The Bobby Bones Show - FRI PT 2: Jo Dee Messina In Studio! She Sings With Amy, Shares A Health Update And The Crazy Reason She Was Turned Down For A Record Deal

Episode Date: March 13, 2026

Today, we welcome Jo Dee Messina who has the first new music out in 10 years! She talked about how it feels to finally be sharing new material. She and Amy sing her biggest hits together. Jo Dee gives us an update on her health after beating cancer. She also discusses her life as a marathon runner, the surprising reason she was once turned down for a record deal, and how she selects her TikTok video trend ideas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft. And we've got a special guest.

The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist, they take matters into their own hands. I vowed. I will

be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Everyone, I'm Ego Vodom. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right. It wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Yeah. Listen to Thanks,

Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Alespian.

Michael Marantini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is love trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faced. as consequences. Listen to a love trapped podcast on the IHeart radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Bobby Bones show now. Joey Messina. Did you say that too? I thought you said it too. No, I didn't. It did sound like an echo or something. I'm so happy you're here.

I'm happy to be here. We have a lot of stuff to talk about. I would first, have you seen the video that I made you? What? Never mind. Never mind. Never mind. I don't know.

I want to see this way. No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. No, no, no. No, no, no. If you haven't seen it yet, then maybe you're not supposed to know about it. Oh, I'm not supposed to know about it. Uh-oh.

No, it's about the anniversary of your record. Never mind. I'm not saying, I'm not going to say anything about it. I just shouldn't have said anything. I was just going to make a point about something. How you doing, Jody? Not she wants to know about it. Wait a minute, what's going on?

You're about to have a big anniversary for your first album. Yes. Yeah. How many years? 30. Yeah. which is pretty great. So if you haven't seen it yet, I will tell you, I did a whole video talking about it and what it meant to me and all of that.

But if you haven't seen it yet, one day you'll see it. I haven't seen it. Okay. Then I'll just leave it there. It was only me. Okay. Okay. I have a lot of questions for you.

Oh, go. Go. I'm ready. First of all, you know, I love you. I could not hold a mirror up and say it back to you a hundred times over. So you're so awesome. Same to you. And I follow you.

and I just support you and you know that. Thank you. You've gotten messages for me. Thank you. But I do. You're just such a jewel. Well, thank you. This is not about me.

I want to make it about you. Oh, let's make it about you. Is it cool to be like TikTok famous? Because you are. I highly doubt that. You are. Your stuff goes viral all the time. People love you on TikTok.

It's like a whole new age of people that get to like experience what we got to experience. The crazy dances. Just all of it. Yeah. Well, we have a fun thing. We haven't put it up yet, but last weekend we played in California. And the guy that choreographed all the snow, back when I always had dancers and everything, lived out there. And he choreographed a new dance to one of the hits.

And so we recorded that while we were out doing a festival this weekend. Your stuff pops. Well, thanks. Yeah. Do you keep track of what your videos do? Sometimes, but we're moving so fast. And now everything's getting really busy. And this is the first record.

like new new music right yes in a long time over over 10 years now I released something I think in 2014 not a full record though like just like a go fund me or whatever it was a Kickstarter I don't even know they still in business I don't know so something like that but a major release label thing the last thing that came on I think was my give it am supposed to say it was that 2007 yeah it's a long time What does it feel like to put out a new project? Because it's been a, again, we have done a full project. Are there nerves? Is it excitement?

Is it both? Both. Are there expectations? From other people, yes. What do you mean? You know, just other people have expectations for it. And so you don't want to let people down, especially those that are working really hard on it, you know, with the marketing and the promotion and that kind of stuff. So I'm just happy to be here, Bobby.

You know that. Or in this studio? The studio, of course. And Earth, no, literally every morning. I mean, I'm like, this morning I sat outside and I was like, God, thank you for today. I get today. Well, today's a big day because the single's out. Yes.

New album will be out this summer, but the new song is out. And so we're going to play some bridges. Oh. So this feels like a- This will be the first time I hear it on radio. It will? Yes. This feels like a wisdom song.

