CRS In Action: Rascal Flatts Celebrate 20 Years of Country Radio Success

Rascal Flatts (Photo: Aristo Media)

After being surprised with the career achievement award during COUNTRY RADIO SEMINAR (CRS) 2020's Opening Ceremonies (NET NEWS 2/19), GARY LEVOX, JOE DON ROONEY and JAY DEMARCUS of RASCAL FLATTS sat down for an intimate discussion about their 20-year venture as a trio. The discussion was moderated by COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION (CMA) CEO SARAH TRAHERN. 

During the hour-long conversation, the group opened up about the peaks and valleys of their career and reminisced on everything from their fashion, to favorite songs, families, finding their band name and favorite stories from the road. While the group covered a lot of ground with the discussion, one topic weighed heavy -- the recent news of the group's "Rascal Flatts Farewell: Life Is A Highway Tour," kicking off in June. 

"There's so much to celebrate with this 20th year ... We've been hitting the road for a lot of years and it's been so special," shared ROONEY. "We can't wait to get back on the road out there and love all over the fans and radio this year and celebrate what they have given us."

"We really want to focus in on not so much the sadness of retiring and going away, but more of 'Hey, look what we've been able to do for 20 years,'" added DEMARCUS. "Your [the fans'] stories have fueled us and are the reason we get on the bus every night and go miles and miles away from our families and spend days and nights away from our homes is because of the impact you tell us our music has had on your lives. That's really what we want to focus on over the next nine months."

While LEVOX, ROONEY and DEMARCUS talked about their individual plans for the future, and even joked about what might be in store, they made clear the farewell tour is a true retirement and that they have no plans for RASCAL FLATTS as a group in the future. 

"All I know is OCTOBER 30th is the last time you'll get to see the three of us on stage," said LEVOX. "We'll just take it from there and put our trust in GOD. He has a new season for everything, so we'll see what happens next." 

"A lot of people have asked us on social media since we made this announcement, 'Is there something that happened? ... Have we fought with each other? Have we gotten to the point where we can't get along?' and that's really not the case," said DEMARCUS. "We love each other probably more now than we ever did when we first started. We just got to this point in the road where it's forking and we're entering in to new season of our lives."

The discussion closed with the group's sentimental messages to one another. DEMARCUS credited LEVOX and ROONEY for saving him at a dark point in his life and helping him find renewed purpose. LEVOX reflected on the journey from a one bedroom apartment and playing bars on NASHVILLE's BROADWAY to the accomplishments of the group he knows he'll miss tremendously, while ROONEY reflected on the unmatched bond they share. 

"We could sit here talking about it for hours on end because the connection the three of us have together is something no on else on this planet knows about. It's incredible," said ROONEY. "It's so powerful, it's so special and it started in just an innocent, innocent way, I think the way it's supposed to. Just meeting at the club and singing together for the first time one night ... the love and the connection was there immediately. Absolutely immediately... It's hard to put into words to describe, but we knew we had something special, I just don't think we knew truly the rocket ride we were going to be on. My gosh, there's no way I could have hand picked two better people in this world to do this with, and I love you guys so much." 

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