Rascal Flatts‘ lead singer Gary LeVox is speaking out about their participation in the inauguration festivities. The trio, made up of LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney, were recently announced as performers for the Inaugural Ball, after Trump is sworn in as the 47th President of the United States.
“I am so humbled and honored and grateful for the opportunity again to play the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States,” LeVox writes. “I got to play it in 2016 and now Rascal Flatts will be performing at the Commander’s Ball and I am so looking forward to it! Thank you to [South Dakota] Governor Kristi Noem and Mrs. Virginia — it will be a night to remember!
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Rascal Flatts aren’t the only country artists performing at the celebration. They will be joined by Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus and The Village People.
Carrie Underwood is also taking part in the inauguration. The mother of two confirmed she is singing “America the Beautiful” during the inauguration ceremony.
“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood tells People. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
Rascal Flatts’ performance next week comes shortly before they kick off their Life Is A Highway Tour. The tour, which begins on February 13, marks the 25th anniversary of Rascal Flatts. It also serves as a reunion for the band, who announced in 2020 that they were embarking on their farewell Life Is A Highway Tour, so they could each pursue other interests. The tour was canceled because of the pandemic.
“In 2020, we announced the farewell tour after being on the road extensively for 20 years,” the group said in a statement when announcing the new tour. “To put it simply, we needed a break. Then COVID hit and our plans came to a screeching halt, like the rest of the world. Since then, we’ve been able to revisit our unique and special experience as a band and we’re ready to get out on the road again. It’s hard to believe that next year will be the 25th anniversary of Rascal Flatts, and that felt like the perfect time to get back in front of the fans who have given us so much.”
The Life Is A Highway Tour almost completely sold out within one week of tickets going on sale.
“We are humbled and blown away by the response. We are grateful that the fans are just as excited as we are for this tour,” Rascal Flatts said when the news was announced. “We feel the love and truly can’t wait to play these shows.”
Trump’s inauguration ceremony is slated to begin at 11:00 AM ET. The entire event will stream live on ABC, CBS, CNN, CSPAN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC and PBS.