Since the turn of the millennium, Rascal Flatts have continually shaped the future of country music. Over the years, they’ve developed an exemplary ability to connect with a live audience through authenticity and unmatched vocal talent. Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney, and Jay DeMarcus strike a perfect balance between warm nostalgia and raw admission of mournful emotion to deliver a message that is inherently human.
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Their connectivity sold 11 million concert tickets to fanatical audiences all over the world. With soon-to-be 12 highly-acclaimed studio albums and 17 number one’s under their belt, Rascal Flatts’ are essential to the soundtrack of the early 2000s. They’ve sold more than 20 million albums, including the back-to-back multi-platinum sensations, Feels Like Today, and Me and My Gang.
In January, the group announced their farewell Rascal Flatts: Life Is a Highway Tour for this year, marking their 20th anniversary, and the end of a country music era. Shortly after, things took a turn for the worst. In May, the beloved country trio made the difficult announcement that they would not have the chance to say a proper goodbye.
On Friday, they released “Quick, Fast, In a Hurry” ahead of their upcoming EP, How They Remember You – a farewell offering to their dedicated fans. The seven-song collection also includes the latest title-track single and a touching rendition of the late Kenny Rogers’ “Through The Years”.
The poppy single features soaring harmonies from emerging artist, Rachel Wammack. A native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Wammack is part of CMT’s Next Women of Country. Her vocal range highlights the hooky construction of the song, co-written by Kelly Archer, AJ Babcock, Pete Good, and Brandon Ratcliff and produced by Jay DeMarcus.
“This song felt special as soon as we landed on the feel,” Good remembered about the cut. “The music was inspiring and led to the rapid-fire lyric, yet it reminded me of that old Christmas song, ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside.’ It felt like the two people were going back and forth in conversation, and I always loved that.”
Lead vocalist Gary LeVox shared that he was drawn to song melodically from his first listen. “We had never done anything like that,” he explained about the conversational-duet style selection. He praised Wammack for her talent, saying, “she absolutely slayed it; she is amazing.”
The song title came from Ratcliff’s stockpile. “Quick, Fast, In a Hurry” was a phrase he commonly heard from his parents growing up. “I always thought it was an interesting way of stating the urgency of needing something or someone,” the co-writer revealed. Waiting many years for the right moment, Ratcliff acknowledged when it was finally time to lift the idea from his back burner. “The energy of the song felt electric right away, and we knew it could be special,” he recalled.
LeVox introduces the narrative to a punchy percussion, working dynamically through the choppy opening verses. He and Wammack chase each other around choral harmonies with solo components, granting each the opportunity to share their side of the story.
“It was intriguing to think of the song as a duet because typically, duets tend to be more ballad driven,” expressed bass player and vocalist Jay DeMarcus. He asserted the song is the “perfect storm” citing, “amazing lyrics, a soaring melody, and two powerhouse singers delivering it.” DeMarcus pointed out the unique phrasing that creates something fresh for the veteran artists.
Watch the music video Rascal Flatts released Friday, July 10, for their latest single “Quick, Fast, In a Hurry” below. How They Remember You arrives on July 31 and is available for pre-order now.
