Woman Can Change Her Mind'', on a cover of their single " Come Wake Me Up". The band appears on the track "Until Grace" by Tauren Wells, on his second studio album ''Citizen of Heaven''.


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Rascal Flatts'' (2000) *''
Melt Melt may refer to: Science and technology * Melting, in physics, the process of heating a solid substance to a liquid * Melt (manufacturing), the semi-liquid material used in steelmaking and glassblowing * Melt (geology), magma ** Melt inclusions, ...
'' (2002) *'' Feels Like Today'' (2004) *'' Me and My Gang'' (2006) *''
Still Feels Good ''Still Feels Good'' is the fifth studio album by American country music group Rascal Flatts. It was released September 25, 2007, via Lyric Street Records. The album sold 2,192,000 copies in the United States up to May 2009 and was certified 2× P ...
'' (2007) *'' Unstoppable'' (2009) *'' Nothing Like This'' (2010) *''
Changed Change or Changing may refer to: Alteration * Impermanence, a difference in a state of affairs at different points in time * Menopause, also referred to as "the change", the permanent cessation of the menstrual period * Metamorphosis, or change, ...
'' (2012) *''
Rewind Rewind may refer to: General uses * Rewind, the process of winding magnetic tape inside a cassette or a microfilm reel backwards to a previous point on the reel ** Rewind symbol, a media control symbol indicating tape rewind or analogous operatio ...
'' (2014) *'' Back to Us'' (2017)


Awards

2000 *
ACM ACM or A.C.M. may refer to: Aviation * AGM-129 ACM, 1990–2012 USAF cruise missile * Air chief marshal * Air combat manoeuvring or dogfighting * Air cycle machine * Arica Airport (Colombia) (IATA: ACM), in Arica, Amazonas, Colombia Computing * ...
Top New Vocal Duo Or Group (presented 2001) 2002 * CMA Horizon Award *ACM Song of the Year ("I'm Movin' On") (presented 2003) *ACM Top Vocal Group (presented 2003) 2003 * CMT Flameworthy Video Music Award for Group/Duo of the Year ("These Days") *CMA Vocal Group of the Year *ACM Top Vocal Group (presented 2004) 2004 *CMT Flameworthy Music Video Award for Group/Duo of the Year ("I Melt") *CMA Vocal Group *ACM Top Vocal Group (presented 2005) 2005 * CMT Music Award for Group/Duo of the Year ("Feels Like Today") *CMA Vocal Group of the Year *ACM Top Vocal Group (presented 2006) *Radio Music Awards for Song of the Year/Country Radio ("Bless The Broken Road") * Billboard Roadworks '05 Touring Awards for Breakthrough Act *Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal ("Bless the Broken Road") 2006 *CMT Music Award for Group/Duo of the Year ("Skin (Sarabeth)") *CMA Vocal Group of the Year *
AMA Ama or AMA may refer to: Ama Languages * Ama language (New Guinea) * Ama language (Sudan) People * Ama (Ama Kōhei), former ring name for sumo wrestler Harumafuji Kōhei * Mary Ama, a New Zealand artist * Shola Ama, a British singer * Ām ...
Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group *AMA T-Mobile Text-In Award *
People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls unt ...
Favorite Song from a Movie ("Life Is A Highway") *People's Choice Awards Favorite Song Remake ("Life Is A Highway") *CMT Loaded Awards – Number One Digitally Active Group/Duo *CMT Loaded Awards – Number One Streamed Music Video ("What Hurts the Most") *Grammy Nomination: Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal ("What Hurts The Most") 2007 *CMT Music Awards for Group Video of the Year ("What Hurts the Most") *ACM Top Vocal Group (presented 2008) *CMA Vocal Group of the Year *AMA Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group *BMI Song of The Year ("What Hurts The Most") 2008 *People's Choice Awards Favorite Country Song ("Stand") *CMT Music Award for Group Video of the Year ("Take Me There") *ACM Top Vocal Group (presented 2009) *ACM Humanitarian Award *CMA Vocal Group of the Year *AMA Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group *Grammy Nomination: Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal ("Every Day") 2009 *People's Choice Awards Favorite Group *CMT Music Award for Group Video of the Year ("Every Day") *AMA Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group *Grammy Nomination: Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal ("Here Comes Goodbye") 2010 *Star on the
Music City Walk of Fame The Music City Walk of Fame in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, is a walk of fame that honors significant contributors to Nashville's musical heritage and significant achievements in the music industry.ACA ACA may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''A Current Affair'' (Australian TV series), an Australian television program * Actors Centre Australia, a private dramatic arts school * American Choreography Awards * American Composers Alliance * Am ...
Decade Artist award 2011 *Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award *CMT Music Award for Collaborative Video of the Year (" That Should Be Me") *Member of the Grand Ole Opry 2012 *CRS 2012 Artist Humanitarian Award *Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 2013 *ACM Jim Reeves International Award (presented 2014) 2021 *CRS Artist Career Achievement Award *ACM Cliffie Stone Icon Award


Film and television appearances

Rascal Flatts, along with David Hartley, contributed "Walk The Llama Llama" to the sound track of '' The Emperor's New Groove''. In addition to Tom Cochrane's "Life Is a Highway," the group covered
The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developm ...
' hit " Revolution" for '' Evan Almighty''. Their version of the song did not appear on the soundtrack. Rascal Flatts appear as themselves in "The Limo" episode of '' Yes, Dear''. After being kidnapped in a limo by the main characters, the group performs "Bless the Broken Road" for them as an anniversary gift. The group appears as themselves in '' Hannah Montana: The Movie'' singing their song "Backwards" during the scene of Miley's grandma's birthday party, and then "Bless the Broken Road" in an evening scene on the front porch. They appeared as themselves, promoting '' Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution'' in Huntington, West Virginia. The group appears as themselves on '' CSI'' ( season 10 episode 14), in which they perform in concert. In the episode entitled "Unshockable", DeMarcus is electrocuted by what turned out to be their bass tech Travis Murray. On the commentary they said what a great opportunity it was to work with such fine actors who are so good at what they do, LeVox stated, "It's one of my favorite shows and it was an honor to add a little piece of Rascal Flatts to the episode." They also appeared in a 2009
Hershey Chocolate The Hershey Company, commonly known as Hershey's, is an American multinational company and one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world. It also manufactures baked products, such as cookies and cakes, and sells beverages like milksh ...
commercial. On April 28, 2010, Rascal Flatts appeared as themselves on '' American Idol''. They also sang with Shakira. They recorded a live concert during the January 20, 2011 show in
St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...
, that was broadcast on ABC, March 12, 2011. On April 17, 2011, the group appeared as themselves on '' West Coast Customs''. West Coast Customs builds them a custom ''
Chevrolet Camaro The Chevrolet Camaro is a mid-size American automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, classified as a pony car. It first went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed to compete with the Ford Mustang. The Camaro sh ...
'' inspired by their song, "Red Camaro". On May 23, 2011, Rascal Flatts performed on 'Surprise, Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular Part 1' along with other artists including Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle, and Beyoncé. On April 5, 2012, Rascal Flatts appeared on the television special ''Changed: One Night Exclusive Theater Event.'' The special in-theater concert hit movie screens nationwide for one night only. It included live performance footage, Q&A sessions, and welcome messages from the band. The event showcased many tracks from the upcoming studio album.


References


External links

* {{Authority control 1999 establishments in Ohio 2021 disestablishments in Ohio American country music groups American musical trios Big Machine Records artists Grand Ole Opry members Lyric Street Records artists Musical groups established in 1999 Musical groups disestablished in 2021 Musical groups from Columbus, Ohio Vocal trios