JO DEE MESSINA: GRAND OLE OPRY SHOW AT RYMAN AUDITORIUM SET FOR JUNE 19; LINES UP CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL 5K CHARITY RUN

FROM:            TODD BRODGINSKI/MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANGELA VILLANUEVA

 JO DEE MESSINA

GRAND OLE OPRY SHOW AT RYMAN AUDITORIUM SET FOR JUNE 19

LINES UP CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL 5K CHARITY RUN

JUST PRIOR TO HER JUNE 13 CMA FEST PERFORMANCE

U.S. TOUR IN SUPPORT OF ‘UNMISTAKABLE: LOVE’ EP LAUNCHES JUNE 25

Multi-platinum and award-winning country singer/songwriter JO DEE MESSINA has a busy summer planned.  As she and Nashville recover from the recent flooding, JO DEE has confirmed an array of local events and a North American tour that includes a Saturday, June 19 Grand Ole Opry performance, which–due to flood damage at the Opry–will be held at the Ryman Auditorium.  For more info on that show, go to www.jodeemessina.com.  

Look for JO DEE to host a charity 5K run in conjunction with the CMA (Country Music Association) Fest.  The Saturday, June 12 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital MusicFest Road Race in Nashville is the first family run to be included in the 39-year history of the CMA’s.  Fans, runners and supporters can help raise money for the hospital at www.musicfestroadrace.org.  Runners can join the race now for $25 or $30 on race day; those who raise $250 get two tickets to the CMA Music Festival Show that night, and anyone who raises $500 or more for the hospital gets to join JO DEE for an exclusive brunch.  JO DEE will perform the next night (Sunday, June 13 at 4:00 PM) at the CMA Fest’s Riverstages.

JO DEE’s upcoming North American tour is in support of the April 27 release of the critically acclaimed “Unmistakable: Love,” EP, the first in a trilogy of EPs to be released this year.  They are to be followed by “Unmistakable: Drive” targeted for a summer release and “Unmistakable: Inspiration” later this year. 

Of the first EP, 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 said, “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).”

In other JO DEE news, the singer’s weekly internet podcast show–“Make Something Of It”–can be viewed Tuesday and Thursday nights via UStream on her website (www.jodeemessina.com). It features inspirational stories of positivity and triumph, and is also packed with lots of classic JO DEE wit and humor as she interacts with fans on the phone and by email.  JO DEE is broadcasting directly from her personal studio in Nashville that she and her husband Chris Deffenbaugh recently built.

 Here’s JO DEE’s current concert itinerary, with more dates to be added:

 For more information, check out JO DEE online:

http://www.jodeemessina.com/
http://www.myspace.com/jodeemessina
http://www.facebook.com/jodeemessina
http://twitter.com/jodeemessina

About Jo Dee Messina

Since breaking onto the music scene in 1996, the multi-platinum and award-winning country singer/songwriter JO DEE MESSINA has scored nine #1 country singles, sold over five million records, received two Grammy nominations and received various CMA and ACM awards.  Her many hits include “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “Bye Bye,” “I’m Alright,” “Stand Beside Me,” “That’s The Way” and “Bring On The Rain” (a duet with Tim McGraw).  Her self-titled 1996 debut album was certified Gold by the RIAA and featured the single "Heads Carolina, Tails California." With four huge radio hits, her second album I’m Alright was certified double platinum and she won the CMA's Horizon Award in 1999. She was the first female country artist to score three multiple-week #1 songs from the same album. The follow-up album, Burn, was certified platinum. She also scored an adult contemporary hit with "Bring on the Rain," with McGraw on harmonies. In addition to headlining concerts, she also toured with Vince Gill, George Strait and the Judds on their reunion tour. Her fame also led to television roles on “Touched by an Angel” and “Nash Bridges.”

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