ARTIST

Jo Dee Messina

From the start, Jo Dee Messina hit country music with the fiery brashness of a survivor. A half-Irish, half-Italian redhead from New Jersey, she is one of four children raised by a single mother who worked as a telephone operator. From her mother, Messina says she learned the value of hard work and of plugging ahead with spirit and tenacity--two of the primary qualities of her career. Her spirit informs her unusual songs, which are packed with attitude and heart. And her tenacity has given her the determination to outlast the disappointments that marked her early career.

Born Aug. 25, 1970, Messina grew up in Hollister, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb. She began performing at age 14 and formed her first band at age 16. Three years later she moved to Nashville, arriving with $500...
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