Rascal Flatts: ‘Proud’ Of Joe Don’s Sobriety
After taking a four-year break, Rascal Flatts are getting ready to hit the stage again. Their return comes as guitarist Joe Don Rooney reaches three years of sobriety this September 2024.
When tickets dropped on October 4 for their “Life Is a Highway Tour,” fans grabbed 140,000 tickets in just seven days. The band starts their long-awaited comeback on February 13 – their first shows since COVID hit.
Jay Demarcus said in a recent interview, “Sober Joe Don is incredible. I have to say I’m so proud of him for what he’s been through and what he’s been able to overcome.”
DeMarcus added that Rooney “is so zoned in now, and so lucid and intentional about everything he does, and I’m so proud to see him in such a healthy space. It’s really, really cool. I’ve seen him turn into a completely different person, it’s an unbelievable metamorphosis.”
Rooney’s journey to sobriety began after a DUI arrest in September 2021. That reality check sent him to rehab for four months, with support from his family and medical professionals.
Before this October, the three bandmates hadn’t been in the same room for years. Their planned 2020 goodbye tour fell apart when COVID hit. During COVID, the band members say they barely talked.
RELATED: Rascal Flatts Release Song, Set 2025 Tour
As they get ready to tour, Joe Don remains committed to his recovery. His sobriety stays priority number one, even as the band prepares for their nationwide tour.
The trio recently jumpstarted 2025 tapping global pop superstars Jonas Brothers to collaborate with them on their new single, “I Dare You.”
Jay DeMarcus said, “We’re so excited to kick off this next chapter of Rascal Flatts with this single, working with Kevin, Joe, and Nick [Jonas] is such a blast, they’re class acts. I think this song fits perfectly into our catalog while also showing off something new and exciting, and we can’t wait to share it with our fans on the road!”
Written by Nick Jonas, Shay Mooney, Dewain Whitmore Jr, and Tommy English, the new track features vibrant harmonies and pop-centric production with a tinge of twang.
