Biography

Jo Dee Messina was born in 1970 in Massachusetts. Jo Dee grew up with a love of country music, and by the time she was sixteen she was performing around town in local bars. After a move to Nashville shortly after her graduation from high school, Messina began competing in talent contests regularly, and eventually earned the attention of a producer who supported her efforts to record her own demo.

Messina signed to Curb Records in 1996 and released her debut, Jo Dee Messina. The album spawned the singles “You’re Not in Kansas Anymore,” “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “He’d Never Seen Julie Cry,” and “Do You Wanna Make Something of It,” two of which rose into the top ten on the country charts. An extensive touring schedule followed to help support he album, and eventually Messina’s debut went gold. Jo Dee’s follow-up, I’m Alright, was her breakthrough smash, however. Released in 1998, the album gave audiences the songs “Stand Beside Me,” “I’m Alright,” and “Bye, Bye,” all of which rose to number one status on the country charts and also found a home on the mainstream charts. The album went multi-platinum and earned Jo Dee Messina the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association, firmly establishing her future as a country music sensation.

Since that time, Jo Dee Messina has released the albums Burn (2000) and Delicious Surprise (2005), featuring the singles “That’s the Way,” “Burn,” “Downtime,” “Bring on the Rain,” and “My Give a Damn’s Busted,” all of which rose into the top ten or hit the number one spot. Messina also released the EP’s Unmistakable: Love, Unmistakable: Drive, and Unmistakable: Inspiration in 2010. Despite hitting a rough patch in 2004, during which time Jo Dee entered rehab for alcohol addiction, her star has been steadily on the rise. Messina has received two Grammy nominations in addition to a win for Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music Awards.) She continues to perform and record, and is preparing for another album release coming soon.