When soul meets story, we're reminded that music is more than melody—it's a heartbeat. That's precisely what Jo Lynn Diggs Massey embodies as she takes us through her poignant tale of transformation from gospel roots to R&B sensation, and beyond. With the wisdom of her mentors, Ricky Strickland and Jack McCraven, echoing in her harmonies, Jo Lynn opens up about the interlude of motherhood that paused her music career, only to set the stage for a resonant comeback. Her narrative weaves the delicate fibers of personal sacrifice with the unyielding thread of artistic passion, showing us that sometimes, stepping away from the spotlight leads to the most luminous returns.
As Jo Lynn's lyrical life unfolds, we discover how adversity can be the prelude to advocacy. Her creation of My Truth and Mahogany Roots—nonprofits that emerged from the dissonance of a challenging marriage and the shared silence of a global crisis—sing a song of empowerment and community solidarity. The upcoming empowerment brunch promises to be a symphony of support, blending the restorative powers of music with the raw honesty of personal stories. Join us as we harmonize the chords of struggle with the melodies of triumph, all through the powerful testimony of a woman who's turned life’s staccato moments into a sweeping sonata of love, music, and purpose.
If your in the music industry- singer, songwriter, composer, indie, neo singer, rapper, country artist, promoter, manager, music lawyer or blues please email me to be a guest on my show at myguest@spit2dabeat.com I would love to hear your Spit about the Music Industry.
When soul meets story, we're reminded that music is more than melody—it's a heartbeat. That's precisely what Jo Lynn Diggs Massey embodies as she takes us through her poignant tale of transformation from gospel roots to R&B sensation, and beyond. With the wisdom of her mentors, Ricky Strickland and Jack McCraven, echoing in her harmonies, Jo Lynn opens up about the interlude of motherhood that paused her music career, only to set the stage for a resonant comeback. Her narrative weaves the delicate fibers of personal sacrifice with the unyielding thread of artistic passion, showing us that sometimes, stepping away from the spotlight leads to the most luminous returns.
As Jo Lynn's lyrical life unfolds, we discover how adversity can be the prelude to advocacy. Her creation of My Truth and Mahogany Roots—nonprofits that emerged from the dissonance of a challenging marriage and the shared silence of a global crisis—sing a song of empowerment and community solidarity. The upcoming empowerment brunch promises to be a symphony of support, blending the restorative powers of music with the raw honesty of personal stories. Join us as we harmonize the chords of struggle with the melodies of triumph, all through the powerful testimony of a woman who's turned life’s staccato moments into a sweeping sonata of love, music, and purpose.
If your in the music industry- singer, songwriter, composer, indie, neo singer, rapper, country artist, promoter, manager, music lawyer or blues please email me to be a guest on my show at myguest@spit2dabeat.com I would love to hear your Spit about the Music Industry.
and welcome to spit to the beat podcast. I'm your host. They say KB on stop over per year. Definitely, we are live in the studio. Go to my Facebook page that Stacy be on stop over per year and Stacy spit to the beat per your log in so you can catch this show right now. We are live and full effect in the studio. Also on my YouTube channel at spit, the number 2 DAB. At log in, make sure you subscribe, like and hit that notification bell so we can definitely keep up with all my new and latest episode of spit to the beat podcast. Today I am joined live in the studio with a very, very special lady who I have grown up myself to watch, but she's has been so amazing in her singing career and she's back now and now she's in the studio with me and joining me and we're gonna talk a little bit. Look candy conversation. Gonna have a good time, reminisce and see what is happening now in 2024. So joining me in the studio today is my guest, jolene digs messy. How you doing.
Speaker 3:I am well, I have no complaints. All is well all as well.
Speaker 1:Yes, tell my audience that may not know you. You know generation, I guess behind us a little bit about yourself and where you are now my name is Jolene digs Jolene digs messy.
Speaker 3:I've been in the music industry field for over 30 years and I am definitely an old-school singer old-school is just in my blood. It was just me being raised old-school from my parents, my mother, my father. They were music music beings as well. My father played the bass, my mother was a singer, so music is my background. It's in my DNA come from a family that my grandfather was a preacher, we had our own family choir and all that, so I've been around music all my life yeah it was gospel where my roots come from.
Speaker 3:Since I can remember the age of five, my mom said I at the age of five, I was always. I was singing around the house. So she entered me into beauty contests and competitions as far as singing. So since the age of five it's been me singing wow and I have the background as well with my mom.
