In a January 2024 social media post, former Rascal Flatts guitarist Joe Don Rooney denied online rumors that he was transitioning and described how a September 2021 drunk-driving crash led him to seek treatment. He said he expected to reach nearly 28 months sober on January 13, 2024. That is a dated, self-reported milestone—not confirmation of his sobriety today.
What Rooney said about the transition rumors
After a long break from engaging with fans on social media, Rooney posted a lengthy statement on X in early January 2024. He directly rejected the online rumor, writing, “And NO, I’m not transitioning to be a woman. That thought has never entered my mind.” He added that he had nothing against the trans community and wanted to set the record straight. Entertainment Tonight reproduced his statement in its January 4, 2024 report.
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His post addressed the rumor without establishing any broader facts about its origin. Rooney framed it as a response to online opinions and speculation.
How Rooney described the 2021 crash and treatment
Rooney said that at about 4 a.m. on September 9, 2021, he was drunk when his car struck a tree. Good Morning America reported that he was arrested and charged with DUI. Rooney later characterized the crash as a near-fatal wake-up call; that is his description of the event, separate from the reported legal charge.
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In his January 2024 account, Rooney connected the crash to a longer period of worsening drinking and personal difficulty. He described fear, depression and anxiety, and said he initially felt ashamed. He said he spent four months in treatment in Utah after the crash and that the time there helped him understand what had happened.
His January 2024 sobriety milestone
Rooney said he would be “almost 28 months” sober on January 13, 2024. He credited his family, professional clinical advisers and sober friends with helping him rebuild his life. As he put it, “With the help of my family and so many other professional clinical advisors and now numerous new sober forever friends, I’ve been able to get the train back on the tracks and live without the burden of alcohol.”
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The milestone was Rooney’s own account, reported in January 2024. It should not be read as a clinical assessment or as evidence of his current status.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What later reporting says—and what it does not
Country Aircheck reported on February 18, 2025, that Rooney was performing with Rascal Flatts on tour. The report described him playing an acoustic version of “I’m Movin’ On” and speaking about his battle with alcoholism. It is a dated account of a performance and conversation, not a confirmation of his sobriety in 2026.
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The available reporting establishes Rooney’s January 2024 statement and that later tour appearance, but does not establish whether he is sober as of October 8, 2026. His current sobriety status therefore cannot be stated from these reports.
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Sources
- Entertainment Tonight, January 4, 2024
- Good Morning America, January 3, 2024
- Los Angeles Times, January 4, 2024
- Country Aircheck, Issue 948, February 18, 2025
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