It is. Tell me about it. Well, you know, we grew up as you're growing up, we're always told, you know, don't be burning bridges. Don't burn bridges. You know, oh, I know they, you know, like, with my kids, I'm like, don't, don't be rude to those hockey players and rec hockey because you don't want to burn those bridges because they'll probably be on your team next year. Or, you know, be respectful to the coach. Don't be burning bridges. Because, you know, you might run into them whatever. And we're told, don't burn bridges, because you're not going to find your way back. And,

or if you take chances, which is so funny, because I'm looking at your book, Phil, until you don't. if you don't take chances oh you're gonna you know you might end up off track you know you might make a mistake you might fail and it's like you sometimes you you have to fail you know sometimes you and sometimes you have to burn bridges if they lead you back to a place that is harmful to you or where you lose yourself it's not it's not worthy did you feel like this was the single when you wrote it or did you get all the songs together and then go this is the one bobby did we send you a link for the album. Why do you say that? It's loaded. So I let someone else pick it because I was like, oh, I love this one. Oh, I love this one. Oh, I love this one. So I was like, yeah, they're like,

boom, let's come out with this one. But so I wasn't, yeah. Okay, so I have other things to talk about. I want to go to Amy first. What song comes to mind, if I just say Jody Messina? What song first comes to mind of all of them? I mean, it's got to be. Heds Carolina. Well, do you think that's common? Is it most, is that it with most people? Because I think bye-bye to me is the one that comes to mine first. It's another good one.

I was trying to see if another would come to me, but then that wouldn't be fair because then the first one was Heds Carolina. What do you think the first one is to people? Probably right now, Hads Carolina, because of its resurgence. Yeah, because of its resurgence. Oh, with cold. That's right. But if you look at what people are playing from my catalog,

I think bye-bye was first, then I'm all right, then heads, Carolina. Isn't that crazy? Yeah, see there's a lot of them. Send less than leaving and leaving and stand beside me and bring on the rain. Um, I'm listening to them off. We're going to give a second here where Amy sings all your songs back to you. I could. I could. Amy, and here she is with lesson leaving. Amy, go ahead. Oh, somebody's going to give you a lesson in leaving. Somebody's going to give you back what you've been given and I hope that I'm around to watch you knock you down. That's it. Yeah. I threw you off. Sorry. No, it's no. Trust me. You didn't throw her off.

Trust me. It wasn't you. That's not it at all. Are you still living away from here? I live here. No, no. I don't talk about this a lot, but it's you. It's you.

No, no, no. It's him. I moved to Georgia for a few years. I went down there originally. Cancer Treatment Centers of America. I was down there. They had one in Atlanta and one in Minneapolis. They don't exist anymore.

But anyways, that's why I went there and I was there for a few years, and now I'm back. How's your health? It's good right now, yeah. Yeah. Monitoring all. Always. Once a year. No, I'm to the point where it's once a year I go in and get checked.

Yeah. With the blood work and scans if needed or whatever. How do you feel physically? Pretty good. Yeah, good days. Some not good days. No. Well, the day after leg day or the second day after leg day.

I train every day. For what? No, for weight train, like lift. No, I know. Because I say that and I tell them my train, they're like, why are you training? And I'm like, I don't know, Apocalypse? No. That's what I say.

but you act like you're training to be a pro athlete like we're training for life like osteoporosis well actually I'm going for a look but it's taking a lot longer and I wanted Amy was projecting right there well lifting is very important for our bone health as women and just yeah I have kids and you'll find this out it's a lot of energy to keep up with them

so yeah and I'm going to start running with my 14 year old. I used to be a big time runner. I ran Boston Marathon, Chicago, San Antonio. Oh, wow. I didn't qualify, Bobby. You just got on Iran? I was invited to run because I'm from Boston. So I would never have qualified. I'm way too slow. What was your time? I was, if you go look at that year, I am the second to last only before my brother who let me cross the line first because they cut it off at six hours. I think we're five hours and 59 minutes. I pulled my IT band at mile six. So I'd have to stop every, like, mile or so and let my leg loosen up, let that muscle loosen up and then start again. But I did finish it.

Did you see them shutting down and you're just trying to beat them shutting down, taking all the stuff off? No, I think they were waiting. They're like, keep going, keep going, because there was like news crews when I crossed the finish line. And it was just the last thing you want to do is talk to somebody when you've been running for six hours. You were a marathon runner. Yeah, I mean, I was never fast. That doesn't matter. It's kind of the story of my life.

You just keep going. You just keep going. Again, I'm going to reference your book. I love it. Thank you. Buy it on Amazon, everybody. I know. Wow. So how many did you do? You did Boston? Chicago. Chicago. I did the whole Chicago. I did the half of San Antonio

crossed the finish line, walked on stage, and played a show. It was a rock and roll marathon, so they have a concert at the end. I was it. So I had to finish my half marathon before the set started. So that was a little... But you knew that. Like you knew you... Oh yeah.

