In an industry plagued by bad news and broken dreams, Rascal Flatts has managed to not only eke out a living in music, but rock out a decade-long career, garnished with number-one hits, multiplatinum albums and scores of devoted fans.
“It’s been a blur,” said guitarist Joe Don Rooney in a telephone interview with media outlets that included Metromix.
Blur is an understatement. Celebrating their recent ten-year milestone and the release of their seventh album, “Unstoppable,” Rascal Flatts (which also includes vocalist Gary LeVox and bassist / keyboardist Jay DeMarcus) will be playing one of their wildly popular live shows at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla. on Friday.
“The fans definitely jack us up,” he said. “They are the fuel for us. We are merely just the instruments.”
Rooney, a Picher, Okla.-native, said that fans can expect to hear all the hits, such as “Bless the Broken Road” and “Fast Cars and Freedom,” as well as highlights from "Unstoppable."
“I think with this album, we’ve learned a lot,” he said. “We all got better at the things we do.”
“I think it’s our best work yet,” he added.
Much of the band’s success and longevity can be attributed to the members’ friendship – Rooney said they were “blessed” to have found each other. In addition, contributions from talented songwriters have beefed up their oeuvre, and landed the band some slam-dunk hits.
“The best song wins,” he said of crafting an album. “No matter who writes it.”
Rooney’s homecoming this weekend will be a bittersweet one, as his hometown of Picher, just 25 miles west of Joplin, was devastated by a tornado in May of 2008. He arrived soon after as a volunteer with the American Red Cross, but then returned to his current home of Nashville to happier news: the birth of his first son, Jagger Donovan, who recently celebrated his first birthday.
So after an emotional year, this “proud Okie” is looking forward to seeing home again.
“It is special,” he said. “A lot of wonderful people come from that area.”
And as for the show?
“It’s going to be a great night for sure.”
Rascal Flatts will play at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla. this Friday, June 12. The show is all-ages and the doors open at 5 p.m. For more details, check this. Need directions? We got you covered.
