An
unforgettable chapter in country music history will be celebrated this
year, as Rascal Flatts – the most awarded group of the genre’s last
decade – is hitting the road for the RASCAL FLATTS FAREWELL: LIFE IS A HIGHWAY TOUR. With
countless milestones behind them and their legacy firmly established as
some of country’s brightest ambassadors, Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and
Joe Don Rooney visited CBS This Morning today to exclusively announce that they will mark their 20th anniversary this year with a triumphant farewell tour.
“When
we started out 20 years ago, we could not imagine all of the people,
places and gifts we would encounter,” said Gary LeVox. “The greatest
feeling ever, is being told that our music has been the soundtrack to
their lives. What greater gift can an artist receive than to be told ‘I
got married to “Bless The Broken Road,”’ or ‘We played “My Wish” at my
graduation.’ That ‘“What Hurts The Most” is the song that made me love
country music for the first time,’ or ‘“I’m Movin’ On” helped me get
sober’ or even that ‘“Changed” made me call my family again after not
talking to them for years.’ That’s why we create music and the reason we
can’t wait to celebrate this incredible 20 year journey all year, with
our fans who we love dearly. I don’t know what God has in store for the
future, but I am excited to see what He has planned!”
“We’re
really looking forward to getting to spend this entire year loving on
our fans, and thanking them for allowing us to have the most amazing
career over the last 20 years,” shared Jay DeMarcus. “While it is of
course bittersweet, it is so important to us to celebrate what our music
has meant to their lives, as well as what the fans have meant to us.
There is no sadness here, just new chapters, new journeys, and new
beginnings. Rascal Flatts’ music will live on forever, because of our fans, and this year is all about them!”
“Dreams
do come true…and we are three walking examples of this truth,” said
Joe Don Rooney. “I’m most proud of the fact that we’ve pursued our
dreams together and with courage, hard-work and dedication we’ve been
able to cultivate our dreams into reality; it’s simply
incredible! There’s no doubt we have been blessed way beyond belief and
we can’t wait to spend the rest of 2020 expressing our love and
appreciation to all of our devoted fans, music industry friends and
our families for believing in us and playing a major role in our path to
here. And, I personally can’t wait to shine a light on my brothers Jay
and Gary this year, and make another mountain of new memories with
them.”
Kicking
off on June 11 in Indianapolis, the tour will take Rascal Flatts from
coast to coast, culminating in a bittersweet send off. Along the way,
the trio and their fans will reflect on a beloved catalogue of
hits including “Bless The Broken Road,” “My Wish,” “What Hurts The
Most” – always soulful, engaging and delivered with a positive,
universal message – as well as a string of success that places Rascal
Flatts among the modern musical elite. Tickets will be available first
as part of the Live Nation Country Megaticket and more information will
become available at rascalflatts.com in the coming weeks. Live Nation is the official tour promoter.
RASCAL FLATTS FAREWELL: LIFE IS A HIGHWAY TOUR Official Dates:
6/11 Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center
6/12 Detroit, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
6/13 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
6/25 Chicago, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
6/27 Pittsburgh, PA – S&T Bank Music Park
7/18 Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
7/23 St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
9/3 Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
9/4 Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
9/5 Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
9/10 Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
9/11 Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
9/12 Washington, DC – Jiffy Lube Live
9/17 Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
9/18 Boston, MA – Xfinity Center
9/19 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
10/1 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
10/2 San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
10/3 Irvine, CA – FivePoint Amphitheatre
10/7 Denver, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
10/9 Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
10/10 Phoenix, AZ – Ak-Chin Pavilion
10/15 Atlanta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
10/16 Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
10/17 West Palm Beach, FL – Coral Sky Amphitheatre
All
told, the band has posted 17 Number One songs and sold more than 23
million albums since their founding in 2000, leaving an impact which
outshines even their wildest ambitions. Their signature sound was like
no other, with LeVox’s voice one of the most recognizable and dynamic of
its era, while the rock-solid musicianship of DeMarcus and Rooney
infused country tradition with a fresh new, arena-ready energy – helping
pave the way for a wave of crossover appreciation still building
today, as well as opening doors for so many other artists who followed.
Proving the point, Rascal Flatts are the most awarded country group of the past decade with over 40 trophies from the American
Country Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, American Music Awards,
Country Music Association Awards, People’s Choice Awards and more, as well as breaking a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive wins of Vocal Group of the Year at the ACMs,
winning the honor seven times in a row. They’ve sold more than 11
million concert tickets and over 35 million digital downloads, and their
songs have been streamed more than 2.2 billion times worldwide as well
as over 4.4 billion times on Pandora alone.
They’ve risen from a humble Nashville honky tonk to the biggest stages
in the world, and are now venue-packing, role-model members of the Grand
Ole Opry (2011) and Hollywood Walk Of Fame (2012), who have showcased
their commitment to music, faith and family for fans across the
globe. In 2006, the trio were the top-selling artist in the world for
all genres of music. The group also became household names appearing in
blockbuster movies, hit TV shows and major soundtracks throughout the
past 20 years. It all adds up to what Rolling Stone has labeled “an indisputably influential career,” and 2020 will mark a well deserved victory lap.
About Rascal Flatts:
Hailed as one of the most influential groups in modern country history,
Rascal Flatts are a chart-topping trio created by vocalist Gary LeVox,
multi-instrumentalist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney. Since
their founding in 2000 and subsequent breakout with the Top 5 hit,
“Prayin’ for Daylight,” the band has gone on to infuse country’s
traditional mainstream with smooth-pop textures, arena-rocking energy
and faithful positivity, impacting countless fans and fellow artists
along the way. They’ve racked up 17 Number One hits, over 23.4 million
albums sold, 35 million digital downloads, 2.2 billion streams worldwide
and 4.4 billion streams solely on Pandora, while also selling over 11
million concert tickets and earning more than 40 trophies from the ACA, ACM, AMA, CMA, People’s Choice
and more, making them the most awarded country group of the past
decade. The Grand Ole Opry members will bring an unforgettable chapter
in country’s long story to a close in 2020, celebrating their 20th
anniversary with Rascal Flatts Farewell: Life Is A Highway Tour – the
nationwide farewell tour of their celebrated career. For more
information visit rascalflatts.com.