Oh yeah, they hired me to go down there. But you knew you were going to run it and then play. Yes. How was that? Was that hard to do? It was okay. It was okay. You know, my leg started to feel a little jelloy towards the middle of the show.

And then... That's crazy that you would do that. You're doing a lot of shows. I was looking at your tour schedule. It's part of... I would imagine being in shape helps you do a more active show, right? Yes. My show is very active.

What do you mean by that? I don't stand still. I'm like, there's two songs where I play a guitar on, and that's about the stillest I get. And then other than that, I'm running around. I'm head banging. You'll see a lot of pictures, my hair flying. What do you do as your, well...

It's not a beauty show by any mean. I don't want to spoil it, but what do you do? You have so many big songs. What do you do is your final song? Final song of the night? Yeah, is this a spoiler? No, it's not my song. Okay.

I give a little, pep talk to the audience. I'm like if you have dreams and things that you want to do, surround yourself with positive people. Can I guess then? Yeah. Give me the pep talk. I'll say if I can guess the song.

Okay. Oh, well, it ends with, okay. So I mentioned, you know, if you have something that you want to do, don't surround yourself with naysayers, because there's plenty of people that will say, well, that won't work because, and I always tell my team,

I'm like, please don't tell me why not, tell me how. You want people, and I'm like, look, God's word tells us that the tongue has the power of life and death. You either have people around you. that are like, oh yeah, well, not sure that's going to work out or that's dumb. Nobody's doing that. Or you have people that are like, you can do it. You've got this. No, and I do say to the audience, I'm like, I'm not saying you're the greatest in the world. I was never, my sister was my greatest support. She's like 15 years older than me. And she never was like, oh, you're such a

great singer. She's just like, you just got to keep going. And I remember I got turned down by a record label in Nashville. They said it was too fat. And I was like, they actually said that? They told my producer that oh if she was 10 pounds lighter we designed it is what they said so and I was devastated and she's like I said that I did this showcase and I didn't get the record deal they passed

and she's like yes I was like what do you mean yes she's like oh they say you have to get passed on a thousand times before you get a deal she's like now you only have 999 love just keep going just keep going and I was like and whatever you do don't stop believing oh well now we know the song don't stop believing

that's the end of the speech well yeah but you You could have not said that part. I told you the name was in it. You know what I was going to guess though? The climb Miley Cyrus. That was going to be my guess until you... Always gonna be an up in a battle. I'll do it bass.

Always gonna make you move. Hey, the Hannah Montana thing is coming back. We got to do the dance. Did you see that on TikTok? Only took us four hours. Don't turn it. So you'll practice a long time for your TikToks? Well, that one was long.

I didn't know it at all. and then we learned it and we're on the road boy my legs are sore the next day the Hannah Montana dance Who says to you this should be

the next TikTok that we do I don't know I don't know if we Do you doom scroll on TikTok? I don't have time and scroll but the one that dances

with me sometimes will have suggestions yeah probably he would be the most When you move to town how long until you had any sort of traction at all?

Four years. Did that four years feel like 40 years? It did. I remember my first year was all about trying to survive. Finding a place to live, pay in the bills. Like I didn't sing. And there weren't as many places. We didn't have Broadway. Broadway was Tutsis.

I think that was it. And then Ernest Tubbs record shop or whatever. It wasn't like 50,000 bars with, you know, open 24 hours and different shifts or whatever. So there wasn't a lot of places to see. sing back then once he got here. Where did you sing then? Talent nights. I'd perform.

I needed money for rent. So I would do the talent contests. Oh, you would compete. Did you win? Yes. Yes, I did. And that's how I got my start. I won a chance to perform on a radio show as well.

And then the radio show had me back every Saturday night. It was called Live at Libby's from Daysville, Kentucky. It's gone. And that's where my producer, Byron Gallimore, heard me, who was producing Tim McGrath. the time and then I took a meeting with him and then he's like hey let's work on a demo so what would you sing to win these competitions because like what was your go-to oh my gosh rumor has it not adela no reba rumor has it she has you and would you know they would that they'd melt them with that no I was always terrified yeah I was always terrified did you ever lose yeah yeah

Did you ever lose anybody else to end up making it? No. There was one girl that I had done something with a long time. We were on a competition and she was nasty. She is mean. And then later after I had to Carolina came out, she got a record deal. But it didn't work out. Good.

