As one of the hottest touring acts in any genre, country music supergroup Rascal Flatts – which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney – announced today they will launch a new tour beginning this summer, Farmers Insurance presents “The American Band Tour.” The tour will feature an all-band set-up with Little Big Town, Eli Young Band and Edens Edge opening. The shows will begin in Hartford, Conn., on June 15 at the Comcast Theatre.

Unfortunately, no Oklahoma tour dates have been announced at this time.

“We are always looking for …

Music icon Lionel Richie will release “Tuskegee,” a collection of 13 of his international hits recorded with some of the biggest names in country music, on March 27 on Mercury Nashville.

His duet partners on Tuskegee include Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton, trio Rascal Flatts (which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney), Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington and Little Big Town.

On this worldwide, multi-genre album, Richie also is joined by the likes of such superstars as Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson …

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert (AP file)

From Friday’s The Oklahoman.

Oklahomans nominated in every major ACM Awards category
Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Thompson Square and Rascal Flatts will represent the Sooner State when the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards are handed out April 1 in Las Vegas.

At least one Oklahoma star is nominated in every major category of this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards.

Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Thompson Square and Rascal Flatts …

Blake Shelton

At least one Oklahoman is competing in every major category of the upcoming ACM Awards.

The Academy of Country Music announced the nominees for its 47th annual ACM Awards this morning in a digital press conference via Twitter and Facebook. Among the nominees with Oklahoma ties are Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Toby Keith, Carrie Underwood, Thompson Square, Vince Gill and Rascal Flatts.

Shelton and Reba will co-host the ACM Awards as they are broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 1 on …

In this Nov. 8, 2011 file photo, Jay DeMarcus, from the band Rascal Flatts, and his wife Allison arrive at the 59th Annual BMI Country Awards in Nashville. DeMarcus and his wife Allison are expecting their second child. Rascal Flatts is currently on tour and recently announced the release of its next album, “Changed,” on April 3. (AP Photo)

Rascal Flatts bassist and vocalist Jay DeMarcus and his wife Allison, a former Miss Tennessee and a current CMT personality, are anticipating the birth of their second child this summer. The …

Superstar trio Rascal Flatts has been named the recipient of the CRS 2012 Artist Humanitarian Award, to be presented at Country Radio Seminar on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

The multi-platinum selling trio of lead singer Gary LeVox, bassist Jay DeMarcus and Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney are receiving the honor based on their charitable contributions and humanitarian endeavors throughout the band’s career.

In 2010, the group donated $3 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s Pediatric Surgery Center. The Flatts currently serve as celebrity spokesmen for the national …

Happy birthday to me. Country music superstar group Rascal Flatts, which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney, announced today that they will release “Changed,” their anticipated seventh studio album, on April 3, which happens to be my birthday.

Award-winning musician Dann Huff co-produced the new project with Flatts, according to today’s announcement.

“Changed” is poised to follow the success of the trio’s first Big Machine Records album release, “Nothing Like This,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country albums sales chart, making the Flatts one of only four …

Rascal Flatts performs at the 2010 CMA Music Festival. (AP file)

Rascal Flatts (which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney), Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Faith Hill, reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Zac Brown Band have joined the performance lineup for the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during 2012 CMA Music Festival. The event that USA Today calls “the crown jewel of country music festivals” will once again take over downtown Nashville for four days this summer,  June 7-10.

2011 Country Music …

Tim Tebow (AP file)

Rascal Flatts (AP file)

In a Q&A with the NY Post, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow says his favorite entertainer is country band Rascal Flatts, which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney.

Tebow, who has become the most compelling story of the NFL season, identified “Braveheart” as his favorite movie, Will Smith and Jennifer Aniston as his favorite actor and actress and his parents as his biggest childhood influence.

Tebow and the Broncos will play the Buffalo Bills at noon Saturday. The game will air on …

Rascal Flatts’ top 10 hit “Easy” has been certified gold for selling 500,000 digital downloads, reports CMT.com.

The trio, which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney of Picher, teamed with British pop star Natasha Bedingfield to record the heartbroken ballad. It was written by Bray native Katrina Elam and Mike Mobley.

“Easy” is the third single from Rascal Flatts’ platinum-selling 2010 album “Nothing Like This.”

-BAM…