Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney Celebrates Three Years of Sobriety, Sends Message of Hope to Those Battling Addiction
“I’m grateful and my heart is so full of love and appreciation today,” he shared.
Rascal Flatts Joe Don Rooney; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Former Rascal Flatts lead guitarist Joe Don Rooney is celebrating three years of sobriety. He took to social media to reflect on his past battles with addiction and express gratitude to fans for their birthday wishes as his sobriety anniversary happens to fall on his birthday.
“Thank y’all for the birthday wishes. I’m humbled and blown away at all the X posts I’ve seen for my birthday today,” he wrote. “It’s been a heckuva journey for me the past 3 years. Not only is today my born date – but today is also my 3 year sobriety date. I’m grateful and my heart is so full of love and appreciation today. God is so GOoD.”
The 49-year-old went on to reflect on how far he’s come and encourage others to face their demons and promised there is hope.
“Anyone out there who might be struggling with addiction, please know there is light at the other end of that long seemingly endless small tunnel,” he urged. “Lean on those who love you – and if you are able to, get with a good treatment center and take the time to love on yourself like you maybe never have before. You can do it!”
In closing, Rooney quoted actress Fannie Flagg: “Don’t give up before the miracle happens.”
Rooney made the decision to pursue a sober lifestyle after a very turbulent time in his life, which came amid an arrest for a DUI and a very public divorce.
The Rascal Flatts member remained quiet about these struggles until early 2024 when he returned to social media to share a lengthy message with his followers.
At the time, he wrote: “My life and career took a major detour at 4a in the early morning hours of Sep 9, 2021 when I ran square into a tree and about killed myself. I was drunk and I was so far gone with my life – I was completely out of control and finished with trying to fight the fears, depression and anxieties that had spun me out in a way I’ve never experienced before.”
He honestly admitted that his “drinking had been an issue for many years.”
“I am living proof that the progressive nature of drinking can really ratchet up and as I grew older as an adult my drinking grew worse,” he confessed.
He later credited his drunk driving incident for helping him turn his life around.
“The pressures of my career and the many mistakes I made in regards to my home life, coupled with a lot of pain and trauma from my childhood and early on in my adult life, had become too much to bear,” he wrote, and added, “I was not a good father – I was not a good husband – and I was not a good band mate to my business partners. I probably would’ve never taken responsibility for any of this if it hadn’t been for my car wreck on Sep 9, 2021.”
Rooney revealed that he sought out treatment at a facility in Utah and that his life had been “changed forever.”
“I never believed I could actually live my life without drinking. It had become such a huge part of my daily and nightly routine. I had tried to stop on my own in the past but the powerful nature of alcohol always found its way back into my life,” he wrote.
Now three years sober, Joe Don Rooney is a shining example of someone who has successfully turned their life around.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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