Taylor Swift Can Thank Rascal Flatts for Her Crossover Success

Posted by Amanda Duckworth on 02/11/2010
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Rascal Flatts & Taylor Swift Announce Award Nominees

Four years ago, music was clearly divided by the lines of genre; it was a 'stick to what you know' attitude. But Rascal Flatts tested the boundaries and redrew the lines of music, crossing over from Country and bursting onto the Pop music scene.

 
Now, Taylor Swift is doing the same thing, taking both County and Pop by storm. Rascal Flatts says that they are not surprised by the influence they have had on other crossover artists, but they are surprised that it took so long for the rest of the music world to take notice.
 
"It's kind of amazing that people are just now finding out about it," Flatts guitarist/pianist Jay DeMarcus told TheBoot.com. "Not to sound boastful, but I think there was a movement that was started with us and Keith Urban, that paved the way for Country to cross over a little more easily, with the pop-flavored Country Music that we know today."
 
The group has not yet had one of their hit singles make it to the top of the pop charts, but that doesn't mean they are upset when other Country Music stars do. "I'm so proud to see the success that someone like Taylor is having," DeMarcus said. "I think there's a void there that Country Music has been able to fill, and artists like Taylor and Keith and Lady A are filling those voids."
 
Rascal Flatts will continue their exposure in the music world as their new hit single, "Unstoppable," is featured at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver this week. The group is also currently on tour with their American Living Unstoppable tour and working on their next album.
Source: TheBoot.com