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Jo Dee Messina

Passionate about her music and tired of trying to support herself by competing in talent contests, Jo Dee Messina decided to take a chance. When introduced to an executive from Curb Records at Fan Fair a few years ago she jokingly said, "What you guys really need over there is a redhead." Just as he was about to reply, another Nashville icon, producer James Stroud walked up and began to explain how he had just listened to Jo Dee's demo tape and thought she was a promising new talent. The timing could not have been more perfect. As fate would have it, that same executive later signed her to the Curb Recording contract that resulted in her self-titled debut, co-produced by Tim McGraw and Byron Gallimore. This album reflected the charisma, enthusiasm and commitment that Jo Dee Messina projects. It chronicles the tales of a young woman in search of freedom, passion, love and adventure.

The first single, "Heads Carolina, Tails California" written by Tom Nichols and Mark Sanders, is an uptempo, infectious hint to get out of town fast and go searching for the good life. Taking a chance on a dream is not an unfamiliar tune to Jo Dee who, at age nineteen, left her small New England town to come to Nashville. An inveterate adventurer, Jo Dee started singing in country bars at fourteen. By the time she was sixteen, she was performing every weekend with The Jo Dee Messina Band - "real original" she laughs. The band featured her brother on drums and sister on bass guitar.

Although studious, Jo Dee recalls being called on the carpet numerous times by her high school principal for falling asleep in class after a late night gig. "We were an entirely country band," she says, owing to the fact that as a child she fell in love with the likes of Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Hank Jr., Patsy Cline, and in particular, the music of The Judds. She's never considered singing any other genre. "I've always sung country. I relate a lot more to "Leavin' On Your Mind" than to "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." My music is very country, but it's definitely a new breed of country."

It took Jo Dee and her producers a year of listening to more than one thousand songs to pick ten for the album. She took home a milk crate full of tapes nightly. " I wanted depth. I wanted songs that would mean something to other people and to me; songs that people have lived. We believed in a song 110% before we recorded it." The songs on this album reflect Jo Dee's heartfelt desire to communicate to people with her music. A gifted songwriter herself Jo Dee drew on her own experience of walking away from a dead-end relationship when co-writing the song, "Wing and a Prayer" with Walt Aldridge. "He'd Never Seen Julie Cry," an achingly beautiful ballad about a man who unexpectedly finds himself madly in love, is also a Jo Dee favorite. "I mean, who hasn't lived that one?"

The album mixes a wide spectrum of upbeat tunes like "You're Not In Kansas Anymore " and the sassy "You Wanna Make Something of It? " with other songs like "If We Don't Let Go, " "Walk to the Light" and "Didn't Have to Leave You to Love You." Jo Dee delivers every song with a gutsy, confident muscularity rare in a younger singer. She is quick to credit all the writers on the album for taking a chance on her as a new artist.

Jo Dee also gratefully acknowledges her predecessors. "Wynonna, Dolly and Reba all made my music possible. I'm their biggest fan. I can't believe how supportive they are of other women." When a Nashville radio station tried out the new single and asked for listener feedback, Jo Dee was nervous. "I mean, I want everyone to like me." She called some friends for support, and within moments, a woman's voice on the phone said, "Honey, I think your song is great, you just hold your head up high and know that you give your heart and soul." "It was Reba! After I talked to her, I felt like I could handle whatever came my way...." Now on the brink of her much dreamed success, this resolute singer runs two or three miles a day to keep in shape for her energetic stage performances.

"I'm giving my heart, soul and life to my music. For year and years I've dreamed about this, about livin' the life. Now, I feel my life's really begun."

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