I didn't say that. I did. Good. But she's so mean. Good. She had money. I didn't. So she had like the fancy guitar on the fancy clothes and was like, oh, yeah.

you're like, ugh. And so she's just not nice. How does somebody from... Massachusetts? That's exactly what I was going to ask you. How did they get into country music? Well, I had gone to a boarding school, and there were kids from all over the country there, and one of them was from the south and would listen to country music, and I just loved it

because I was like, oh, they're singing about me. It's singing about my life. And so I would gravitate towards that. Even though you lived in Massachusetts. Rural Massachusetts? about 30 miles outside of Boston. Then how was it your life? What would you hear that would resonate?

What would I hear? Baby a line when I talk away. Remember that one? No, you don't. It's a song. I know the song. Break it to me gently. Remember that?

No. One more. That was a juice. No. No, I think Amy's hybriding songs now. No, I feel like I recognize it. And then I remember Alabama came out with Rule on Highway. I was like, oh, this is so cool.

The Judds, the Judds came out too. Love that. We had a lot of Judds in my house. My mom and my grandma, it was all Judds all the time. Yeah. Then I loved it. And so I gravitated towards. Were you singing in high school, like in school?

I was. I started performing out in clubs when I was 13 or 14. My mother would drive me. I'd sleep through class. It's just not advice for those listening. But anyways, My mom would drive me out to open mic nights and I'd sit in with bands and then my brother and my sister and myself put a band together. And then I'd ride with my older siblings.

You had a family band? Kind of, yeah. We hired a guitar player, but my sister played the bass and my brother played the drums. Did they not want to pursue it further? Because they didn't move down for music, did they? They did not. They lived here now, but they did not. I think, you know, it was just a time where you just got to get a real job.

Yeah. And so my brother's had the same job since he was 18. and he's a little older now. And like he was programming computers for the government or something. You know what I mean? He was a computer programmer and does that still to this day. Same job. Same.

Never left that job. My theory is there has to be a screw loose to even pursue what this is. Right. It's got to be the right screw. But to pursue any sort of art, there's got to be a screw loose. Yeah. Because you have to have like this wild belief in yourself that even other people may not have. Like you have to believe in yourself so much.

You have to believe in yourself or do you just have to want the dream? It can be, I don't think you can even understand the want of it if you don't believe in yourself. Really? Because I'm really insecure, even today. But I'm really insecure too. I think insecurity fuels me. I'm embarrassed by everything that I do. It's a weird juxtaposition of I believe in myself more than anybody ever, but also hate everything about me.

Right. I hear you. I didn't mean that in a mean way. She's like, I hate everything about you too, man. No, no, but I get it. you know, I'm looking at myself in the whatever in the room I got my picture taken next to your sign. And I was like, I look awful. You know what I mean? You're your own Morris critic. And so that that circle just keeps going on and on in your head. Even when you're standing in front of tens of

thousands of people, I remember playing Texas Stadium for the first time. And I stood there at the edge of the stage and people were like screaming and cheering. It was so loud. It like rumbled the stage. And I'm like, what am I doing here? like I don't belong here and none of these people realize that and you can't let them know that you're thinking that yeah well I did now yeah I think that

I think that happens with a lot of artists though that when you for me especially when I got to a point you start to go man I don't like this is kind of crazy I don't know if I'm actually good enough but I believe I at least believed I was good enough at some point I think there's a point of gratitude where the gratitude kicks in.

So if you go see my show now, it isn't really, hey, look at me, I'm up here. It's like, oh my gosh, we're going to have so much fun, you know. And I do. We have a blast with the audience. But for you to move down here and want to be a singer and also have to have a job to make money, again, you didn't have the benefit of having your bills paid for

and still pursuing this. Like, there's a small screw loose to think you could do that. I think it was naive. That's a superpower, though. If I knew that everyone that I ran into in town was in town for the same reason, I probably my insecurity would have kicked in and I'd be like, no, no, no, I can't compete with all those people, right? But I didn't know.

So I was like, oh, I've in order to get a record deal, I got to go to Nashville. So, okay, I'm going to Nashville. Me and 50,000 other people. Did you get down and see other people and go, oh, wow, the competition is pretty tough? Yeah, they're talented. Oh, yeah. I'd go to these talent contest and I'd be like, oh, I'll just put my name on the list, something to do.

Did you ever almost go home? No, because I loved to sing. I loved to perform. So that's what would fuel me and keep me in the room was my chance to sing. That record label of Starry is still thinking about them that said you were 10 pounds. If I was 10 pounds lighter, they would assign me like that.

