Rascal Flatts’ Covers Album Has Been 10 Years in the Making

Rascal Flatts new single "Back to Life" will not be released on a traditional album. The trio tell Taste of Country Nights they're going to release new music more quickly moving forward.

Their next project is one that has been 10 years in the making.

"I think our years of cutting full length albums are on hold right now," Jay DeMarcus says. "Back to Life" — a rangey power ballad — is one of five or six new song they've cut, but the bigger picture is an album of re-imagined cover songs they're hard at work on after 10 years worth of conversations.

Just prior to playing the Grand Ole Opry, Rascal Flatts shared that they've already cut favorites by artists like Foreigner, Huey Lewis and the News and Kenny Loggins, and they're open to working with the original artists to breathe new life into classics.

"We've talked about ... getting maybe Peter Cetera on like 'You're the Inspiration' or something special that we can film," DeMarcus says. "Maybe not him specifically, but somebody that we admire like that. It'd be cool to have Brian McKnight come in and sing 'One Last Cry' with Gary. We've definitely talked about all those possibilities."

One of the new songs may also include a female duet partner for vocalist Gary LeVox. Lauren Alaina cut "Are You Happy Now" with them on the trio's most recent studio album Back to Us. They say they hope to recreate that magic, but right now it sounds like LeVox's daughter, Brittany, is not an option, even though the 17-year-old is serious about pursuing music as a career. She wants to do it herself.

"It's all she does all day long," LeVox says. "She loves country, she loves gospel, she loves the pop stuff. So we'll see what road she decides to take, but all of it's embedded in her."

"She's a lot like her daddy," Joe Don Rooney adds.

Taste of Country Nights is a syndicated night show which airs on nearly 100 radio stations nationwide. Listen to highlights on iTunes or your Android device.

Listen to Rascal Flatts' Interview on ToC Nights

The Most Heart-Wrenching Break Up Songs? Rascal Flatts Has One