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RM chats up modern country icons Rascal Flatts
If you think you don’t know Rascal Flatts—think again. From their forever-iconic Cars soundtrack anthem “Life Is a Highway” (aka one of Disney’s biggest bangers) to 17 No. 1 hits, over 23M albums sold, 35M+ more digital downloads and ~11M concert tickets sold, the Columbus-bred threesome has done it all.
After officially disbanding in 2021, the band is back together to finish some unfinished business: A North American 25th anniversary tour that rolls into Raleigh at the Lenny Jan. 15.
Across two decades of tracks radiating that signature twang, Rascal Flatts has defined the sound of mod country—though early albums dipped into a more pop-like sound, proving the band is anything but a one-trick pony. Thanks to immediate commercial success following their distinctly country debut, switching up the sound in later releases felt risky, bassist-vocalist Jay DeMarcus tells RM.
“I wasn’t sure about ‘What Hurts the Most’ at first,” remarks DeMarcus. “At the time, I felt like I was taking a chance because it was on the pop side, and it was a ballad right at the beginning of the year—so that one blindsided me a little bit.”
As for new music, DeMarcus says the main focus is on the road for now—but if any new songs fall in place while on tour, he can’t imagine they wouldn’t take advantage. And while fans might wonder if this is the final ride on the highway of life, the bassist isn’t ready to call it quits.
Regardless of what the future holds for the Flatts, DeMarcus says the next gen of rising country artists are proudly propping up country. “That’s one of the things I love about our genre,” he says. “There’s room for everybody. If you want to come over here and collaborate, we are so ready to accept you for who and what you are.”
So buckle up, fans—Rascal Flatts is back, “country is cool,” and Raleigh’s about to go full throttle.
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