Whenever you did get your first hit, did you ever think, like, you know, having like a pretty woman moment with them of like big mistake, huge like I have to go make music now because I I can't stop thinking about how I mean I know that's the reality for a lot of women in the business pop country you've heard a lot of people especially now that they're older they're like oh yeah when I was first starting out I heard this from my record label this one management team I wasn't allowed to wear my hair this way I had to wear these clothes I yeah so I mean did you I don't know did you just like let it go or

no I still it's 30 years later I'm still talking about it. I didn't let it go. Or if you run into them, like, kind of just... But you're acting like it's not happening now, too. Oh, yeah, no, I'm sure. I guess I just have a little bit of hope that maybe we progress a little bit. But you're right.

We probably... As much as I would like to think. Was there a time... It does still happen. Actually, on my record, there is... I was talking to an artist and she's like, man, I just, you know, I can't do this. I can't do that. I just, oh, she's exhausted.

And I said, whatever you do, don't let them hide your... beautiful. And then we wrote a song. It's actually a song on the album. I believe it's track three. Oh, yeah. There you go. You know everything. But yeah, that's where that song came from. With someone being told by everyone else. No, this is what you need to do. This is how you have to look. This is what you should do. This is where you should be. This is, you know, and it's like, none of it's me. You know, what are they selling? It's not me. And I was like, well, don't let them hide. You're beautiful. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl.

You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends... Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hip-hift. by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters

into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Ego Vodom. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers, Anchorman, Saturday Night Live and The Big Money Players Network, It's Will Ferrell. Woo. Woo! My dad gave me the best advice ever.

I went and had lunch with him one day, and I was like, and dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up-and-coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot.

He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to thanks dad on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft, and we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East-West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galko, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make, to the players flying under the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider,

you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. In 2023, former bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal. The family court hearings that followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story. This began a years-long court battle to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test twice in someone's, correct? I doctored the test ones.

It took an army of internet detectives to crack the case. I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for. Sunlight's the greatest disinfected. They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Alesspian. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young.

This is Love Trap. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at Americopa County as Laura Owens has been indicted on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Was there a time when you got to town where you had so much success that you started to feel a bit bulletproof? Because you had a run.

Like a multi-week that's like never been done before. number one for multi-week, number one for multi-week, number one for multi-week. Well, and that's the thing. I remember Byron Gallimore telling me, my producer's saying, I was like, oh, man, it would be so great to have a number one record. And he goes, yeah, but then you've got to have another one. And so you were so in the chase for the next one for me, and then again, you're insecure, right? So you were like, oh, gosh, I got to have another one or else I'm done or else I remember

downtime came out and it peaked at number eight. What I would do for a number eight song right now, not really. I mean, but it would be such a thrill to have her number eight song, right? I'd be like, oh, my gosh. But as soon as that song maxed out at number eight, they're like, well, she's done. She's done. She's over. Again, that was like probably 20 years ago.

But still, at that point, you know, everyone was so disappointed. And I felt like they were disappointed in me. I was like, I am a failure. I am, you know. So I don't know that there ever was a point where I felt bulletproof now. It was always about working harder. If you could do it again or you could tell you back then, like right when it was starting to hit. Like right before you got your first number one.

You have a deal. What advice would you give yourself then? I always say this. Don't sell out who you are just to be successful. Do you feel like you did that? I think there were moments, yes, where I did that. And I would look at pictures and be like, oh, boy, I remember that. You know, there was a point where I was myself.

then we had some success and then all of a sudden the people would flock and be like, wear this, do that. We had a photo shoot and I remember looking at these photos. My hair was bone straight, long, down to here, all these like couture clothes. And I was like, I don't know who that is. And they're like, oh, but you look beautiful.

I'm like, but I don't know who she is. Like, I don't know who that is. Who is that? I said, I don't go to Kroger looking like this. You know, people, they would never see me look like that. You know, I can't. Seldom, why would I represent something that I'm not? Oh, back then, back then it was like, oh, we're being difficult.

Oh, she's hard to work with. And it was really just, I can't pretend. I can't pretend to be something that I'm not. Were there a group of women that kind of had each other's back? Did you have at all? Or was it so competitive? No, it wasn't. I don't know that it was like backbiting competitive.

And I don't even know if it's that way now. I think a lot of social media creates those scenarios where it's like I see all these girls and just I love them but of course I'm a little older so I'm gonna you know they don't see me I was like I want to get out of my way but um I think at that point again I was just running so hard for the end zone that I didn't really I'm always on the road I was always you know touring always or in the studio or whatever I didn't have time to be like hey how's it going and I was terrified you know it actually okay back to the insecurity there was one one award show I remember I shared a dressing room with Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Faith Hill.

