Jo Dee Messina’s Mom Knew She Would Be a Star Very Early

Jo Dee Messina was a working musician long before she became a country star. In fact, she was so busy playing gigs as a teenager that she sometimes missed school… and her mom was okay with it.

I recently spoke with the ’90s country star on Taste of Country Nights, and we got to talking about her middle and high school years.

Messina told me she never went to prom, homecoming or even a high school football game because she was too busy working.

Jo Dee Messina’s Mom Would Let Her Skip Middle School for a Surprising Reason

Messina was just 13 or 14 when she was already making regular trips to play music. She told me she would travel about an hour and 10 minutes each way for a Tuesday and Thursday night gig.

brown wooden table and chairs

The shows could run late, and getting home wasn’t always easy. Messina said, “They always kept the kid… me, ’till the end because people would want to stay. They’re curious. They want to see the kids sing.”

She explained how her mom would drive her both ways to these gigs, but “She had to get up at five every day, so she would let me sleep in, and if I made it to school, I did. And if I didn’t, I didn’t,” she said.

It’s not exactly the usual way a kid gets through middle school, but Messina was already putting in the hours as a performer. People around her — including her mom — saw a bright future for her that didn’t necessarily take her through the schooling route.

Read More: Jo Dee Messina Steps In to Defend Stella Lefty Amid Online Criticism

Jo Dee Messina Missed Her Prom and Homecoming

Messina recently got a reminder of just how different her teenage years were when her own son went to homecoming.

“My son just went to homecoming,” she told me. “I told him that I never went to a prom or a homecoming or a dance or football game. And he’s like, ‘Really?’ I was like, ‘I was working every weekend.'”

Those long nights and early starts eventually paid off. She went on to become one of the biggest country stars of the 90s, with hits including “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” “I’m Alright” and “Bye Bye.”