02/27/01 courtesy of  "jdmfan" JDMFan@aol.com  from jdmfans@yahoogroups.com
[JDMFans] Who needs music critics anyway?!?!? =(
Messina Adopts Rock Shticks
By ROGER CATLIN
The Hartford Courant
February 27, 2001

Jo Dee Messina's greatest asset is her big Massachusetts voice, so some may  have wondered why she started her show at Foxwoods Resort Casino Friday with  both a headset microphone and a hand-held one.

It turned out she preferred the hand-held model but relied on the headset in  case she was about to do a big dance step. Which is exactly what happened on  the second number, her hit "That's the Way."

On a sleek set surrounded by seven musicians, she suddenly had four dancers  behind her in their own tight jeans and tank top. Ensemble dancers, de rigeur  in pop, are still a novelty in country. And just as you were getting used to  it, there were bursts of overhead confetti.

Messina, whose country career has been blossoming nicely since her 1996  debut, seems determined on her first headlining tour to use every bit of rock  staging she can think of. It goes way beyond the too-tight leather pants and  tank top; the band's guitars tend more toward rock screaming than country  twang. She charges up and down the stage, using the hydraulic lift like an  elevator operator. Then there's the dramatic touch to the title track of her  current album, "Burn" - a literal ring of fire.

Not that it would make you think of Johnny Cash. Her most sustained cover  song was from Journey. "Don't Stop Believin'" (which fit nicely with the self-help stuff of her own songs) began a dizzying medley of songs that influenced her as she grew up. It was more Aretha Franklin ("Think") than George Jones.

The medley included Robert Palmer's "Bad Case of Lovin' You" (cue the dancers in white doctor's coats!) to the opening riffs of a favorite of the boys in her Holliston, Mass., neighborhood. But "Back in Black" stopped just short of the verse. "Y'all didn't think I'd sing that did you?" she teased.

Well, who knew? Nobody expected her to follow AC/DC with Britney Spears either, but she did, and seemed to revel in doing "... Baby One More Time" with her dancers (as an example of what's on the charts today).

She did one line of Tammy Wynette to show that she grew up preferring to sing country and that was about as close to Nashville as she got. Otherwise, it was all her driving hits, some of which are actually about driving ("Heads Carolina, Tails California"). Messina has always scored best in songs about picking up the pieces and pressing on, as in "That's the Way," "Lesson in Love" and "I'm Alright."

Her songs of uplift are a little generic, though, without the specific details of, say, the Journey song. And her "Even God Must Get the Blues" could stand on its own without the gratuitous use of Columbine radio reports to set the scene (and buy time for a costume change).

Messina may be too old to be country's Britney, but opener Rascal Flatts is doing its best to be the Nashville version of a boy band. Like the headliner, they seem to eschew all things country on their way to a bland pop middle ground.

02/21-23/01 courtesy of  "Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net from countryqueens@egroups.com
JO DEE HAS MONEY TO BURN -- SORT OF
How does a free trip to Reno with a friend sound? What if, while you were in Reno, the two of you got VIP tickets to a Jo Dee Messina concert that included meeting Jo Dee? Now, what if the pot was sweetened even more with $5,000? It might sound too good to be true, but it's not -- because Jo Dee has teamed up with CMT to present "Jo Dee Messina's Money To Burn Sweepstakes." They're promising one lucky winner the chance to score all these goodies PLUS a Universal home gym and some custom workout gear from her "Burn 2001" tour sponsor, JerZees. For more information on how you can win, log on to her official website, www.JoDeeMessina.com. (T-100)
 

02/15/01 courtesy of  "Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net from countryqueens@egroups.com
JO DEE REACTS TO BMAs
As we reported previously, Jo Dee Messina remains a hometown favorite, landing four nominations for the 2001 Boston Music Awards. We're not casting any predictions, but she also took home top honors at the awards in 1999. Jo Dee says that she's honored that the folks in Boston have always been so supportive of her career all along the way, adding, "These nominations mean the world to me!" Jo Dee's talents mean a lot to her fans as she's also celebrating nominations at both the upcoming GRAMMY Awards and the Blockbuster Entertainment Music Awards. All this while she's tearing up the road in her inaugural headlining tour with Rascal Flatts -- Jo Dee is every bit the fiery redhead People hailed as "the first of the new red hot mamas." (T-100)
 

02/13/01 courtesy of "Tami"  staceykostesfans@aol.com

For those that were lucky enough to see one of the first shows on the Burn Tour, you probably noticed a few new band members! One person who will be very missed on this tour is Stacey Kostes. She was Jo  Dee's backup singer/acoustic guitar player for more than 4 years. Stacey left Jo Dee's band last November to dedicate her time to a  solo career. Since then she has made some real strides toward making  her dream a reality. If you don't already have Stacey's CD, check it  out. You will NOT be disappointed! It's called "It's A Girl Thing"
and you can purchase it by logging on to countryis.com or calling toll free 877/522-6868. I can assure you it will be the best $15 you  have spent on music since you bought BUrN!

