What songs were performed by Rascal Flatts at CMA Fest? Setlist explored as trio brings out Carly Pearce for ‘My Wish’

Rascal Flatts brought out Carly Pearce on stage to perform My Wish at the CMA Fest in Nashville on Thursday, June 26. The trio also performed one other track, Life Is A Highway, from their album, Me and My Gang, at the fest.

My Wish was a song released in August 2006, as part of Rascal Flatts' album, Me and My Gang. It was written by Jeffrey Steele and Steve Robson. While the original song didn't feature Carly Pearce, the trio included it during their performance at the CMA (Country Music Association) Fest 2025.

Ahead of their performance, Pearce had said (h/t Music Mayhem Magazine):

“I’ve loved Rascal Flatts my whole career. They’re one of the reasons that I wanted to sing country music, and I got to be a part of their duets’ album. This is going to be one of those total ‘I made it’ moments for me.”

Pearce and the trio executed brilliant harmonies during their performance of My Wish as the crowd chimed in on the chorus together.

Meanwhile, Rascal Flatts had also included Pearce for My Wish in their project, Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets, which was released in June 2025. Originally, the song reached No. 1 on the country charts in 2006 and was inside the Top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets project, meanwhile, also included collaboration from the likes of Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Brandon Lake, Ashley Cooke, Backstreet Boys, Jordan Davis, Lzzy Hale, and Kelly Clarkson.

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Rascal Flatts members on performing at CMA Fest 2025

CMA Fest 2025 - Day Three (Image Source: Getty)

Ahead of their performance at the CMA Fest 2025 in Nashville, the band members spoke about performing together live after a long time. Lead vocalist Gary LeVox said (via Music Mayhem Magazine):

“Us being back and doing all that, it’s the greatest thing that we do. We’re live performers. That’s what we love to do. So to be here and to do this tonight, all these years later, it’s just a gift. So we won’t take it for granted again.”

Lead guitarist and background vocalist, Joe Don Rooney, added:

“It was like a big piece of myself was missing."

Meanwhile, bass guitarist and background vocalist Jay DeMarcus labeled it a "homecoming".

Rascal Flatts was formed in 1999 in Nashville, Tennessee. They have released a total of 11 studio albums and won numerous awards.

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Rascal Flatts performed with Backsteet Boys at ACM Awards

The ACM (Academy of Country Music) Awards 2025 saw Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts take the stage together. They performed at the Ford Center in Texas on May 8.

Jon Don Rooney heaped praise on Backstreet Boys in an interview with Billboard, saying:

“They’re just such great singers and their melodies are so good. They know how to stack them. It’s like a wall of vocals. It’s really, really cool and really an amazing, powerful sound.”

Backstreet Boys are also part of the band's Life Is A Highway: Refueled Duets project. The trio is next set for a residency at Sphere in Vegas in July.

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