Rascal Flatts singer Jay DeMarcus was born Stanley Wayne DeMarcus, Jr. in Columbus, Ohio on April 26. 1971. As a boy, Jay attended the Tree of Life Christian School and later studied at Lee College in Cleveland, Tennessee. His professional music career began during college when he toured as a keyboardist with a Christian band called New Harvest. He later enlisted his second cousin Gary LeVox for work on an album by Christian artist Michael English. He soon connected with guitarist Joe Don Rooney and came to the attention of Doug Howard, A&R rep for Lyric Street Records:“After I heard the three demos, the guys came in the next day, sat down with acoustic guitars and played a couple of songs. The vocals and the harmonies, it was all there, I was just blown away. The lead singer, Gary LeVox, has such a unique and compelling voice, it was instant. But generally it was a matter of first hearing the demos and then getting them to come over and sing live,” Howard told Hit Quarters of his decision to sign the band.