Gene Watson's Peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and rightly so!
All of Gene Watson's Peers, who were contacted by The Gene Watson Fan Site, during 2006, were most gracious with their time and words.
It is here, within this special part of The Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Jo Dee Messina, which she submitted to this site on Thursday 7 September 2006.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Jo Dee Messina who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Jo Dee Messina
This quote was submitted on Thursday 7 September 2006.
'Growing up, listening to Gene Watson was listening to a voice that personified country music.
So smooth, so classy.
I just love his voice'
Thank you, Jo Dee Messina, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Jo Dee Messina...
Jo Dee Messina, who is a native of Holliston, Massachusetts was first attracted to country music after hearing the recordings of Alabama and Hank Williams Jr.
Jo Dee Messina soon developed a love for country music heroes, including Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn (Thursday 14 April 1932 - Tuesday 4 October 2022) and Reba McEntire.
Jo Dee Messina made her first public performance at the age of six and, by the time she was thirteen, she had formed a band and had performed throughout the north-east of the United States. When she was nineteen, Jo Dee Messina decided to move to Nashville.
Jo Dee Messina was born Jo Dee Marie Messina on Tuesday 25 August 1970, in Framingham, Massachusetts to Vincent and Mary Messina. Jo Dee Messina's father was of Italian descent and her mother was of Irish descent.
Jo Dee Messina was raised in Holliston, Massachusetts, with two sisters, Terese and Marianne, and a brother, Vincent.
Jo Dee Messina had a variety of country music influences, including Patsy Cline (Thursday 8 September 1932 - Tuesday 5 March 1963), Reba McEntire and The Judds - Wynonna Judd & Naomi Judd (Friday 11 January 1946 - Saturday 30 April 2022).
Jo Dee Messina soon started performing live and, by the time she was sixteen years old, she was playing local clubs, singing while her brother and one sister provided backup on drums and guitar. The group continued performing until Jo Dee Messina graduated from high school.
Realising that living in the north east of the United States would limit her chances of achieving country music stardom, Jo Dee Messina moved to Nashville when she was nineteen years old.
Jo Dee Messina worked various temp jobs, including computer programming and accounting, while entering talent contests around Nashville.
One win led to a regular gig on the radio show 'Live At Libby's', which caught the interest of producer Byron Gallimore, who helped her assemble a demonstration tape. Byron Gallimore was also working with Tim McGraw around the same time, and Jo Dee Messina befriended him.
Backstage at one of Tim McGraw's concerts, Jo Dee Messina met an executive from his label, Curb Records, and jokingly suggested that they needed a redhead.
With the help of fellow Curb producer, James Stroud, Jo Dee Messina was soon signed to the record label; Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw would later become co-producers of Jo Dee Messina's studio albums under Curb Records.
On Tuesday 26 March 1996, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of her self-titled debut album, 'Jo Dee Messina' (Curb Records, 1996), which was produced by Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
'Heads Carolina, Tails California' (written by Tim Nichols and Mark D. Sanders) (No.2, 1996)
'You're Not In Kansas Anymore' (written by Zack Turner and Tim Nichols) (No.7, 1996)
'Do You Wanna Make Something of It' (written by Terry Anderson and Bob DiPiero) (No.53, 1996)
'He'd Never Seen Julie Cry' (written by Leslie Satcher and Max T. Barnes) (No.64, 1997)
Jo Dee Messina's self-titled debut album, 'Jo Dee Messina' (Curb Records, 1996), also included the following tracks:
'On A Wing & A Prayer' (written by Walt Aldridge and Jo Dee Messina)
'Let It Go' (written by Jamie Kyle, Ron Bloom and Will Rambeaux)
'Walk To The Light' (written by Walt Aldridge)
'I Didn't Have To Leave You' (written by Jill Wood)
'Every Little Girl's Dream' (written by Dave Loggins and Kenny Mims)
'Another Shoulder At The Wheel', which was written by Gary Burr and John Jarrard (Thursday 7 May 1953 - Thursday 1 February 2001)
Jo Dee Messina's self-titled debut album, 'Jo Dee Messina' (Curb Records, 1996), reached No.22 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1996.
Seven years after the release of Jo Dee Messina's self-titled debut album, 'Jo Dee Messina' (Curb Records, 1996), it sold over 500,000 copies and was certified 'Gold' in the United States.
Following her major success, Jo Dee Messina performed two hundred and fifteen shows in 1996 and became one of the most successful new female vocalists of the 1990s.
