Interesting Facts About Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts

If you've never heard of Rascal Flatts, then you must not listen to country music. You must not read People magazine or Reader's Digest or watch much TV. Rascal Flatts is everywhere. The group- comprised of lead singer Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney- is one of country's hottest acts. Rascal Flatts has more than 18 million albums. They have ten number one hit singles, and they're still going strong. You can hear some of Rascal Flatt's best songs here. Read this informative article and find out some interesting facts about Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts.

His Beginnings
Gary Wayne Vernon, Junior was born on July 10, 1970 in Columbus, Ohio. Music has always been a vital part of his life. The boy who would grow up, take the stage name of Gary LeVox, and become the lead singer of Rascal Flats grew up with music. Every Saturday night he sang hymns at his grandparents' house. His grandmother believed secular music- except country music- was the Devil's work. His cousin (and current Rascal Flatts bandmate) Jay DeMarcus played the piano, Grandma played the spoons, Grandpa played guitar, and Gary LeVox sang.

Music moved him. It as "all that mattered" to him. It also helped him through some difficult times in life. When Gary LeVox was eight years old, his parents divorced. His mother remarried two years later. When Gary LeVox was 18, his mother and stepfather divorced. He desperately wanted a father in his life, but his stepfather has been estranged ever since.

His Education
Gary LeVox graduated from Olentangy High School. He attended The Ohio State University. An interesting fact about Gary LeVox is worked he for the Ohio Department of Mental Retardation for a decade. He taught participants living skills so they could find jobs and become independent. Gary LeVox later described his job- "I became their father, their best friend, and their confidant."

His Career
At last, Jay DeMarcus convinced Gary LeVox to move to Nashville. The duo wrote songs and performed. Long story short, Joe Don Rooney joined the two, and Rascal Flatts came to be. The group got their name from a landmark in Oklahoma. At the end of 1999, Rascal Flatts signed on with Lyric Street Records.

An interesting fact about Gary LeVox is that, according to wikipedia.com, his stage name with Rascal Flatts means "Gary the Voice". When asked about the "biggest misconception about Rascal Flatts?", he answered, "Well, it really only takes about seven or eight minutes to do my hair. We really don't use as much hair product as they say." (Gary LeVox has a spiked blonde do.)

His Personal Life
The husky, six-foot-tall Gary LeVox married on May 15, 1999. He and his wife Tara have two daughters. Brittany Kay Vernon was born August 26, 2000, and Brooklyn Leigh Vernon was born March 21, 2004. A Black Lab named "Sargent" completes the family.

Next to music, Gary LeVox loves his family most. When he's not performing with Rascal Flatts, he spends as much time with them as he can. You can find Gary LeVox taking his daughters to school, going to gymnastics practice, and taking them on "special date nights." It saddens Gary LeVox that his grandparents never got to see him sing or meet his daughters.

The blue-eyed tenor loves to hunt and fish. When Gary LeVox isn't, he enjoys watching hunting shows on TV. That probably explains why his favorite colors are black, blue and camouflage.

Gary LeVox likes pizza, Cool Ranch Doritos and Diet Mountain Dew. He roots for the Cleveland Indians, San Francisco 49ers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators.

Resources
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1688108/bio
http://music.aol.com/artist/gary-levox/biography/1435363
http://www.rhapsody.com/rascal-flatts
http://www.theboot.com/2008/04/18/rascal-flatts-celebrate-every-day-heroes/
http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/up-close-with-rascal-flatts-lead-singer-gary-levox/article122215.html
http://celebrity-babies.com/2008/11/09/rascal-flatts-u/
http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1570321/cmt-insider-interview-rascal-flatts-part-1-of-2.jhtml