Speaker 3:She was in an ensemble group and as well a choir, and when I was about seven, if you know, if you're familiar of many, maybe many may be familiar with the Oris Mays. Yeah, yeah. I was the little girl that was on the side of the stage singing with my mom's choir at the Oris Mays show, so that's how far my roots are yeah with singing gospel. It was just a few years after I turned 21 I met Ricky Strickland does.
Speaker 1:Is this the touch of little RB where it came into effect?
Speaker 3:that's the touch of little RB where it came into effect. And when I tell you I was like Diana Ross on I was so scared. Why? Yeah, yeah, because club is totally different from church. Yeah, you know, it's a whole, total different scene. So my first endeavor with singing in a club was with Ricky Strickland and I been in Jack and McCraven I can't leave out Jack McCraven because I even in ivory, yeah, yeah, where those days when I started there and they saw me that what I couldn't see in myself so gave me an opportunity to spread out, spread my wings. You know I never did any of my own, I've always done cover shots, so cover songs, but hopefully in the future we never know what may come about.
Speaker 1:So right, I mean you full of music from since age one, even to now. So it's, it's not nothing new, you know I'm saying, but definitely you had took a hyenas on us. You disappeared a little bit and I think, everybody was wondering what happened, so what?
Speaker 3:did happen. Actually, don't mind talking no problem at all. No problem, this is just my truth and it's just my life. Yeah, I took a hiatus because I had my son. My son is now nine years old, so it was within ten years that I did no singing at all in the club scene because I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss anything with my son. I do have four children, and my oldest being 36 and my youngest being nine.
Speaker 3:So, with the 36 and other two children that I am, I have four now okay but with the other three I missed out on so much because I was working two jobs and then as well singing and traveling on the roads, going out to different places and stuff. But with him I felt like God gave me another chance because I'm 54 now. I had him when I was 45 okay so I felt like God gave me another chance to oh make sure I was doing right by by my son. So that that's the reason of the nine-year hiatus okay.
Speaker 1:So now that you're back, what's the direction that you're taking now? Your new approach? I would say back into the music scene.
Speaker 3:I'm kind of easing back in.
Speaker 1:Now I'm just at church, but I do, Because before then before you disappeared on us, I mean, you were singing all over the city on stages and stuff like that, in different arenas and everything. So now that you're coming back so you said you're going to ease on into it- I'm easing back into it. Right now.
Speaker 3:I'm just doing private settings like private parties or birthday parties, weddings, and I just every weekend there's not a Saturday that doesn't go by that I'm possibly doing a funeral. So but with the, with the club scene, I'm easing back into that. It's been hard, it's been hard. Yeah, because Memphis crowd could be something else when they haven't seen you in a while they were like but we we're still.
Speaker 1:We are so receptive to people. You know there's this sort of hospitality. It is, and we and we've you know not to say anything to forgive you for, but we do forgive very easily and set our own back. So I don't see you having that problem.
Speaker 3:Well, I'm excited. I'm excited. Now, I do have people that follow me and they genuinely love me, love me for being me, you know, and I can only be myself, right? I can't be anybody else. I can't. I can't take on the place of anybody else, because that means that I wouldn't be being true to myself. So what I have is what I have to offer and as I'm strictly R and B, you know, I'm old school, old school to the bone, so and I'm not saying the new school is not where it's at, you know so hopefully some doors were open. I do have some people that were there's talking to me about writing songs. That's in Memphis, so hopefully we can get that started and we can try to see what things go from there.
Speaker 1:OK, OK. So we may have some projects in the works. We may have some projects for 2024.
Speaker 3:For 2024. There's some grand possibilities that's going to come about. I can say that OK.
Speaker 1:I'll take a short break. We'll come back. We'll talk a little bit more about the music. Ok, cool.
Speaker 2:You're listening to Spit, to the Beat Podcast with your host, the one, the only Stacey B, unstoppable Per Year.
Speaker 1:Hey, this is Stacey, aka the Unstoppable Per Year with Spit to the Beat Podcast. Would you like to be my guest? If you're a single songwriter, musician, producer or promoter, give me a call at 901-341-6777 or email me at myguestatspit2thebeatcom. And we're back to Spit to the Beat Podcast. I'm your host, stacey, aka the Unstoppable Per Year, and join me live in the studio. My very special guest, ms. Can I just say JoLynn, you sure can. Ok, that's me. I know that's all the way I use the college.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's my name. That's been my stage name. That's just been me all around.
Speaker 1:Yeah, jolynn is fine, jolynn, all right. Lou, we left out of you was talking about you easing your way back into music and everything. So now, what is your main approach, what you're going to do? Are you going to come out for us now, since we're in like two months, three months into the year?