On Tuesday 17 March 1998, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of 'I'm Alright' (Curb Records, 1998), which was produced by Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
'Bye, Bye' (written by Rory Bourke and Phil Vassar) (No.1 for one week in April 1998)
'I'm Alright' (written by Phil Vassar) (No.1 for two weeks in August / September 1998)
'Stand Beside Me', which was written by Stephen Allen Davis (Tuesday 4 October 1949 - Monday 26 December 2022) (No.1 for two weeks in January / February 1999)
'A Lesson In Leaving' (written by Randy Goodrum and Brent Maher) (No.2 for seven weeks in 1999)
'Because You Love Me' (written by Kostas and John Scott Sherrill) (No.8, 1999)
Jo Dee Messina's 'I'm Alright' (Curb Records, 1998) also included the following tracks:
'Even God Must Get The Blues' (written by Dene Anton and John Scott Sherrill)
'No Time For Tears' (written by Steven Dale Jones and Jo Dee Messina)
'Silver Thunderbird' (written by Marc Cohn)
'I Know A Heartache', which was written by Charlie Black (Wednesday 23 November 1949 - Friday 23 April 2021), Rory Bourke and Kerry Michael Chater (Tuesday 7 August 1945 - Tuesday 1 February 2022)
'Cover Me' (written by Trey Bruce and Robin Lee Bruce)
Jo Dee Messina's 'I'm Alright' (Curb Records, 1998) reached No.5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1998; her highest selling album to date, it was certified 2×'Platinum' for United States sales of two million copies.
In 2000, Joe Dee Messina received the Country Music Association's 'Horizon Award', which is awarded to new country music artists. Jo Dee Messina also won Billboard magazine's 'Most Played Female At Country Radio', and won three major awards from The Boston Music Awards, located in her home state of Massachusetts.
It was around this time when Jo Dee Messina had guest roles on the television shows, 'Crash & Burn', 'Nash Bridges' and 'Touched by An Angel'.
On Tuesday 1 August 2000, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of 'Burn' (Curb Records, 2000), which was produced by Byron Gallimore and Tim McGraw, and included five tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
'That's The Way' (written by Annie Roboff and Holly Lamar) (No.1 for three weeks in September / October 2000) / the track also reached No.25 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 2000
'Burn' (written by Tina Arena, Steve Werfel and Pam Reswick) (No.2, 2000)
'Downtime' (written by Phillip Coleman and Carolyn Dawn Johnson) (No.5, 2001)
'Bring On The Rain' (written by Billy Montana and Helen Darling) (No.1 for one week in March 2002) / this track was a duet with Tim McGraw
'Dare To Dream' (written by Jane Bach and Adrienne Follesé) (No.23 in mid-2002)
Jo Dee Messina's 'Burn' (Curb Records, 2000) also included the following tracks:
'If Not You' (written by George Teren and Tom Shapiro)
'Closer' (written by Chris Lindsey, Marv Green and Aimee Mayo)
'These Are The Days' (written by Stephanie Bentley and Holly Lamar)
'Saturday Night' (written by Tim Nichols and Annie Roboff)
'Angelene' (written by Stephanie Bentley and Holly Lamar)
'Nothing I Can Do' (written by Roy Hurd and Templeton Thompson)
Jo Dee Messina's 'Burn' (Curb Records, 2000) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2000, and No.19 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart; the album sold over one million copies in the United States and was certified 'Platinum'.
In addition to headlining concerts, Jo Dee Messina also toured with Vince Gill, George Strait, and The Judds' reunion tour.
On Tuesday 29 October 2002, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of 'A Joyful Noise' (Curb Records, 2002), her first Christmas album, which was produced by Jo Dee Messina and Brent Maher, and included the following tracks:
'Winter Wonderland' (written by Felix Bernard and Dick Smith)
'I'll Be Home For Christmas' (written by Walter Kent, Kim Gannon and Ram Buck)
'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!' (written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne)
'The Christmas Song' (written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells)
'Silver Bells' (written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans)
'Sleigh Ride' (written by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish)
'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' (written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane)
'What Child Is This?' (traditional, written by William Chatterton Dix)
'O, Holy Night' (written by Adolphe Adam and John Sullivan Dwight)
'Silent Night' (written by Josef Mohr and Franz Gruber)
'A Joyful Noise' (written by Mark Selby and Tia Sillers) / this track reached No.16 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Chart in 2002
'Keep The Faith' (written by Jo Dee Messina, Mike Reid and Brent Maher)
Jo Dee Messina's 'A Joyful Noise' (Curb Records, 2002) reached No.18 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2002.
