American guitarist
Joe Don Rooney
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Born
| (
1975-09-13
)
September 13, 1975
(age 48)
Baxter Springs, Kansas
, U.S.
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Origin
| Picher, Oklahoma
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Genres
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Occupation(s)
| Singer
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Instrument(s)
|
- Vocals
- guitar
- bass guitar
- mandolin
- banjo
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Years active
| 1992?2021
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Labels
| Lyric Street
,
Big Machine
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Formerly of
| Rascal Flatts
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Spouse(s)
|
(
m.
2006;
div.
2023)
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Musical artist
Joe Don Rooney
(born September 13, 1975, in Baxter Springs, KS) is an American guitarist. From 1999 to 2021, he was the lead
guitarist
and high octave
harmony
singer in the
country rock
band
Rascal Flatts
.
In addition to the
electric guitar
, Rooney plays the
acoustic
and
bass guitars
, as well as
mandolin
&
banjo
. His influences include guitarists
Chet Atkins
,
Eric Clapton
and
Jeff Beck
.
Biography
[
edit
]
Joe Don Rooney's first band formed in 1992 under the name Uncle Thumbtack. In addition to Rooney playing lead guitar and singing backup harmony, this band included bass guitarist Gregory Fitzgibbon, acoustic guitarist Erin Fitzgibbon, drummer Colin Frayser, and rhythm guitarist Jason. Like future bandmate
Jay DeMarcus
, he also played in
Chely Wright
's band before Rascal Flatts.
[1]
Rooney frequently jammed with family member musicians Justin Speer, Tracy Conder, and Jeramy Essary (to whom he later dedicated "
I'm Movin' On
").
[
citation needed
]
In 2016, Rooney signed
Dylan Brady
to an artist development deal. Together, Brady and Rooney produced Brady's first single, "Shifting Gears," which was released in August 2018. In 2019, Rooney produced Brady's singles "Over Us" and "I Hate California."
[2]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Rooney married former beauty queen
Tiffany Fallon
on April 23, 2006.
[3]
She was
Miss Georgia USA
in 2001 and 2nd runner-up for the
Miss USA 2001
competition. She was also the 2005
Playmate of the Year
. The couple was featured in the Playboy Cyber Club's celebrity photographer section, with the nude pictorial of Fallon being shot by Rooney himself. The couple have three children: son Jagger Donovan Rooney (b. May 31, 2008) and daughters Raquel Blue Rooney (b. September 7, 2010) and Devon Olivia Rooney (b. September 25, 2014).
[4]
[5]
[6]
The couple separated in 2021 and the divorce was finalized in 2023.
[7]
On September 9, 2021, he was arrested for and charged in Tennessee with
driving under the influence
after crashing his vehicle into a tree line. He sustained no injuries in the crash. On June 1, 2022, Rooney pleaded guilty to the charges; he was sentenced to one year in jail, with all but two days of the sentence suspended, and the loss of his driver's license.
[8]
Discography
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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Studio albums
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Christmas albums
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Compilation albums
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Live albums
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Tours
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Related articles
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