Speaker 3:I'm sliding in. I have a few engagements that are scheduled for me to perform at Oneis being at the Hiderway and right there off of Brooks Road, down the street from Classic Kids.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 3:I will as well be at Classic Kids opening up for a few Memphis artists as well In upcoming dates. On that, yes, hiderway is going to be this month on the 10th and Classic Kids is going to be this month, that's the Saturday. Yes Wow.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:Not the 10th, the 16th, 16th. The 16th, yes, and I will be at Classic Kids on the 13th, just on a Sunday, if I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 1:Is this something regular or just a couple spots?
Speaker 3:for right now Just a couple spots for right now I don't want to be overbearing, so I'm kind of slowly easing myself back in. Back then I had no choice, but now I have a choice to choose.
Speaker 1:Since they know that you are back, they've been welcoming you all over. Now they just when you going to come, when you going to come.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, I have quite a few that DM in and ask me when am I going to be back out? So I try to be attentive towards that. For the ones that are still with me and following me, I appreciate it so much and you just don't know. I'm grateful Because people don't have to be kind and people don't have to love on you, but I'm grateful for all the love that I do receive.
Speaker 1:So Great, I know you just said earlier you was talking about old school. Your old school, yes. R&b, who was something you were influenced Music, oh my God.
Speaker 3:I have a plethora of so many influences Gladys Knight, rita Franklin, tina.
Speaker 3:Turner James I mean not James, it's just so many of them, I don't have just one in particular. Whitney Houston is my by far favorite, though yes, I just love music period. I love country music, music All together. I do, really I do. I listen to a little country. Ok, all around, just music period, because music is a healing mechanism and you find peace in some music. So that's been my, my go-to when I've been at a point where I probably hadn't don't feel well or it's always something that I could put on, whether it be gospel, r&b, country, blues or whatever. It's always something to be found in music that can heal. Yeah, I'll find that to be a blessing from God.
Speaker 3:Okay, if you have that, you know that in you to create something that's from truly from you, from your soul, because what's from the soul reaches the soul, yeah, so I'm a firm believer of that. So Sometimes music is meant to be just that for you, that healing process, going through that healing process.
Speaker 1:I mean, you have been through some stuff in your life Not so long ago, recently, and the music help you get through.
Speaker 3:It did it, it has and he is yes. It's still going, it's still going.
Speaker 1:Awesome, let's talk. Have you had any memorable moments? I'm talking about the time before you stopped singing On stage or anything, or interacting with any other artists.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, there are a few artists that we open up for, but this one particular one that I am reminded of daily, we open up for a willy hutch, okay, and I actually had a chance to sit on the couch and speak with with the hutch I'll talk about. Oh, my goodness, when I, in my mind's eye, I was just really picturing really hush, to be this guy that Pretty much like on the movies, you know, like on the the movies that he had his music going towards, I mean just that pimped out type, he was gonna come in and he was gonna look like a real cat daddy. But what the my surprise? He was just a regular human being. He came in Kind of, you know, short man, kind of heavy, sit here, look afro, and was very soft-spoken, you know. So, um, I asked him at that time.
Speaker 3:I had some albums Savino albums that I needed him to sign for me. I asked him what. He autographed them for me and he did. He autographed them for me and we said we had a conversation. He said he had a home in New Orleans.
Speaker 1:So he was real down down to our because you know how you run to some of these stars and and they don't want to be. Maybe D was like yeah, male and female.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, most definitely. But he sat down on the couch with me and we just said the conversation. He was saying that because of young people, which brought the mech back out, you know. So that's that's what made his a royal Be paid for him. So he was saying I finally ever work another job. Y'all made it possible for me to be able to sit at home on my couch because he got those royalty chicks coming in the mail From us listening to the mech.
Speaker 3:And he was just saying how grateful he was and and that was just a memorable moment for me because he took that time out for a little On me. To have a conversation with me was an educational it very much was. It was something that I'll take with me forever, you know so I I've learned through that that even though sometimes, when you get so big, you still have to be in, as In that place where you're yet a human, you know. So that was, uh, outstanding for me. I'm forever grateful for that one.
Speaker 1:Good yeah, that's very memorable. Let's talk a little bit. Uh, you was tell we was talking before we started the show. Uh, you was talking about doing a where you have started a nonprofit. Yes, tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 3:Well, my nonprofit is and I have a couple of businesses that's getting ready to.
Speaker 1:Okay, just go right on the ground. Tell us all about it. We miss you for nine years.
Speaker 3:Yes, I had a plan, yeah, so uh, uh, with taking care of my son, and then the pandemic had. The pandemic came about, true, and we all had to Get into that place to where we had to find something that was you know, because doing that time seeing was kind of shut off and that you needed. Um, by way of social media, and, and God gave me the vision of my truth and mahogany roots, and with that can I show my cup?
