Joe Don Rooney of Rascal Flatts talks with Katie Neal on about their Jonas Brothers collaboration and more on Katie & Company!
Category
🎵
MusicTranscript
00:00Well, it is so good to see you. It is so great to have brand new Rascal Flatts music. I,
00:05when I saw that this was coming out and I saw you guys were doing this collaboration
00:08with the Jonas Brothers, I kind of thought like, oh, this is probably a Flatts song that
00:11they took to the Jonas Brothers, but it actually was the opposite. Talk about how they brought
00:16this song to you guys.
00:17Yeah, it sure was. We, we reached out to a lot of artists and, uh, and we're thinking
00:23about doing something, you know, with some other artists and, and we had talked about
00:28maybe doing one of our old songs and maybe doing a new version of it that they might
00:32like. And they said, Hey, we love the idea of working with you guys working together,
00:37but we just wrote this song and we'd like to see if you guys like it. Uh, cause we're
00:42on our 25th anniversary basically this year. And we didn't realize it at the time when
00:48they reached out and sent this song to us, they're on their 20th anniversary. And so
00:55they sent the song and it's like, uh, you know, we, the song is great by the way. And,
01:02uh, we just loved it immediately. It's like a right up Flatts alley. And, uh, so yeah,
01:07we agreed to doing it and it's going to go, you know, out in the country radio and then
01:12possibly might do something that, you know, other radio, uh, for the Jonas Brothers. It's,
01:18it's really a unique thing. Anytime you have a country artist and more of a pop rock artist
01:24doing something together, collaboration, collaborating, but you know, there's a lot
01:27of collaborations right now happening and it's awesome. I love to see the cross pollination
01:32of, uh, of all the genres and multi-genres. It's really fun. And they're great guys. You
01:38know, we have a little bit of a history with them. We were signed with Disney at the same
01:41time they were back in the two thousands. And, um, when Taylor Swift went on tour with
01:47us, 2007, 2008, her and Joe Jonas are really good friends. Uh, that's all I know about
01:55that, but, and so he was on the road with us quite a bit. So we got to know Joe a little
02:02bit. Oh my gosh. That's so incredible. I forgot that that timeline would have been, yeah.
02:08During all of that. That's so crazy. That's crazy. That's amazing. Have you gotten to
02:12spend much time with the guys? We have been, we've been doing quite a bit of promo stuff
02:19and, uh, uh, talking about the tour, obviously we're really excited about it. And, uh, we
02:24did a photo shoot recently and that was the first time I spent like quality time with,
02:32with Gary since like 2020. Oh my gosh. It's nuts. We all kind of went our separate ways
02:37and did our own, did our own things. And obviously I had to do a lot of things on myself
02:43and I'm really grateful for that time. Um, so it was, um, time well spent to be honest,
02:50uh, to rejuvenate, to spend time with my kids, refocus attention as a father. And, and I'm
02:57super thankful for that time. And, uh, my, my connection with my kids is, has never been
03:03better. It's just so fun. I'm so happy to hear that. And that's, what's so important.
03:08And now you guys get to come back and step into this tour, which I'm sure you were so
03:11excited about that's kicking off in a few weeks. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, the life's
03:16a highway tour. It's, um, we've needed to do this for a while to be honest. And here
03:21we are almost six years since we really had a tour. And what's, what's cool about the
03:27thing with my kids, uh, Jagger's 16, Rocky, she's 14 now. And Devin is 10. But the last
03:33time they saw us play was, I believe it was 2019, the summer we played, uh, in Nashville
03:41at the Ascend Amphitheater. And that was the last time they saw us. And so they're pretty
03:47hyped up to see us now. And then, you know, since they're a little older teenagers and
03:52they're like, let's see what dad does for a living. Now I really want to see what he
03:56does on stage. That's crazy. Your youngest would have been what, like five at the time.
