JO DEE MESSINA: BRINGS HER “MUSIC ROOM SERIES TOUR” TO THE WEST COAST

TO THE WEST COAST

Of the stripped-down show, Jon Caramanica of the New York Times praised the “…breezy, affable and sometimes sharp show, a scaled-down version of her Music Room Series tour: part concept, part request line, part talk show,” citing such highlights as “…an airy ‘Heads Carolina, Tails California,’ a counterintuitive ‘Because You Love Me’ and the excellent room-hushing ballad ‘Bring On The Rain’ (3/18/10).”  Kellie Gormly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said, “the stage was decorated just like a living room, with a big sofa, mock windows and curtains. Her band played simple strings and piano in the background, while Messina alternated between singing her best hits and answering questions from the audience. The atmosphere was fun, laid-back and informal, where people simply piped up with their questions and requested songs…It felt as though we were all old friends (3/15/10).”

On the music front, April 27 marked the release of the critically acclaimed “Unmistakable: Love” EP, of which Billboard’s Wade Jessen said it “…arrives at a time when country music finds itself in desperate need of new material from solo female artists who can deliver the goods. Enter the feisty redhead…Her own life experiences bring an authenticity to her vocal delivery…The singer has always known her way around a country ballad, and she wears those shoes comfortably on the soaring ‘Unmistakable’ and the tender ‘I'm Home.’ This is all-grown-up country music, delivered by a seasoned pro who sings with authority about the human condition (5/15/10).”  Bill Brotherton of the Boston Herald noted, “These seven tunes (two co-written by Messina, the rest by a posse of pros including ‘Idol’ judge Kara DioGuardi) plus two live acoustic bonus cuts show a more vulnerable, introspective Messina, and they suit her strong, expressive contralto (5/14/10)” and Country Weekly’s Jessica Phillips added, “Jo Dee’s voice is still powerful, honest and evocative, especially on the power ballads ‘I Think About Us’ and ‘Unmistakable’ (2/1/10).”