You would talk about beautiful women? Golly, stand next to Faith Hill. I never will. She's still stunning. And I had a curtained off section in the back corner, and I didn't come out. I was just, I did not feel worthy enough to be in the room with those girls. And so they, but they read it probably. This is that, oh, she thinks she's all that.

And I wasn't all that. I was just like, oh my gosh, I'm hiding from these beautiful, talented girls. So it wasn't cutthroat or anything. It was just keep your eye on your own game at that point. When you decide that you're going to do a new album, or was it an album, because it could have just been a couple songs and I kept growing.

Like, what was this? It turned out I started writing a lot with people in town, and then someone's like, you should record this. You should record this. This is a hit. You should record this. And then it just started to roll into a full project. Because I was like, well, I don't, you know,

I'm just here to write. I just love to write. I'm still out touring, always been touring. And so then they were like, you should really put this together as a record. And I was like, I don't know if anyone who wants to hear a record for me. And they're like, just do it. So we did.

So have you put any expectations on yourself with this record? You, I'm asking you again, not anybody else. Or has the expectation been met already by just creating it? I would love to hear how people like yourself, like the record, you know. Of course, you're always so kind. So you wouldn't be like, well, this sucks. So not to my face. But I'd love to hear that because I wrote everything on the record.

And it's never happened before. I've never written every, I've never been able to, like, pour my entire guts into an album. And that's the difference between now and then, or then and now or whatever, is a lot of stuff that I recorded was written by other people and staff writers at certain places that were the great songwriters. Nowadays, the artists write most of their records.

and I was like, oh, can I do that? I can do that. This is great. So this is the first time I've ever had a rap. There's one song I didn't write, but for the rest of the record, I wrote everything on there. So this is way more vulnerable, I think, than you've ever been as far as a creator. Probably. Yeah, there's a song on there.

Yeah, there's a song. I share this in the live show. It's called If He Knew Jesus, and it came out of a conversation that I had with somebody. And they're like, oh, you know, would you ever consider him going out with so and so and this? I was like, whoa, no, no, no, no. They got to love Jesus. Because I've been down that road. And so I walked into the writing room, and I said, I have an idea.

I said, what if we wrote, and I'm going to start crying? I said, I have this idea of a song, and it just starts off. Well, if he knew Jesus, there'd be no raising these babies alone. And so I again, started crying like I'm crying here, sorry. And the guys looked at me and they're like, oh, man, it's going to be a long day. Oh, but it wasn't. But they knew that was a song. But that's what they meant, though, right?

Like, it's going to be a long day because they're going to write that song with you. Well, just because they're like, oh, man, we've got to deal with her emotion. But we made it through. We made it through. And then there's a verse in the, I'm sorry, the bridge that's like, well, he might go to church, know the words in the Bible, but only if he knew the man or whatever. And then one of the guys was like, okay, this is making me second guess myself here. So it was just... He found salvation in your writing.

Oh, that's my, that is my hope. What is my biggest hope for this project? And I'll be really, really honest, is... And it might be too honest, and you can edit it out if you want, is to be relevant enough to share the gospel with people behind the scenes. You know my heart on that. What do you mean behind the scenes? Well, you know, I think because...

Like, a lot of the new artists, I want to be a safe place for them to go. go when they're like, oh my gosh, how do I handle all this? Because they're inundated with requests and demands and requirements and all this other stuff. And it's like an opportunity to say, hold on a second, you're okay. You're okay. I just did a show with Carter Faith. I love her. And I was like, here's my number. Things are about to get crazy for you. And if you need a safe space please call me. Yeah. And that's what I, that's my heart's desire is to be a safe place for people who are

spinning around so fast within the industry that they need to step away for a second, you know, just realize who they, who they really are in the midst of it. Why would we edit that out? Oh, I don't know. Don't like to talk about Jesus. I don't know. But that's, that's my heart because that's what happened with me. I know the road that they're walking.

I know that the demands that are on them and the expectation on an everyday basis. I know what it's like to have things said that aren't necessarily accurate. And it hurts. It hurts. And so you start to get a hard heart. And then you start to get, you know, a little bit feistyer and a little bit. And then before you know it, you don't even know who you are anymore. And so just someone that understands what they're walking through and can give them a safe place to just decompress and be themselves.

That's awesome. That's my heart. Yeah. Did CMT make being famous easier and harder? In what way? People knew who you were because of videos. Videos. No, I don't know.