On Tuesday 20 May 2003, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of 'Greatest Hits' (Curb Records, 2003), which included the following tracks:
'Was That My Life' (written by Bill Luther and Marv Green) (No.21, 2003)
'I'm Alright' (written by Phil Vassar) (No.1 for two weeks in August / September 1998)
'Heads Carolina, Tails California' (written by Tim Nichols and Mark D. Sanders) (No.2, 1996)
'Bye, Bye' (written by Rory Bourke and Phil Vassar) (No.1 for one week in April 1998)
'Stand Beside Me', which was written by Stephen Allen Davis (Tuesday 4 October 1949 - Monday 26 December 2022) (No.1 for two weeks in January / February 1999)
'Bring On The Rain' (written by Billy Montana and Helen Darling) (No.1 for one week in March 2002) / this track was a duet with Tim McGraw
'A Lesson In Leaving' (written by Randy Goodrum and Brent Maher) (No.2 for seven weeks in 1999)
'That's The Way' (written by Annie Roboff and Holly Lamar) (No.1 for three weeks in September / October 2000) / the track also reached No.25 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 2000
'Burn' (written by Tina Arena, Steve Werfel and Pam Reswick) (No.2, 2000)
'Downtime' (written by Phillip Coleman and Carolyn Dawn Johnson) (No.5, 2001)
'Because You Love Me' (written by Kostas and John Scott Sherrill) (No.8, 1999)
'You're Not In Kansas Anymore' (written by Zack Turner and Tim Nichols) (No.7, 1996)
'Wishing Well' (written by Annie Roboff and Phil Vassar) / this was a new track
'You Belong In The Sun' (written by 'Writer X' and Marcia Ramirez) / this was a new track
'I Wish' (written by Ed Hill and Tommy Lee James) (No.15, 2003)
Jo Dee Messina's 'Greatest Hits' (Curb Records, 2003) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2003, and reached No.14 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart the same year; the album was certified 'Gold' by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
On Tuesday 26 April 2005, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of 'Delicious Surprise' (Curb Records, 2005), which was produced by Mark Bright, Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw and Jo Dee Messina, and included four tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart:
'My Give A Damn's Busted', which was written by Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 - Sunday 29 March 2020), Tom Shapiro and Tony Martin (No.1 for one week in May 2005)
'Delicious Surprise (I Believe It)' (written by Beth Hart and Glen Burtnik) (No.23, 2005)
'Not Going Down' (written by Kevin Savigar and Shaunn Bolton) (No.28, 2005)
'It's Too Late To Worry' (written by Ron Harbin, Danny Wells and Anthony Smith) (No.33, 2006)
Jo Dee Messina's 'Delicious Surprise' (Curb Records, 2005) also included the following tracks:
'Someone Else's Life' (written by Danny Wells, John Bettis and Chris Farren)
'It Gets Better' (written by Jo Dee Messina)
'Who's Crying Now' (written by Patrick Jason Matthews and George Teren)
'Life Is Good' (written by Jo Dee Messina and Mark Selby)
'Love Is Not Enough' (written by Jo Dee Messina and Mike Reid)
'Where Were You' (written by Jo Dee Messina, John Bettis and Wayne Kirkpatrick)
'I Wear My Life' (written by Shaye Smith, Katrina Elam and Christi Dannemiller)
'You Were Just Here' (written by Brett James, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey)
Personnel involved in the recording of Jo Dee Messina's 'Delicious Surprise' (Curb Records, 2005) included the following:
Larry Beaird, B. James Lowry and Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar)
Mark Beckett and Shannon Forrest (drums)
Bekka Bramlett (tambourine, background vocals)
Mike Brignardello, Kevin Grantt and Glenn Worf (bass guitar)
Pat Buchanan, Tom Bukovac, Kenny Greenberg, Troy Lancaster and Michael Landau (electric guitar)
Lisa Cochran, Wes Hightower, Gene Miller, Kim Parent and Russell Terrell (background vocals)
Dan Dugmore (steel guitar)
Stuart Duncan and Aubrey Haynie (fiddle, mandolin)
Larry Franklin (mandolin)
Paul Franklin (steel guitar, slide guitar, Dobro)
Brent Mason (electric guitar, acoustic guitar)
Steve Nathan (piano, synthesizer, synthesizer strings, organ, Wurlitzer electric piano)
Jimmy Nichols (keyboards, organ, accordion)
Russ Pahl (steel guitar, banjo, electric guitar, Dobro)
Javier Solis (tambourine)
Lonnie Wilson (drums, percussion)
Jonathan Yudkin (fiddle)
Jo Dee Messina's 'Delicious Surprise' (Curb Records, 2005) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 2005, and No.9 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart the same year; the album sold over 500,000 copies and became Jo Dee Messina's fourth album to receive a Recording Industry Association of america (RIAA) 'Gold' certification.