04:00So he probably doesn't even really like have any idea. Right. So it's so cool to be able
04:06to, to give this to him. It's really neat. Oh, Joe, that's going to be so special and
04:11so much fun. What songs would you say? Cause I mean, it's been, like you said, it's been
04:16forever. Like what songs are you most looking forward to like getting back on stage and
04:19playing that you've really missed? Oh, there's a bunch. Um, and I'm not bragging. I'm just
04:25saying we've been blessed and there's a bunch to pick from. We've been around for a while.
04:29Um, but I gotta tell you, like being a father now and seeing the kids grow up, my son Jagger's
04:34like driving now, which is so crazy. And, uh, he's way into music now. He's playing
04:40guitar, bass, drums, and just, he's a muso. I mean, I love it. But for me now being sober
04:48for a little over three years and refocusing my attention to my health and fatherhood
04:55and all that, like the song, like my wish, it hits me different. We've been, you know,
05:01we've been rehearsing a lot last couple of weeks and it just feels different singing
05:05that song. It's like, I got a lot of other reasons that I reconnect with the song now.
05:11And that's crazy because like when we recorded some of this music back in the day is before,
05:16you know, before Jay and I had kids, I think Gary already had at least one. And we sing
05:22those songs a little differently. And now having kids, Jay and I have talked about this
05:26now having kids, like a lot of our songs have changed the meaning for us, you know, performing
05:33the songs. And it's so wild because I think the fans for years felt that, you know, they
05:38already had kids and families and all that. And they loved the song, like my wish for
05:42a reason. And for us now, it's just, we're kind of finally, we're finally where the fans
05:47are at, I think with our music, which is very dichotomy. But you know, life as a highway
05:52is always a banger and summer nights is so good. The uptempo stuff is always a lot of
06:01fun to jam out on guitar too, sure. But those power ballads are magnificent. And I can't
06:08wait to hear Gary sing again. It's been a while.
06:11Right? Well, when I originally saw that I Dare You was written by also the Jonas Brothers
06:17and Shea Mooney, I was like, Oh, this is this is so perfect for Askle Flats. Because if
06:21Shea was writing even with like an inkling that it could be a Dan and Shea song, like
06:25it's still like, you just know, Gary's gonna sing the hell out of it.
06:28Absolutely. And he sure does. And thank you for saying that. I'll tell him you said that.
06:35He knows.
06:37That's the cool thing is like, where the Jonas Brothers are at musically, they're able to
06:43kind of like broaden and they can kind of fit into that, you know, country pop space.
06:50And obviously Dan and Shea have that we have that. And that song would have worked for any
06:56of us. The three of us.
06:58I totally agree with you. I was listening to it again, like a few times through this
07:02morning. And it's one of those songs to me that feels like it could have come from almost
07:07any point in the Flats catalog.
07:10Like I was like, this feels like a song I've always known, even though it's new.
07:13You know what I mean? Like it's got this familiarness to it.
07:15And I think that that is always it's such a hard thing for artists to capture.
07:19And I just feel like what a beautiful culmination of this coming from those guys and
07:24finding its way to you. Like, I just think it's the perfect song for you guys to come
07:28like for the first new Flats music that we're hearing.
07:30Well, that that's exactly how we felt when we just heard the demo.
07:33The demo was fabulous.
07:35And, you know, the Jonas Brothers sang on the demo and we actually used their demo
07:41vocals for the album, for the version, not the album, but the version you're going to
07:46hear of the single because it was just that good.
07:50And what was also like such a great bright spot in this whole thing is is getting to
07:57work with Dan Hough again, a producer we had a lot of success with back in the mid
08:022000s to 2013 or 14 and to get to jump back in the seat with him and and play guitar.
08:11And like he's one of my dearest friends in this world and such a unbelievable human
08:17being. If there was like a book on how to live your life in the music business, Dan
08:22Hough is he's figured it out.
08:25I mean, it's he's an incredible human being.
