From GACTV.com

When Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney celebrated his 32nd birthday recently in Phoenix, the day was especially meaningful because his wife, Tiffany, was by his side.

"Every year we're on the road for my birthday," he tells OK Magazine. "We flew in some friends, and then we went to San Diego and San Bernardino, so she rode with me on the bus. It was a good present to spend time with her."

The trio's fifth album Still Feels Good was released this week, and Joe Don says things are going great for him and and his bandmates, Gary LeVox, and Jay DeMarcus.

"Our personal lives are figured out," he says. "We've got great wives and great lives."

Joe Don can't say enough about Tiffany. "The most amazing thing about her is just how sweet she is, what a great-hearted human being she is, how much she cares about people and how she treats people," he says. "I've found that in her from day one. She makes me a better man.

"One of these days we're going to have some babies together," he says. "I can't wait. I hope they look just like her because she's so beautiful."

Rascal Flatts release their new CD "Still Feels Good" tomorrow. The guys will take a week off from their  extremely successful Still Feels Good tour to promote the new album. Tomorrow they will be appear on Good Morning Amercia, The Late Show With David Lettermen, and MTV's  My Super Sweet Sixteen.  The Flatts will also do radio tour starting in New York New York City to visit with radio for a series of in studio appearances and acoustic performances. Over the next 6 days, they will continue with stops in Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Cleveland.

"I think lyrically this is the strongest album we've ever done," says Gary.  "It's genuinely taken us to the next level. I think that in working with [producer] Dann Huff, the four of us have really got something special when it comes to capturing on CD what we do live. It perfectly captures the way we've grown as songwriters, as musicians and as people, and it's the proudest we've ever been of a project.

Rascal Flatts and Dann Huff co-produced Still Feels Good. The new album features 13 brand new songs including their current #1 hit "Take Me There". Gary, Jay, and Joe Don co-wrote 5 of the tracks on the album including "Winner At A Losing Game" and  "She Goes All The Way"  the duet with Academy Award winning actor and singer Jamie Foxx.

In the seven years since launching their career the band has sold over 15 million albums and scored 9 No 1 singles. In 2006, they were the best selling artists of any genre. Their last CD "Me And My Gang" sold 722,000 units in its debut week, the biggest first week sales for any CD in 2006. The groups recent  titles Me and My Gang and Feels Like Today, are each certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than 4 million units while Rascal Flatts  and Melt are both certified double platinum.

 For 3 years, in a row the Flatts have had a benefit concert each year in Nashville, TN to raise money for Vanderbilt Children's hospital. This year they were able to raise $830,000! Congrats, guys!  

Check out this amazing video of Rascal Flatts at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.

 http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=18611171

From THE TENNESSEAN

By BEVERLY KEEL
It would be understandable if Rascal Flatts viewed tonight's Sommet Center show as a victory lap, a sweet vindication for a trio that has silenced its critics by achieving record-setting levels of success.

The group has sold more than 15 million albums since its 2000 debut and ended 2006 as the best-selling artist of all genres of music. Rascal Flatts' 2006 tour played to more than 1 million fans in 74 cities, and the trio added vocal group trophies from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association to their shelves, along with the American Music Awards' favorite artist and country group of the year honors.

But all three men say they have no desire to say, "I told you so." In fact, tonight's concert, their third annual fundraiser for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, is in some ways not even about them. They're hoping to raise $1 million in a night for the hospital, which they'll add to the $1.4 million donated from their last two Nashville shows.

"At this point, our event in Nashville has very little to do with Rascal Flatts and what we've been able to accomplish," said Jay DeMarcus. "To me, it's about creating awareness for how much the hospital relies on public donations."

Dare to be different

But that doesn't mean the increased industry respect doesn't feel good.

Initially, many critics compared the trio to the fabricated, dancing pop boy bands, but fans didn't care. The trio's first two albums, Rascal Flatts and Melt, sold 2 million copies each.

"We simply wanted to do something different in country music," DeMarcus said. "If we couldn't be different, we wouldn't leave our mark. The world already has a George Strait and Alabama. For better or worse, we can always look back and say we were unique. Gary (LeVox) is one of the most unique, recognizable voices in the industry right now, in my opinion."

The tide began turning after Garth Brooks said "I'm Moving On" from their debut album was one of the best-written songs he'd heard in a while. After that came hits such as "Bless the Broken Road" and "Fast Cars and Freedom." Rascal Flatts albums Feels Like Today and Me and My Gang each sold 4 million copies.

"I never understood why it's so tough to get the respect of Music Row when you are doing great things and having the biggest-selling album of the entire year of all the artists putting out an album," LeVox said. "You can't worry about that. You just go on and make the music you believe in and make the music for the fans. It's definitely nice to get respect, whatever the situation was."

They've found their 'recipe'

On Tuesday, the trio will release their new album, Still Feels Good, which unveils a more mature sound both musically and lyrically. (The members helped write five of its 13 songs.) Producer Dann Huff captured in the studio what the group had unleashed onstage, and under his tutelage their singing improved and harmonies grew stronger. As a group and individuals, they've finally zeroed in on who they are musically. "You've got to find the right ingredient and the right amount of each person to put in that band," DeMarcus says. "I think we finally found our recipe.

"Joe Don would be the spice with his blazing guitar and singing, and I would be the salt and pepper, running around like an all-purpose ingredient. Gary would be like a rack of lamb."

The album's first single, "Take Me There," was written by Kenny Chesney, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher. (Flatts' Joe Don Rooney returned the favor by co-writing "Scare Me" on Chesney's new album.)