In July 2007, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of a new single, 'Biker Chick', from her upcoming fifth studio album, 'Unmistakable'.
'Biker Chick', which was written by Kelly Archer and Max T. Barnes, was recorded in the autumn / fall of 2006 in Nashville.
Although the album was set for release on Tuesday 6 November 2007, the album was shelved and therefore, the single was dropped from country music radio after spending nine weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart, rising to a peak of No.48.
On Saturday 22 March 2008, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of 'I'm Done', the second single from 'Unmistakable'; the track peaked at No.34 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart. Jo Dee Messina, who co-wrote the song, explained that the release of the album was 'truly dictated by the success of the single'.
On Tuesday 10 June 2008, Jo Dee Messina and Phil Vassar opened the 2008 CMA Music Festival, where she performed her two No.1 Billboard hit singles, 'Bye, Bye' (written by Rory Bourke and Phil Vassar) and 'I'm Alright' (written by Phil Vassar). Joe Dee Messina also performed her latest single, 'I'm Done', which received a positive reaction from the audience that day.
In early 2009, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of 'Shine' but, at the last minute, her record label decided not to release it, and the album was pushed back again.
In January 2010, Jo Dee Messina saw the release of the single, 'That's God', although it failed to chart. Jo Dee Messina began debuting the single in late 2009 on her 'Music Room Series Tour'.
Having had her first child in January 2009, Jo Dee Messina was inspired to write the song while spending time with her son on a trip to Jasper, Canada, where she saw mountains with glacier lakes.
Jo Dee Messina later announced that the album would be released in a trilogy of extended plays, beginning with 'Unmistakable: Love' (Curb Records, 2010), which was released on Tuesday 27 April 2010. It was followed by two additional extended play (EP) discs, 'Drive' and 'Inspiration', which were both released on Tuesday 9 November 2010, via MP3 format.
In 2011, Jo Dee Messina signed up to promote the WD-40 line of cleaners with a campaign called 'Unmistakably Clean'. A collection of Jo Dee Messina's songs was available for free download with the purchase of specially marked 'Spot Shot', 'Carpet Fresh', '2000 Flushes' or 'X-14'.
In 2012, Jo Dee Messina was featured on the fourth season of Bravo's hit reality show, 'The Real Housewives of Atlanta'. On the show, Jo Dee Messina and cast member Kandi Burruss collaboratively wrote a song together, which was Kandi Burruss' first effort at creating country music.
In December 2012, Jo Dee Messina completed her seventeen year contract with Curb Records.
In May 2013, Jo Dee Messina started a Kickstarter campaign to fund her next album. The lead single, 'Peace Sign', was released on Friday 23 August 2013 via Jo Dee Messina's own record label, Dreambound Records.
The full length album, 'Me' (Dreambound Records, 2014), was released on Tuesday 18 March 2014, and included the following tracks:
'Not Dead Yet' (written by Alyssa Bonagura and Jo Dee Messina)
'Strong Shot of You' (written by Sherrié Austin, Weston Davis and Clay Mills)
'Love On A Maybe' (written by Lizzy McAvoy and Jo Dee Messina)
'Breakin' It Down' (written by Amy Dalley and James LeBlanc)
'Peace Sign' (written by Amy Dalley, Tyler Hayes and Scott Leger)
'Me' (written by Kathie Baillie, Patricia Conroy and Jo Dee Messina)
'Like A Kid Again' (written by Adrianne Follesé, Keith Follesé and Tammy Hyler)
'A Woman's Rant' (written by Jo Dee Messina)
'Take It' (written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Angelo Petraglia)
'I'm Free' (written by Jo Dee Messina and Dean Sams)
'He's Messed Up' (written by Alyssa Bonagura and Jo Dee Messina)
'Say Goodbye To Superman' (written by Jo Dee Messina)
In October 2014, Jo Dee Messina embarked on the 'Me Tour' in support of the album.
• Visit Jo Dee Messina's official site at jodeemessina.com