08:27Great father, his grandfather now, which is nuts and an amazing husband and just a great
08:33friend and an ungodly musician.
08:36So that's been a blast working with him again.
08:38I've really enjoyed my time with Dan.
08:41That's amazing. It's so good to talk to you, Joe, because I feel like you guys,
08:45obviously, it was such a hard thing when you guys had to cancel this farewell tour in
08:492020 and the pandemic and everything.
08:51But it really feels like all of that happened for a reason, because now you guys are
08:54coming back and I can just feel from you like the gratitude and the passion and the
08:58excitement to get back out and do this.
09:01Yes. Of all of us, I think mostly I needed a break.
09:06I did. And, you know, things happened the way they happened.
09:09And I think God's timing is amazing.
09:12And, you know, I was able to to battle through some stuff and and like I said,
09:18reconnect with my kids and just so grateful for that.
09:21I'm honored to be in Rascal Flatts.
09:23I'm super thankful we're going on tour again.
09:27I can't wait to see the fans.
09:28I know we've been getting a lot of comments and stuff on the socials.
09:31It's been very exciting that I don't know.
09:34It's almost like we're starting all over again.
09:35It's definitely like a second chance.
09:38For sure. It's amazing.
09:39And something else I was thinking about with you guys is your ability to reach and
09:44like span generations, because like my mom will tell anybody, she's like, I have my
09:48daughter works in country music.
09:49I don't love country music, but I love Rascal Flatts.
09:51And the youngest version of Gen Z that I know is like, I will like do anything for
09:56Rascal Flatts. So I just think that that speaks to like the timelessness of what you
10:01guys do. And I just feel like the buzzer all around this is so fun.
10:05That is very cool.
10:06And thank you for saying that.
10:07And tell your mom I said thank you.
10:10That is fabulous. And it is pretty cool.
10:12We've. Up to 2019 was like one of our that was our last real tour, but touring all
10:19those 19 years up to that point, we saw fans like.
10:25That grew up on our music and graduated high school, went to college, then they're
10:30getting married, they got kids of their own and are coming out to our shows, we've
10:33seen those people grow up right in front of our faces, and it's it's incredible to
10:38be. To have people that are almost magnetized to the music we've been able to
10:44create. I don't think they get enough appreciation and and we definitely have always
10:51tried to just spread love all over them as much as we can, because, you know, they're
10:58the reason that we're where we're at have been successful.
11:03Absolutely. Is there anything and I know it's obviously like you said, it's been a
11:06while since you guys been on the road, but I'm curious, like in all your years of
11:09touring, is there anything that you guys would do like a pre-show ritual or is there a
11:13moment of like prayer or like a hands in huddle before you guys hit the stage?
11:17Has there ever been anything like that you guys do?
11:19That's exactly it.
11:20Yeah. Circle, huddle and a prayer.
11:24We've always done that backstage before we and we usually bring our band guys in.
11:28If there's a couple of crew guys walking the hallways, we'll bring them in.
11:32And yes, we've always done that.
11:35And I'm sure we're going to do that again.
11:37Kicking off. Who usually leads that?
11:40It depends. We sometimes have somebody, you know, leads random.
11:44There's no particular order.
11:47Somebody's feeling it. Go for it.
11:49Sometimes Jay might say, you know, Jim or drummer Jim, you got it tonight.
11:54Throw Jim on the side.
11:56Going to be called upon, you know.
11:59That's amazing. I was thinking about, you know, while we have you on the show co-hosting
12:03with me all next week and we're playing, obviously, like so many Flats hits, including
12:07the new single, I Dare You.
12:09But I also one of the songs I wanted to talk to you about, you guys' very first number
12:12one song, These Days.
12:14What do you remember about finding out that you guys had gotten officially that first
12:19number one song? Do you remember that at all?
12:21Yes. These Days was it was monumental in our career for sure.
12:26But to go back for a second, that song was on hold for Keith Urban for quite a while.
12:32Really?
