Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox Has ‘Low-Grade Bieber Fever’
 Mark Humphrey/AP |
When Gary LeVox’s daughter Brittany turned 10 last August, she had one request. “She said, ‘Daddy, can Justin Bieber come to my birthday party?’” the Rascal Flatts singer says. “So we got her this cardboard cutout of him.”
Six months later, LeVox delivered the real thing when the band cut a duet and a video with the teen star, and Brittany and 6-year old Brooklyn tagged along.
“They flipped out — Brittany ended up singing one of his songs to him. He was hugging them and was so sweet to them. I’ve even got a low-grade Bieber fever,” he says. “I think I’m in the running for dad of the year.”
Bieber’s meeting with the girls as well as a clip of the video from the duet, “That Should Be Me,” are among the behind-the-scenes moments captured in Rascal Flatts: Nothing Like This Presented by JC Penney, an hour-long special airing Saturday 9 ET/8CT on ABC.
Flatts’ bassist and new dad Jay DeMarcus, whose daughter Madeline was born in December, says he’s taking fatherhood tips from both LeVox and fellow bandmate Joe Don Rooney, who has a 2½-year-old son, Jagger, and a 6-month-old daughter, Raquel.
“They did give me a lot of advice, like, ‘Pray a lot!’” he says. “They’ve been really good examples of men who take good care of their families.”
DeMarcus says heading out on tour is getting more difficult with a little one at home. “Time spent at home is more precious,” he says. “Gary had Brittany when we first started and I can’t imagine how hard it was on him being gone 200 dates a year.”
For his part, LeVox says he’s glad DeMarcus finally joined the dad’s club: “Now Joe Don and I aren’t the only ones who look tired anymore!”
– Eileen Finan
