“Give It Here, Dummy!”: Rascal Flatts’ New Single Was Cast-Off From Dan and Shay

They couldn’t believe the duo wasn’t going to record it

By kncitom on July 29, 2019

We had the extreme privilege of spending a few minutes with Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus recently when they visited the New Country Sound Stage before their show at Toyota Amphitheater. With a few dozen lucky contest winners looking on, we had a chance to catch up with the three and were reminded that of all the artists we’ve interviewed over the years, none may be so easy to talk to, or so funny and down-to-earth, as these three future Hall-of-Famers.

Nowhere in our chat were those characteristics more apparent than when Pat asked them about their new single, “Back To Life”, and it’s writer, Shay Mooney of Dan and Shay. Gary said last year while they were hanging out on the bus during their tour together, Shay played them the song.  Jay says he couldn’t believe they weren’t going to include on their album.

I was shocked” he told us. “I said, ‘you guys aren’t putting that on your record?’ and he was like, ‘no, I don’t think so’. And I said, ‘give it here, dummy!‘”

Then Gary chimed in.

Jay said, ‘well, let’s make a deal. Since you’re gonna try to steal our sound, we’re gonna steal your song!‘” Before the crowd had quit saying “ooooh” Gary added, “These are just jokes, people!” 

“Back to Life” is rising fast up the charts and even if it was a Dan and Shay song at one time, it belongs to the Flatts’ boys now. 

Check out the full, fun interview, in which we discuss everything from their decision to no longer record albums to Gary’s awesome sneakers, below.

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