12:33We, our producers back then, Mark Bright and Marty Williams, we loved it.
12:39They loved it. And I think somehow they made a phone call and just to see if Keith was
12:45going to record it or not, because he hadn't yet.
12:47And he decided to let it off hold.
12:50So we're able to record it.
12:51And thank God he did.
12:53Wow.
12:54Yeah. So we were able to record that.
12:56And it just, you know, Jeffrey Steele wrote the song.
13:00He's got such a knack for writing things that like there's always like lots of words
13:06in his verses, but they like the rhythm of it.
13:08And the melodies are so good that you don't you get lost in it.
13:11You don't even realize there's that many words.
13:14It's Gary in such a way.
13:16And even Jeffrey Steele's like demos sound amazing.
13:20And and so Gary's always like it's just writing Gary's wheelhouse, you know.
13:25And that that was a song for us, too, that had a little more edge, a little more grit
13:30on it and fantastic story song.
13:36And also, Jay met Alice and his wife on the video shoot.
13:40Oh, my gosh. I don't know if I realize that.
13:42Followed her around like a little puppy all day long.
13:44It was sweet. And they ended up going on a date shortly after.
13:49So, yeah, that's all we do is bring people together, you know?
13:54Yeah. Oh, my gosh.
13:55That's so funny.
13:56I another question I always like to ask related to first number one songs is as an
14:00artist, often like you've been grinding for years living basically barely paycheck to
14:04paycheck. When you guys got your first number one song, did you make a memorable first
14:08number one purchase?
14:12Yes, I was able to pay off some college student loans that I had for sure.
14:18And so that was 2002, I want to say.
14:23Which is such a good feeling.
14:24Like when I hit pay off on that loan, I was like, oh, thank right.
14:28It is a very powerful feeling.
14:30It's like the lottery or something.
14:32And incredible.
14:34And then I shortly after that made my first house purchase, which was just.
14:40Weird being a homeowner, it's like I didn't know it all comes with, you know,
14:47that was my first few years in Nashville.
14:50Wow, that's amazing.
14:51And then obviously, I Dare You is our first look at what you guys have been working on.
14:56I know some details of this.
14:57I don't know how much you can say at this moment, but just talk a little bit about what
15:01you're excited about for this project.
15:03Well, I'm not supposed to say much, but I can say this.
15:08There are an amazing roster of artists that we have coming in and singing with us.
15:13And I can't tell you the song or songs or who's on it.
15:17But let me tell you, it is a heavy hitter project and we are so fortunate when you see
15:24this list of people.
15:26I mean, you think Jonas Brothers, I mean, they're world freaking wide.
15:30So you think that level, all these artists are like that.
15:33And it's it's fascinating to even know that they want to do it one, but to their
15:41thoughts and their feelings on our music.
15:45It's wow.
15:46Oh, I'm so excited for that.
15:48I feel like I feel excited to get to talk to everybody else that's been a part of this
15:52in whatever way, shape or form, because I'm sure getting a call from Rascal Flatts, like
15:56you're being very humble, Joe.
15:57But like getting a call from Rascal Flatts, like, hey, do you want to come sing with us
16:00is probably like the dream of so many artists.
16:03So I feel like I just know there's going to be so many fun stories that come out of this.
16:08Seriously, there are already and more to come.
16:12But I appreciate you saying that it's, you know, as artists, sometimes you wonder what
16:18other people are thinking, especially other artists.
16:21And so when you do get a call back and they're fired up about a song or being a part of
16:26something that you're doing.
16:29It's pretty cool. It's great.
16:31Well, we're very excited for this new song.
16:33I dare you to be out.
16:35Thank you so much for the time today.
16:36It was great to see you.
16:37You just seem like a ray of light this morning.
16:39And I am so happy that we got time to catch up.
16:42You're super sweet.
16:43Thank you so much.
16:44I will see you out on the road this summer.
16:47Come on, let's do it.