Easier or harder. Or both. But easier because they now knew who you were as a Facebook harder because now you had to deal with the fame. Because there weren't really a lot of, until CMT or MTV, sometimes you wouldn't know what an artist look like. Right. Hence the Christopher Cross. syndrome that happened. There was a big singer

named Christopher Cross and then someone said as soon as the video aspect came out you know that's when he lost some traction and I was like well that doesn't seem fair but it did put a lot of expectation on the way you carry yourself and the way you know you have to look

and et cetera it did put all that added pressure on you but also it was good for you know people recognizing you and familiarity and the sense of getting shows and getting work. Did you ever have like Val? Lays handing you music and stuff. All the time, still.

I drop stuff in my mailbox all the time. In your mailbox. I got your home? Oh, no, I don't like that. Or the, I think the latest was the insect guy that came over and he's like, hey, yeah. So here, will you go check out myself on this website? Pest control? Like, pest control, yes, the insect guy.

But he's a singer too, sounds like. Right, but was he pest controlling my house? Yes, after he sprayed the house. Okay. He was like, and don't forget, listen to my songs. I mean, I guess, yeah, they show up and then they realize like, okay, whoa, this is Jody Messina's house. Like, maybe I should

shoot my shot. But what can I do? I'm like, I can't do anything for myself. Never mind. I'm like, I don't know. That's not true. That's funny, but that's not true. It's kind of true. Right? I don't think so because you play these shows where tons of people come.

Again, I made the comment earlier. You're now TikTok relevant, which is the hardest thing to be. like you just have all these different avenues because fame is so fractured now it is more fractured than I've ever seen it somebody could be famous to somebody and the person next to them has no idea who they are yet this person is

freaking out because this person that they follow on TikTok and so I think you're now so tucked strongly into these areas of like new versions of fame like I see people freaking out about you on TikTok and I'm like oh dang this is like a whole different world of fame versus what the fame that you have had for the past 20, 25, 30 years or so. You're right. I love that, that it's fractured.

Because it used to be, you know, so many TV shows and everyone would watch them, and everyone either had knew them or didn't. You know what I mean? It was like, it's not like, you know, you now have, you find your celebrity here, or you find your music there, you find, you know, so that's a great way of describing that is so great. But I love it in the sense of people are like, well, we think your demographic is da-da-da-da-da-da. And a lot of these people don't come to the show. So my whole thing is,

look at the first 50 rows. Yeah. I'm like, we got six-year-olds with their moms and the grandmothers. So I think with all those different social media platforms, we're able to hit different demographics. And you know what? These kids still love bye-bye, and they still love, I'm all right. And they are singing it. So, like, it's crazy the way they find music now. They're singing like deep cuts all the words. I'm like, I don't even know the words to this. That's why I felt you were being too harsh on yourself when you said you can't even do things for you.

You're doing massive, great, wonderful things right now. I think I live in a bubble. So I'm like, I just do my little dance, you know, and then I go bring my kids to school. And that's true, you know, or I'm at the rink. I'm at the hockey rink or whatever. Kids play hockey? Yes.

So I see Turks Bentley quite a bit. You play against Dirk's kids or same team? Well, his kids are younger. Got it. His son is younger. So, but they're, you know, I'm like, it was so funny one time. I was like, are you at the rink? He responded.

I texted him and he texted me back. He's like, I'm always at the rink. I'm like, I get you. So do your kids play hockey because they have fallen in love with it because of Nashville or because you come from a hockey place and you pass it down a little bit? They discovered it on the run. They discovered it when we lived in Georgia. They started with inline hockey.

I don't know what that is. A roller, like a roller blade. Got it. And then they wanted to play ice. So when we move back here, they play ice hockey. Just too cold for me. You think? If I got to wear a coat to go watch a game, it ain't for me.

Well, sometimes you don't have to wear a coat. But sometimes, yeah, sometimes they keep those drinks. Do you travel or you travel, parent? No, because I travel for work. So my kids were not able to try out for the travel teams. That's probably better. Well. Yeah.

And I wasn't going to let them like, hey, go to Detroit by yourself with people. that I don't know and all that stuff. Well, I'm so happy that, one, you're here. You have a box of gifts. Do you want to give it to us now or do you want to give it to us after? I don't know what it is. Oh, it would be on the, hi, it would be on the air. Look, you could see my pants.

No, your pants are awesome. I wear happy pants. I lead worship at a school. And so there's 18 months to eighth grade kids that I lead worship with. And I always wear my happy pants for them. Mostly the middle schooler could care less, but the little ones like my pants. And we're like your little ones.