There is also a yahoo! group dedicated to Stacey's career and fully supported by her. We have weekly Q&A with Stacey as well as exclusive photos and articles. Log on to www.groups.yahoo.com/group/staceykostesfans to join. Don't miss out on the fun!
 

02/14/01 courtesy of  "Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net from countryqueens@egroups.com
JO DEE SELLS OUT FIRST SHOWS ON "BURN 2001 TOUR"
Jo Dee Messina admits that she was a little nervous about embarking on her
first tour as a concert headliner. Any fears she had were set to rest this past weekend when her "Burn 2001 Tour" kicked off with sold-out shows in South Bend and Merrillville, Indiana -- and Minneapolis. Relieved to have the first dates behind her, Jo Dee says, "We've all been working so hard putting this show together, so to have the first run of shows sell out was absolutely thrilling." With Rascal Flatts opening the shows, Jo Dee's tour includes a Friday night show in Rochester, New York, followed by a Saturday show in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and a Sunday stop in Poughkeepsie, New York. If you can't make it to the shows, you can see Jo Dee all this week on "Hollywood Squares," along with a Friday appearance on the E! Network's "Celebrities at Home." (T-100

02/14/01 courtesy of  "roger"  rda76@mindspring.com    from jdmfans@yahoogroups.com  
Yo, lady! We've Got A Show Goin' On Here !

Don't ya hate sitting next to smeone at a concert who is just yakking away on his/her cell phone ?!?
AAAAAHHH!!! Wouldn't it be cool if the headliner just stopped right in the middle of the show and called that person out ? JoDee Messina did just that during the first weekend on her first headlining tour, a weekend, by the way, filled with sold-out shows. While singing Heads Carolina, Tails California, JoDee noticed a woman talking on her phone on the eighth row, JoDee acutally stopped singing and stopped the band. "Hey, are you on the phone?!" JoDee says from stage. The woman tries to inore JoDee. Bad move. "HEY, who ya talking to? Don't make me come down there and find out..." And sure enough, JoDee jumps off the stage (while security freaks out), marches over to the woman and takes the phone. "Who's this?" JoDee says into the phone. The guy on the phone was Rick, phonewoman's brother, and she gives him a hard time for not being at the show. The crowd howls. And finally: "Well, Rick, all these people didn't pay good money to see me talk on the phone, so i've got to get back to the show. But it was nice talking to you."
Massive applause.

Brad Schmitt. The Tennessean Feb 13, 2000
 

02/14/01 courtesy of  "dayday3"  dayday3@gte.net   from jdmfans@yahoogroups.com  
JO DEE MESSINA
Jo Dee Messina's Big Weekend

Jo Dee Messina's first weekend on the road as a major headlining act was a smashing success. Opening night on Thursday (February 8) in South Bend, Indiana, was a huge sell-out, with the crowd on its feet through the entire show. Shows that followed in Merrillville, Indiana and Minneapolis were also sell-outs. Messina was relieved to have her first tour dates behind her. "We've all been working so hard putting this show together," said the singer, "so to have the first run of shows sell out was absolutely thrilling."

This weekend, Messina will play shows in Rochester, New York on Friday (February 16); Johnstown, Pennsylvania on Saturday (February 17); and Poughkeepsie, New York on Sunday (February 18). Next week, Messina will be in Los Angeles to attend the Grammy Awards on Wednesday (February 21). She is a first-time nominee with a nod in the best female country vocal performance category for her recent chart topper, "That's The Way."

JO DEE MESSINA MOVES LIVE SHOW TO NEW LEVEL
We haven't seen Jo Dee Messina's show yet, but the editor of "American Country" Ken Churrilla did recently and was inspired enough to send Jo Dee's folks an unsolicited personal review. Churrilla has followed Messina's career for six years and says, "Her show was not only one of the best shows I've seen in a long time, it was one of the most complete. Everything was there and it was there 110%. The energy, the sentiment, the fun. And when it came to the music, I don't know if I've ever heard her or her band sound that good and I've seen her a dozen or so times over the years."

Churilla said one of the most impressive things was his 8 year old son's reaction to the show. "It was his first concert ever. (Poison is next), I know this sounds like something you read in bios, but I swear to you when we were leaving the show I asked him what he thought of the show and he said that when he grows up, that's what he wants to do. He wants to sing like Jo Dee did and have his own concerts." His final comment, "If Jo Dee keeps putting on shows like that, she will never have to worry about selling tickets. Her only worries might be having to book multiple dates in the same markets."

Double Platinum, Grammy-Nominated Country Singer SRO 1st Weekend

Known for doing and saying almost anything onstage, double platinum country sensation Jo Dee Messina kicked off the first weekend of her first-ever headlining tour with the audiences standing on their feet -- in part because of the energy level generated in the venues and in part because the SRO status of the three shows left absolutely no room to spare.

