Rascal Flatts Music
Country music superstars Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney, collectively known as Rascal Flatts has already released six albums since the start of 2000.
Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, the country rock band grouped together in 1999 after LeVox quit his job and fully concentrate on music with his second cousin DeMarcus. One night, when their guitarist could not make it to one of their gigs, Rooney was invited to fill in, and the rest, as they say, is history.
They signed up with Lyric Street Records in 1999 and have released all of their albums under the label. Prayin’ for Daylight was their debut single, released in 2000. The song peaked at the number 3 spot on the Billboard country charts. It was the start of something wonderful for the rock band as they produced hit after hit.
Their self-titled album released in the early part of 2000 produced three more Top Ten hits: This Everyday Love (number 9), While You Loved Me (number 7), and I’m Movin’ On (number 4). They practically sizzled in the country charts. The single I’m Movin’ On was recognized by the Academy of Country Music as Song of the Year in 2002.
By the time they received accolade for I’m Movin’ On the band has prepared their second album. They released Melt in 2002, which they co-produced themselves. Melt produced the band’s first number one hit, These Days, as well as other chart-toppers.
Love You Out Loud peaked at number 3; Mayberry which became their second number one; and I Melt reached number 2—its music video, which featured partial nudity, was banned by the Great American Country network.
By the time Rascal Flatts have released their third album, Feels Like Today, the group had already catapulted themselves to fame and recognition. Bless the Broken Road turned out to be their biggest number one song. It was a follow up to the album’s title track which fell from its peak position. Bless the Broken Road remained at the top of the country charts for five weeks. It was so famous the rock band performed it live together with then American Idol contestant Carrie Underwood at the Idol finale.
The single allowed the group to enter the Adult Contemporary charts for the first time, peaking at number 20.
By the end of 2005, Rascal Flatts has achieved another number one hit, Fast Cars and Freedom, and released a previous hidden track—Skin—as part of the album, and reached the number 2 spot.
Their cover of a Mark Wills hit, What Hurts the Most, in 2006 proved to be their biggest crossover hit ever. The song is included in their fourth album Me and My Gang. The song stayed at the top of the country charts for four weeks. It also topped the Adult Contemporary charts and entered the Billboard Hot 100 Top Ten.
The band holds the record of being the only country group to take the spot of top-selling artist for all music genres. Me and My Gang has the highest US debut in 2006, selling 722,000 copies in April. The album spawned a couple more hit singles.
The band once again found themselves performing with the now-country-superstar Carrie Underwood at the 2007 Grammy Awards. They then released the first single from their new album Still Feels Good—Take Me
There—and reached the number one spot. Other hit songs from the album were Winner at a Losing Game, Every Day, Bob That Head, and Here.
By October 2008, the band was ready to have a greatest hits album of their own. Rascal Flatts’ Greatest Hits Volume 1 contains thirteen of their biggest hits. Following their greatest hits CD, Unstoppable the album was released.