Country Artist Jo Dee Messina Prepares For Fall Tour Finale And New Album Release

Jo Dee Messina, who was all over country radio in the 90s, is still going strong today and is coming to Tulsa.

She spoke with LeAnne Taylor about being on tour and her music career.

LeAnne: So, how has your year been so far?

Jo Dee: It's been a little crazy, honestly. Busy, as usual. We’re constantly touring, but the beginning of the year was a bit more scattered because I have two kids in school. We’d do a few shows here and there, but once May hit, it was full-on until now. Things will slow down in October though because hockey season starts, and both my boys play, so we need to be home for that. We’ve done a lot of touring this year, but by fall, we’ll be home writing and recording for a new project that's set to come out next year.

LeAnne: Wow, that’s so cool! And of course, balancing being a mom and a performer must take a village, right?

Jo Dee: Oh, it really does. In fact, I’m going to post something soon on my social media that says, "If you know a single parent, just offer help." It’s tough, even if you're not touring. If you have kids and they play sports or, heaven forbid, you have more than two kids—God bless you!

LeAnne: I can only imagine! But hey, I wanted to talk to you about Cole Swindell’s song, "She Had Me at Heads Carolina". What was that experience like?

Jo Dee: I didn’t even know they had recorded the song until after it was done, and they didn’t know it would be a single until after the album was out. Once they decided it would be a single, someone from his label reached out to ask if I’d like to be part of it. Of course, I said yes! We shot the video, rerecorded a version with my vocals, and performed it at the ACMs and CMAs. It’s been a blast.

LeAnne: Would you say "Heads Carolina" was your first big hit?

Jo Dee: Definitely! It wasn't even supposed to be on my record. My album was finished, and then someone pitched the song to me. I played it for my producers, we ended up recording it last minute, and it became my first single.

LeAnne: And here we are, years later, and it's reaching a whole new audience. A new generation of fans, right?

Jo Dee: It’s been amazing. Over the last few years, we’ve noticed the age range at our shows. You’ll see seven-year-olds, 27-year-olds, and even 47-year-olds. Streaming has a lot to do with that. "Heads Carolina" is still my third most-streamed song, with "Bye Bye" at number one and "I'm Alright" at number two.

LeAnne: And all those songs are classics! We still hear them on the radio here in Tulsa. So, who have been some of your inspirations?

Jo Dee: Oh, definitely people like Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and the Judds—they were big influences for me growing up.

LeAnne: And what about current country music? Are there any artists you enjoy listening to?

Jo Dee: Yeah, I listen to a lot of the current stuff. I love Laney, Ashley McBryde, Bailey Zimmerman, and Morgan Wallen—my kids are huge fans of his.

LeAnne: That’s fantastic! You’ve been a huge part of keeping country music in the spotlight, especially for women. What can people expect from your upcoming concert?

Jo Dee: Lots of fun! We’ve got songs that people might have forgotten I sang, and some that they’ll instantly recognize. We even throw in a few covers just in case someone isn’t familiar with my music. There’s also a part where the crowd gets to sing along. It’s going to be a great time!

Jo Dee Messina will be in Tulsa on Sept. 28 at the Osage Casino Sky Lane Event Center—doors open at 7 p.m., and the concert will start at 8 PM.

Tickets are available on the Osage Casino website.