The End Of Oprah

Rascal Flatts was in Chicago Tuesday night, May 17th, taping a performance of "I Won't Let Go" for one of the final editions of The Oprah Winfrey Show.


Madonna, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Tom Hanks, Queen Latifah, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Beyonce were also on hand for the taping. Rascal Flatts has appeared on Oprah several times before, and lead singer Gary LeVox is in awe of Winfrey's amazing career. He says, "Oprah has been successful at everything that she's tried, and it's all been in front of the world, and I think that's a true sign of her character and what type of heart and what type of person that she is."


Gary is also impressed with the connection Oprah has with her viewers. "I think the things that she gets behind and the things that she talks about are things that are true and that are real and they affect people," he says.  "She says things that a lot of people think but never say."


Jay DeMarcus was also psyched to be a part of such a historic sendoff for one of the most popular daytime shows of all time: “We were a part of Oprah’s farewell show, and it was an amazing event, and we were able to do ‘I Won’t Let Go’ and be on there for a truly historical moment. Very few people in this world has accomplished the things that Oprah Winfrey has done, and we were proud to be a part of closing out such a wonderful chapter in her history. And it was an amazing event, and hope everybody enjoys watching it.”


“We got to perform live at the arena in downtown Chicago, and just a crazy, crazy huge crowd of people, a huge amount of Oprah fans [laughs]. Who doesn’t love Oprah?” Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney said of the performance, according to the band’s label, Big Machine. “And we got to perform the song ‘I Won’t Let Go’ that’s out right now. It’s a pretty good hit for us, and it’s a very befitting song for her. Her producers wanted us to come and dedicate that song to her. We’re all going to remember Oprah’s shows for the past 25 years for the rest of our lives. I mean, she’s had a way with touching our lives in a unique way, and every episode she’s had is always unique from the last one. And she’s done so much for entertainment for our households for so many years. It’s going to be sad seeing Oprah’s show not be on TV any more, but we were very proud and honored to be a part of that, no doubt.”


Oprah's final show isWednesday, May 25th.