Concert News

Jo Dee Messina Relates Her Personal Battle with “Bigger Than This”

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When Jo Dee Messina first received the diagnosis of having cancer last September she kept her personal battle mostly private. The 47-year-old singer’s team did reach out to her fans on social media to let them know what was happening and how she was doing, but it wasn’t until recently that she shared the struggles with the disease and with her latest single “Bigger Than This,” Messina paints a picture of what she has been going through.

In the song, Messina talks about the all of the things that were going on for her personally, legally and financially during the time. The lyrics like “With all the chaos and confusion/I can hardly breathe” are easy to relate with for anyone that has ever gone through a rough time in their life.

In a recent interview with Joy Summers and CJ Lusk of the Way-FM in Nashville, Messina states there was a point when she knew her faith was being tested.

“I had to wrestle with that and say, ‘I am OK with whatever. Because you know best, Father,'” Messina said.  “I know there was a day … when it just came tumbling in,” she confessed. “I think it was prior to surgery when insurance had lapsed. And my tithing check bounced. Yes, people, my tithing check bounced!”

When Messina was still in some of her darkest days she wrote “Bigger Than This” with Seth Mosley. She shared on her website about the inspiration for the song – “My heart was really moved, not to focus on the chaos of life, but the bigness of God. At that point and from that point of praise and worship came this song.”

She performed the song for the first time earlier this month on the Trinity Broadcasting Network’s (TBN) Huckabee show (watch the video below). You can download “Bigger Than This” on her website.

Messina, a Massachusetts native, first hit the country music radar with “Heads Carolina, Tails California” in 1996. She had three Billboard country Number Ones in a row in 1998 with “Bye, Bye,” “I’m Alright” and “Stand Beside Me.” She continued success in the 2000’s with “My Give a Damn’s Busted” in 2005. Her last album was 2014’s Me.

Jo Dee Messina will be performing on Saturday, April 28 at Dusty Armadillo in Rootstown. Doors open at 7pm and Messina will take the stage at 10pm. The show is Sold Out.

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