"We want to better ourselves with each album and tour," Rooney said. "There is a natural pressure that the industry puts on people as a whole. It's dog-eat-dog out there in the industry; it's maddening.

"With all of the years, it's gotten crazier and crazier, each step of success up the ladder. We try to be simple with it: Cut the best songs you can find. Set your ego at the door."

They were able to leave that pressure at the door, too.

"It's our fifth album, but we don't feel like we've gotten started yet," LeVox said. "We go into the studio hungry to create and make something.

"That was our lifelong dream and goal. Every time we go into the studio, we go in like a bunch of giddy little kids, the same kids who stood in front of the mirror singing into a comb. We've had a lot of success really early, but we feel like we haven't hit our stride yet. We've got a lot left to do."

From GACTV.com 

Rascal Flatts was responsible for seven percent of the country albums sold in 2006, so expectations are high for the group's follow-up CD, Still Feels Good, due September 25.

Joe Don Rooney tells the Charlotte Observer that the band worked hard to make the album something special. "We took the last 3 1/2 months off just to try and get this album done," he says. "Our producer, Dann Huff, has really pushed us to be better. He'll stretch to make you go for things. We are all good at constructive criticism. He's the kind who would take me to a corner, grab my guitar, then show me how to play a few notes I never dreamed of."

Joe Don says the guys listened to more than 1,000 songs to find the 13 they recorded, and they're all winners. "To me, the greatest is a ballad called 'Not Supposed to Go Like That,' " he says. "It's a song that hits you in the gut, with lyrics that ask God why tragic situations play out like they do."

The guys also included a song, "Winner at a Losing Game," that might catch fans off guard, Joe Don reveals "It has a '70s California feel to it, like the old Eagles. That's a sound fans haven't heard us touch on yet, so I think they'll be surprised."

Hey Flatts fans, we are only a week away until the release of "Still Feels Good!" Check out these exclusive CD offers and make sure to pick up a copy next Tuesday. Last year, the Flatts broke the record for the highest 1st week sales with "Me and My Gang" let's help them do it again with "Still Feels Good"!

Wal*Mart – Exclusive CMT 2-Pack with Bonus DVD.  Pre-order the digital CD and receive the single, "Take Me There," now!!

Target – Exclusive 2-disc set. 5 never released songs including 4 written and produced by Rascal Flatts.

Best Buy – Exclusive 2 disc set. 1-hour audio interview with Rascal Flatts.  Pre-order the CD and receive the single, "Take Me There," now!!

Exclusive and unique posters are also available at K*Mart, Hastings, Circuit City and F.Y.E.  Pre-order the CD from F.Y.E. and receive the single, "Take Me There," now!!

Rascal Flatts are gearing up to promote their new album "Still Feels Good", with a appearance on the Ellen Show on September 18. The group will perform their #1 hit "Take Me There" for the first time on tv. Other appearances include Good Morning America's "Fall Concert Series" and the Late Show with David Lettermen, both of these shows will air on September 25.

 Fans can go to Access Hollywood's website http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=154869 and watch special behind the scenes making of their new video for "Take Me There", which will debut on CMT and GAC tomorrow, September 13.

On Monday, you can watch Rascal Flatts on "Nissan Live Sets on Yahoo! Music" performance also includes Q&A sessions with the 500 fans who attended the taping. They are the first country act to appear on it. You can watch their performance at www.music.yahoo.com.

For more tv listings check out the new "TV Appearances" section!

From: GACTV.com 

Rascal Flatts' "Take Me There" has captured the top spot on both R&R and Mediabase country singles charts this week, making it the band's ninth No. 1 single. With a brand new album slated for release later this month, the guys are hard at work playing for fans all over the country on their Still Feels Good tour.

Although the trio has worked nearly nonstop since their career started taking shape in 2000, Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney got to take a well-deserved vacation from the madness earlier this year. Joe Don tells Dial-
Global it was a great time for reflection.

"We got to take two and a half months off and that's the first time we ever really got to take that length of a time off," he says. "In that time period we really got to reflect on the last seven years and just how overwhelming this has been. You get trapped in that cycle of just go, go, go, go, go — doing shows, doing albums and doing meet-and-greets and doing press. And everything is successful, but you don't really see it 'cause you're inside that bubble."

The band's new album, Still Feels Good, will be released on Sept. 25.

What freaks out Rascal Flatts bassist/vocalist Jay DeMarcus more than anything else?

"Man-eating snakes. When it comes to snakes…I'm running through the yard like a girl, period," DeMarcus tells GACTV.com as part of the Web site's exclusive online video question-and-answer session with members of the top country music group. Rascal Flatts is GAC's Artist of the Month for September.

Rascal Flatts members DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney answer questions submitted to GAC by fans. Questions run the gamut from how the guys spend their time when they're not touring, how they got their "big" break, and what was their most embarrassing moment on stage.

LeVox grins widely as he remembers an incident one might say was "ripped" from the headlines.

"We were on this real tall stage and [the audience is shooting cameras from way down low," he recalls. "On about the second song of an hour-long set, I was jumping up and the entire crotch of my pants ripped out, and I'm thinking 'so what am I going to do for another 55 minutes?'"

Want to hear the rest of the story? Log on to GACTV.com to this and additional candid answers to dozens of other questions in GACTV.com's special Artist of the Month feature with Rascal Flatts.

The GACTV.com Artist of the Month package also includes a photo gallery, trivia contest and a sweepstakes in which one lucky winner will receive a guitar and a plaque autographed by DeMarcus, Rooney and LeVox.