Country Music Association Nomination Crowns Release Day for BURN

Nashville - 08/01/00: Being a Female Vocalist of the Year nominee is getting to be a habit with Holliston, Massachusetts's solid-platinum redhead Jo Dee Messina. So on the heels of a wildly successful CMT "All Access" live concert special and the largest radio special ever emanating out of Nashville with 750 stations around the world participating in the world premiere of BURN last night, Jo Dee Messina received her second consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year nomination -- putting her in the company of Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Lee Ann Womack and Trisha Yearwood.

Follow up:

"I have been blessed in so many ways," said Messina of the nomination. "I am thrilled to be included in a category with so many talented voices."

"I'm honored that my peers have nominated me for this award," said the young woman who is the reigning CMA Horizon Award winner and last year's Academy of Country Music Top New Female Vocalist. "I never think of myself like that, so it's something that I would never take for granted."

Messina enjoyed her second Top Female Vocalist of the Year nomination at this spring's Academy of Country Music Awards, the same organization that nominated I'm Alright for Album of the Year. Given that BURN is just being released today, her new project is ineligible for nominations in this CMA Awards' cycle.

Selling over two million copies of her second Curb release I'm Alright, Messina was Billboard's Most Played Country Female last year -- based largely on the strength of placing four songs in the year end Top 10s for the last two years: 1998's #2 "I'm Alright," 1999's #3 "Lesson In Leavin'," 1998's #4 "Bye, Bye" and 1999's #7 "Stand Beside Me." In addition, Messina became the first woman to have three consecutive multiple week #1s on the Billboard's Country Singles chart -- and her I'm Alright spent over 4 months at #1 on their Country Catalogue Album Sales chart.

"That's The Way," BURN's first single, is currently #5 with a bullet -- and shows every indication of being the fiery vocalist's fastest moving record yet. Written by Holly Lamar ("Breathe") and Annie Roboff ("This Kiss"), the song was inspired by the two writers discussing Messina's uncanny ability to bounce back no matter what the circumstances may be.

BURN also features "Bring On The Rain," Messina's first-ever vocal collaboration with co-producer and dear friend Tim McGraw. Calling into last night's live radio broadcast from backstage at his Soul2Soul tour with wife Faith Hill, McGraw described the moment's allure, "It's a very earthy, soulful song…the kind Jo Dee does so well."

Look for Messina at this year's Country Music Association Awards telecast, live October 4th, on CBS -- and look for a major concert announcement coming soon.