By: Tony Manfetano Europe has castles, Egypt has pyramids, China has a Great Wall and the United States has country music. In no other locale is this genre’s milestone landmarks more prevalent than Nashville, TN where Rascal Flatts sat down at one of these watershed venues for a conversation with Today Show anchor Lester Holt. The seven time platinum certified group’s Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney met with Holt at the Fiddle & Steel Guitar Bar in the notorious Printer’s Alley section of downtown Nashville to discuss their origin story.
Rascal Flatts began, as most great music does, with neon whimsy and a smokey bar. This tunesmith triumvirate’s happened to be Fiddle & Steel. What prompted this journey down memory alley is a bit disheartening for country music historians. As it turns out the Printer’s Alley district, and consequently Fiddle & Steel bar, will be closing at the beginning of the year to make way for city expansion.
A subject requiring the utmost circumspect here in Nashville, the “renovation” of some of country music’s legendary sites has been a hot button issue. Growth vs. heritage. I suppose that is the age old question inherent in the essence of music, nay, of all art.
During an interview the Big Machine recording artists told Holt how they got discovered right in that very bar, when they realized they had something special, and even how their name was purchased from a patron written on a napkin. Later the band performed a private show for SiriusXM listeners at the iconic venue featuring Holt himself sitting in on bass guitar during latest single “Riot”.
22.9 million albums sold and over 30 digital downloads earns Rascal Flatts the title of best selling country vocal group of the past decade. The song “Rewind”, from the titular album, debuted at number 1 and has already claimed gold status.
Check out these links to find interview and concert clips of the award winning band’s final performance at Fiddle & Steel Guitar Bar. Hear the full concert on the following SiriusXM stations on eastern time.
Y2Kountry
11/11 at 8:00P
11/13 at NOON
11/15 at 10:00A
11/16 at MIDNIGHT
The Highway
11/12 at 10:00P
11/14 at NOON
11/15 at 4:00P
Find all your Rascal Flatts info at rascalflatts.com and vote for them as People’s Choice Award for Choice Country Group till December 4.
