Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records. Photo credit Chapman Baehler.

Rascal Flatts has been through a lot of changes in the last year, including signing with Big Machine Records after their former label, Lyric Street, closed its doors. The group likes the new version of themselves and feel they are better and stronger than ever. “We’re not the same three people we were a year ago,” Jay DeMarcus said.

Following changes in their professional lives, the trio sat down together and asked some tough questions – ‘Do we still love this? Is this still something that we have passion for and we want to try to keep getting better at and being better than we were the day before?’ Fortunately for their fans, the answer was a resounding ‘yes.’ Continue Reading

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Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Rascal Flatts‘ latest single, “Easy,” a duet with pop star Natasha Bedingfield, is about a couple who have broken up but each secretly wish they were back together. Jay DeMarcus and his wife Allison have been married seven years and while Jay doesn’t claim to be an expert at making a relationship work, he has picked up some tips to share along the way.

“You’ve gotta bend without breaking and you’ve gotta be patient and you’ve gotta love each other through the times when both of you can be unlovable,” he said. “And that’s the thing that I think makes marriage last. Two people make a commitment to each other and they don’t fall out of love at the same time.” Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! Here at GAC, we follow them too. This week, Chris Young tries a new look, Blake Shelton congratulates the winner of The Voice and Brett Eldredge falls victim of autocorrect. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Chris Young photo courtesy of Twitter.com/ChrisYoungMusic.

Chris Young – @ChrisYoungMusic: Me as Justin Bieber’s older brother… Haha

Blake Shelton – @BlakeShelton: Congrats @Javstwtr… Well done my friend. As for YOU Adam… I’ll get you next time!!! Buah ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Brett Eldredge – @BrettEldredge: @FrankieBallard dude your name autocorrects to “Grannies” on my phone haha Continue Reading

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Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

The men of Rascal Flatts do a good job of balancing their superstar status with daddy duty. Gary LeVox is father to daughters Brittany and Brooklyn with wife Tara; Joe Don Rooney and wife Tiffany Fallon have son Jagger and daughter Raquel; and Jay DeMarcus and wife Allison became first-time parents in December to daughter Madeline. Jay might be new to the world of parenting, but he has already pinpointed his best quality as a father.

“I think my best quality as a dad is that I can be a really great friend to her as well, I think,” Jay said. “While I hope that she loves and respects me as her father, I hope that she sees me as a cool dad that plays music for a living and is somebody she wants to hang out with. And I think I can be that kind of a father to her.” Continue Reading

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Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

For every artist, there’s a moment when they know they’ve made it. For Rascal Flatts, who’ve had many moments from major award wins to a string of No. 1 hits in their 11-year career, that moment came some time ago when they made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage.

“What was weird about it was the kids were lining the aisles and standing up front, which I had never seen before,” said Jay DeMarcus. “I think it was right around the time when “I’m Movin’ On” came out, and we sort of saw our sales and our popularity and visibility go from next to nothing to huge all of a sudden. And I think that was a time for me that I stopped and went ‘Wow! We’re doing something special here, you know?’ Not just a couple of Top 10 singles, we’ve got one that was really impacting people now.” Continue Reading

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Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records. Photo credit Chapman Baehler.

When you’re as busy as Rascal Flatts, downtime becomes a precious commodity. Right now, the trio is enjoying some of that time off in between tours. They’re using it to spend time with family and catch up on hobbies – some of which are music-related, despite being away from the stage and studio. That downtime is necessary for them to stay on top of their game when their “day job” resumes.

“I love to play golf,” said Joe Don Rooney. “I love to write and create music in my own time away from Rascal Flatts, as does Jay. Gary’s got lots of hobbies – hunting’s one of his favorite things to do. But I mean, you’ve got to have those outlets, you just do, and we’re lucky enough to have those.” Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! Here at GAC, we follow them too. This week it’s all about Easter, Earth Day and entertaining the troops. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/Miranda_Lambert.

Miranda Lambert:  @Miranda_Lambert    Look what me and @Ashleymonroe made! It’s a tradition

Rascal Flatts‘ Jay DeMarcus:  @JayDeMarcus    If not for this day so many years ago, humanity would be doomed. Thank you Father for sending your Son to die in my place!!

Emerson Drive:  @EmersonDrive    Happy Earth Day everyone !!! How about we all try to pick up at least 1 piece of trash today?

The Band Perry:  @thebandperry    Good Friday. “…By his wounds we are healed…”

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/ChrisYoungMusic.

Chris Young:  @ChrisYoungMusic    One last photo. Me getting coined by the general Continue Reading

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Josh Turner, wife Jennifer and sons Hampton, 3, and Colby, 1. Photo (from fall 2009) courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Josh Turner, Rascal Flatts bass player Jay DeMarcus and Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery all have reason for joy in the holiday season.

Two of them welcomed babies this week, and Eddie came out OK after a surgery that probably made him a little nervous.

Here’s what’s up for several of country’s best-known personalities:

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Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

April marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, and Rascal Flatts is one of several country acts that will remember that moment in American history by appearing in a mini-series.

“To Appomattox” is named after the site where the South eventually surrendered, and the project will employ the guys in a couple of ways. They’ve been enlisted to produce the soundtrack, according to a website devoted to the production. And they’ll also have roles as soldiers. That’s a little bit different than their last attempt at acting, when they appeared as themselves on the CBS drama “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

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Jay DeMarcus holds his very own copy of Rascal Flatts' new CD, Nothing Like This. Photo courtesy of twitter.com/JayDeMarcus.

With the impending birth of a baby girl in January, bass player Jay DeMarcus will become the final member of Rascal Flatts to join the ranks of fatherhood.

Every member of the band is a bit of a clown — Jay jokes as much as any of the guys — but he’s quite serious about being a dad to Madeline Leigh DeMarcus. Jay and his wife, Allison, have been working on the nursery, and he’s been preparing to become the best father he can be.

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