Keifer’s Okie Link to Rascal Flatts

This is a story of roots.  Thompson Square’s Keifer Thompson grew up in Miami Oklahoma, also home to Keith Anderson, who had a hit with “Every Time I Hear Your Name” and “I Still Miss You.”  But Miami is close to Pitcher OK, home of Rascal Flatts guitar player Joe Don Rooney.  Keifer told Country Countdown USA’s Lon Helton that he and Joe Don got their start at the same place: “I’ve known him for years, since high school.  Pitcher is a suburb of Miami, and Joe Don played guitar at the Grand Lake Opry in Grove Oklahoma.  That’s where I had my first public appearance.  I won a contest and got to come back and sing on a Saturday night.  It was the biggest crowd I’d ever performed for.  I was around 15 or 16.  I’ve known Joe Don since then.  Fast forward many years later, and Shawna and I were in Nashville at the Opry, and saw this guitar player with a sea green Telecaster, and I knew that guitar, it belonged to Joe Don Rooney, and I looked closer and sure enough, it was Joe Don!  He was playing for Chely Wright at the time.  Then Rascal Flatts was formed, and they exploded, so I didn’t talk to him for years, but since then we’ve crossed paths, we saw him at the CMA Awards, and it’s always a nice reunion.  It’s cool to see what’s happened for him, and he expressed how proud he was for us, and proud for a fellow Oklahoman.”

LISTEN HERE: 11-50 Thomp2

Next week, we’ll get Joe Don Rooney’s side of the story!

Tags: rascal, thompson

Category: Audio