Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts calls Blake Shelton a longtime friend, so when he came into the Taste of Country Nights studio recently, I knew I had to ask him for a story about the “Sangria” singer.
I was left saying “Wow.”
“Blake was one of the first people we took out when we started headlining, and I think he toured two years with us,” DeMarcus begins (you can hear the interview below).
“He used to play basketball in his jeans, I think he still does,” he reveals. “The guy won’t wear shorts or athletic wear — he wears like cowboy boots and jeans to play basketball.”
The thought of Shelton and his tall stature clanking around the blacktop in cowboy boots while melting away in heavily-starched jeans is hilarious.
DeMarcus even verified this was the time when Shelton was in full mullet mode.
“He’s a knucklehead, but no matter how famous he got, he stayed the same Blake,” the Rascal Flatts bassist confirms.
“It’s probably had to be very hard for him to be as visible as he’s been in the public eye, to stay humble and stay grounded. He has certainly been able to do that.”
We then asked DeMarcus if he could believe that Shelton scored Gwen Stefani — here is where it went off the rails a little bit.
“I’m not sure that her vision is good. I think she might have cataracts or something severely wrong with her,” DeMarcus jokes.
“There has to be something going on there — he has dirt on her or something.”
How Many Number One Songs Have Rascal Flatts Had?
Rascal Flatts have amassed 14 No. 1 songs on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, so radio hits. Their first No. 1 song was “These Days,” back in 2002. Their most recent is “Yours If You Want It” in 2018.
How Many Number One Songs Has Blake Shelton Had?
Blake Shelton has dominated the Billboard Country Airplay chart over his illustrious career, earning 30 No. 1 songs.
His first No. 1 was “Austin” back in 2001, and his latest is “Texas,” in 2025.
Blake Shelton + Gwen Stefani: A Timeline of Their Love
From an unlikely, cross-genre pairing to one of country music’s hottest “it” couples, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani have been on quite the journey together since they first met back in 2014 on the set of The Voice. Here is a look back at their fairy tale love story in pictures.
Blake Shelton + Gwen Stefani: A Timeline of Their Love
From an unlikely, cross-genre pairing to one of country music’s hottest “it” couples, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani have been on quite the journey together since they first met back in 2014 on the set of The Voice. Here is a look back at their fairy tale love story in pictures.