We act like that. That's our whole situation here. Did you get to all your questions? Oh, I could do this for two hours. Oh, well, I can, we could fire them. I'll keep in 10 words less. Did you ever, like way back in the day talk about doing Dancing with the Stars?

Oh, my. Yes. Yeah, they never, they wasn't ever. But did they not approach, they approach you or no? No. They never approached you about it? No. I went out there a few times too, so to support people and they still never called.

See, okay, I'd like to say. Maybe they saw my TikTok. It hasn't been up long enough. I think you would be excellent for the show. Oh, I love it. Would you do it now? Oh, yeah. It would be fun.

Okay. I mean, I know people. So I'll just send out a text and be like, hey, because they do look for different areas, right? They look for somebody in country music every other year. They do look for like an athlete. And I'll just be like, hey, keep Jody Messina in mind. If you wouldn't mind me doing that, I don't want to do that. Oh, go for it.

I don't want to do that. Go for it. It would be fun. I'd have to be like, boycott Jody. I don't even have a response to that. Okay, good. The boycott thing. I thought I'd have a quick comeback. The album just says out this summer.

I don't know what that means. Any date yet? Yeah. Do you just want to wait? Yeah. Sarah, what do you think? You don't have to say it now. You can tell you.

Sarah's like the master's like the master's. mind behind all the marketing. I just heard wait, they're close to confirming because I don't say yet. Oh, okay. I heard it in my ear. Oh, yeah. There is something in the works there. Do you play any of the new shows live?

Now that it's out, we're going to do the whole song. That's awesome. But people were so frustrated because I would just do the little bit of the chorus and then the hook and then would end it. And they're like, no. They've never heard the whole thing until you're a show. Amy, any question for Jody before she goes? Yeah, well, you're, you're, you're.

energy. Like, where does that come from? Yeah, how do you do it? Gratitude, I think. Oh, yeah. Okay. So it's just pure, like, uh, like it's joy. It's not, there's a happiness, joy, content. Like, would you describe yourself as content? I, somebody said, why is it taking 10 years? And I was like, well, I don't know. I've just kind of been content, you know, I'm happy. So when I say I'm happy to be here, I'm happy to be here at the Bobby Bones show. Um, and happy to be here. You know, well, there is just different energy. about you. Sometimes people come in and they're happy and it feels a little manufactured or just

like they're putting it on and like you're just like, I mean, I feel the energy. That's, that's Jesus. That joy, that joy that comes from within is not like, oh, he makes me so happy because he gave me a new car. I don't have a new car. I bought it used. It's five years ago. But it isn't that. It's not happy. Happiness is depending on your situation. It's joy where, and perspective, too, just grateful and grateful. I get to sit here with you. I'm like, that's a gift. That it really is.

And you know that I love you and I see you maybe once every couple years. And it's, so this moment is awesome. It's weird that you say that because you're right. That's absolutely right. But social media allows you to feel like you're closer to somebody because we know each other, but I see all this stuff that you're doing.

So I don't feel like it's been a couple years, but you're right. I think since we've hugged each other, it's been a couple years. Yeah. But I do like keep up. so it doesn't feel like we're so disconnected. And I also feel like I could just message you and be like, hey, what up?

Yeah. Yeah. I said Bobby message. That's not weird. That's because we know each other. Well, yeah. I like to think so because there are moments where I just reach out or I think when you announced, when you guys made your announcement, I was like, hang on, brother.

You're where else about to change? My wife getting pregnant? Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Because let me tell you, there's a part of your heart. You love your wife and you think you know what love feels like, but there's a part of your heart that you don't even know exists until that child comes,

and then you're like, what is this? Where did this come from? You know? And so I'm so excited for you. Because you're such a good guy. Well, I appreciate you saying that. Thank you very much. You're the best.

We love having you in. We can't wait for the album. And everybody check out, stream the new song, Some Bridges. She's going to play it in her live shows. And again, I looked at your tour schedule. You have so many shows. go to Jody Messina.com. Shows all the way up until October.

Oh yeah. Follow me on social. You'll get to see my dance. At Jody Mascena. Jody, great to see you. Thank you so much. There's yeah. Jody Mascena, everybody.

A win is a win. A win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL

draft. And we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice. podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice Podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get

your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist, they take matters into their own hands. I vowed, I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that, trust your girlfriends.

Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Vodam. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot.

But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot in luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice in so much, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Alespian. Michael Mancini.

My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.