NASHVILLE, TN (CMA) - For the third consecutive year,
Rascal Flatts has risen to claim the CMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year.
Crowning record-breaking sales, concert attendance and radio play, the award is the pinnacle of what has become the most successful and exciting year yet for the superstar group. Aside from the CMA Award, Rascal Flatts has the best-selling country album of 2005, Feels Like Today, which has been certified triple-platinum. The group has dominated the country charts in 2005 and has spent more than 25% of the year at No. 1 with smash singles like "Feels Like Today," "Fast Cars and Freedom" and "Bless the Broken Road."
Rascal Flatts also sold more tickets and played in front of more fans than any other country music act, after Kenny Chesney. They recently garnered the accolade from the Billboard Touring Awards as the Break-Through Touring Act of 2005 for their HERE'S TO YOU tour, besting out contender Cold Play. Gary, Jay and Joe Don have played for more than 750,000 fans in 70 cities across the United States. Currently, the group has the No. 8 tour in all genres. The tour wraps Dec. 3 in Champaign, IL.
The radio and tour success that Rascal Flatts has reaped has propelled the phenomenal success of their third album, Feels Like Today. Sales of this record have surpassed three million units and have pushed the groups overall sales to 7 million albums. Another one million copies of their Rascal Flatts LIVE DVD have been sold, as well. Feels Like Today continues to ride success based especially on the strength of its singles, like "Skin (Sarabeth)."
Originally released as a hidden track on the group's triple-platinum Feels Like Today album, "Skin (Sarabeth)" has received so much attention and adoration that radio demanded it be released as the album's fourth single. This demand has propelled the single to No. 2 on the charts and has pushed back the next album release to this spring, giving Feels Like Today more time to ride its giant wave of success.
Aside from the constant buzz created by album sales, radio play, touring and the slew of awards they're collecting, Rascal Flatts has made a point to share their successes. They donated $600,000 in proceeds from their recent concert in Nashville to the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
Rascal Flatts can next be seen performing on the Opry Nov. 19 on "Grand Ole Opry Live" on GAC 8pm EST and on the American Music Awards on Nov. 22, where they are also nominated for Vocal Group of the Year. They will also perform for President Bush and the First Lady during the annual Christmas in Washington Special, set to air Dec. 14 on TNT