Opening night promoter Don Kornberg said of the South Bend, Indiana show, "Last night's performance by Jo Dee proved to everyone that not only does she deserve to be on the road as a major headliner, but also right up there with country music's most popular people. Shania, Faith, Martina.make room for Jo Dee!"

Messina was relieved to have the first dates behind her. She says, "We've all been working so hard putting this show together, so to have the first run of shows sell out was absolutely thrilling."

Currently on the cover of Country Weekly flanked by two very hot firemen and fresh from a two-page profile in People, Messina's taking the Burn 2001 Tour presented by Jerzees with media sponsor CMT: Country Music Television to the people. Having brought South Bend's Morris Civic Auditorium complete with the Indiana State Women's Basketball team in special jerseys for the event, Merrillville, Indiana's Star Plaza Theare and Minneapolis' Orpheum Theater to a frenzy, the Holliston, Massachusetts-born and -raised redhead is just getting started.

With both a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and a Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination for Favorite Country Female, Messina's always been more about hard work than divacentric indulgence. The Tina Arena-penned title track to her nearly platinum Burn is moving towards the top of the chart -- and it continues in the fan-friendly radio tradition that made Messina Billboard's Most Played Country Female of last year. She has recorded four of the most played songs of the past couple years -- 1998's #2 "I'm Alright," 1999's #3 "Lesson In Leavin'," 1998's "Bye, Bye" and 1999's #7 "Stand Beside Me" -- and "That's The Way" spent four weeks at the top of the charts just this fall.

The fans connect with Messina's drive, fun and passion. Having spent the past two years working the road as the Judds' special guest on their reunion tour, as a key part of the George Strait Country Festival and several runs with Vince Gill, the woman Teen People called "Bonnie Raitt with a twang" is taking things to the next level with her first tour.

Messina appears on E! "Celebrities at Home" Feb 16, "Hollywood Squares" all this week and as part of VH-1's "All Access: Country Goes Pop," which debuts March 15, along with the Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain and Faith Hill.
 

02/13/01 courtesy of  "Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net from countryqueens@egroups.com
JO DEE INSPIRES SOUTH BEND COLLEGE TEAM
When Jo Dee Messina kicked off her tour in South Bend, Indiana she found out the women's basketball team at Indiana University South Bend. According to the team, "Her music is on our team's warm-up tape, her songs really hit home with us." The team showed up wearing T-shirts imprinted with the title of Jo Dee's hit, "These Are the Days." (Nas
 

02/07/01 courtesy of  Weazelnut1@aol.com  from jdmfans@yahoogroups.com
Jo Dee's Tour
Aretha, Britney will sneak into Jo Dee's shows Country purists might have a  fit, but Jo Dee Messina throws in a really fun musical flurry into her  upcoming headliner tour show. Jo Dee previewed her nearly two-hour set for a  bunch of industry folks this week, and midshow she talked about what she and  her siblings listened to while growing up.That's what led to an interesting  string of songs, including Journey's Don't Stop Believing, a very powerful  snippet of Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man, a few AC/DC licks, Britney  Spears' Baby One More Time and Aretha Franklin's Think.Jo Dee also was quite  cute from the stage, although sometimes her talking slows things down too  much.But one of my fave little speeches came near the show's beginning, when  she pointed out that sometimes female performers use their concerts to do   fashion shows with many wardrobe changes. That isn't how Jo Dee sees   things."I got news for you," she told the crowd. "I hope you like this  outfit."
 

02/01/01 courtesy of  "Abbey" abluvmus@earthlink.net from countryqueens@egroups.com
JO DEE'S DREAMS COME TRUE
Jo Dee Messina has a lot on her plate. She's got a headlining tour in its final rehearsal stages, a double platinum certification for her album, I'm Alright and a #1 debut for her latest album, Burn. Don't forget, she also just received a GRAMMY nomination in the Best Female Country Vocal Performance category for her #1 hit, "That's The Way." Now, the down-to-earth diva is getting ready to see herself in the pages of People magazine. Jo Dee says, quote, " It's such an honor to be in People. It's one of those things I never even dreamed of because they only really big stars and that's not how I view myself." (Here's a hint Jo Dee - big stars are the ones who get a headlining tour) That doesn't mean she's not thrilled with all of the attention. Jo Dee says, quote, "I've waited a long time. Now that it's my turn, I can't wait to get out there and do the things I've dreamed of." By the way, if you don't see her on tour, don't miss Jo Dee on "Hollywood Squares" the week of February 12th or on E! "Celebrities at Home" February 16th. She'll also be featured along with the Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain and Faith Hill on VH-1's "All Access: Country Divas Go Pop," which debuts March 15th. (T-100)