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, let's let's put it on the screen when. Where would I. Right here.
Speaker 3:Okay, this is the cup that I am. My roots is actually the nonprofit and that's Because of the people when I went through a very traumatic, um circumstance with my, my marriage, and now it's been like three years and I was at a point to where I felt like I just wasn't going to be able to see today and with the people that was In my circle, my friends that were in my circle, being male or female, that encouraged me on a daily basis because I really felt like I just I felt like I had gotten it right this time, you know, but me being that person that felt like I got right, but he didn't have the same thing, that we went on the same page, so it was very detrimental to me. When I lost that, it was sort of like a loss, uh, and I took that very hard. Um, I had people to pour into me, to encourage me, to call me on daily basis, give me at the house to. So that's where my hook, my hoagony roots comes from. Is. This is just an empowerment, non-organization, nonprofit organization.
Speaker 1:So now only you started, but it has empowered you as well.
Speaker 3:It has it has, and when I began to share on my social media page, I came up with my truth. This is the my truth, the my truth. So, as you see, the logo is as the woman with the roots and the leaves. That's powerful. So, as a tree, every day I step out my door. God gave me trees. Your trees can be your blessing. You have to connect with with nature.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the roots are the people that I've been connected with, being that is, from my family, my friends, enemies, frenemies. Those are the roots, but the positive parts of those, those roots are the people that encourage you to make it and go on a little bit further. Yeah, so my truth is going to be a journal book and that journal book is going to be able to have you to write anything that you feel like is your truth. Okay, for you to make it on a day-to-day basis. That's how it made me, that's how I got to the point to where I am now today, because if you had a got me a last year or two years ago, you wouldn't have got the same jollien. So I'm no longer here, I'm a new being. Yeah, you know, like the fire said the redeemer, he has redeemed me. So I feel like it's now my time to be able to tell my truth, whether be good or bad, because that's a part of me, yeah, so, and I've always been honest about me.
Speaker 1:That's amazing, truly amazing, what you got going on with your nonprofit. Thank you and how's going to empower now? I already empower you, but you gonna empower other women, yes, no, that may have experienced no setbacks and tragedies and stuff like that, where it been marriage or Loss of family members, stuff like that and they did impact, so the music gonna play a part with it as well. That's what we talked about here. It will, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yes so so I mean, I don't know how you, how you make that transition up, incorporate that with it. How would you do that?
Speaker 3:Well, my vision with my empowerment Brunch. It's gonna be an empowerment brunch that I'm gonna do and I'm gonna have a few artists to come in, okay, and as well as speakers that may have been through the same circumstance or Came through, going through or came through same circumstances. They'll be able to speak with the men and women that are going through. You know certain situations where they feel like they can't go on or couldn't go on, so music will be a part of that as well. I'm not sure who my lineup would be, but it would be coming soon. It would be coming soon, but I know most definitely this year we're gonna be able to do the branch. So I'm working on my team as far as getting everything set up and they're planning date.
Speaker 3:So far I haven't said a date yet, but I'm shooting for when it gets warm, possibly the summertime. So the brunch is gonna be actually a gift from me back to them. Oh, so yes, okay, cool.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna take another short break and gonna come right back and talk a little bit more about what's keeping you inspired. Okay, so, after coming back, after nine years Disappearing on us.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to spit to the beat podcast. Want to know how you can help Be a sponsor by going to our website at wwwspit to the beat podcast. Come and click the support tab. You can also join us each and every week, live at youtube and speed to the beat. Don't forget to subscribe, like and follow. Thank you for your support.
Speaker 1:And we're back to spit to the beat podcast. I'm your host they say k beyond stoppable prayer and joining me live in the studio, my very special guest, miss joe, lean in the building with me one on one. We just talking and the conversation is is so awesome, so so powerful. Let's talk about what is your motivation now. Wow, love, okay.
Speaker 3:I still love, love. Yeah, love is a wonderful thing for you know, whether it be relationship wise, family wise, I just believe in love itself. You know uh.
Speaker 1:Did that. Was it in a moment During your time of transition, before in between then coming back, that you felt you lost love? I did.
Speaker 3:I did talk about with love and relationship and music wise as well, yeah, yeah. So, um, that kind of hurt that I experienced, I wouldn't, I wouldn't want anyone, to you know, go through that, but it's something that we all have to, you know. Um, there was a point where I felt like I had given up.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:And it was for my. It was the reason that I was motivated not to give up because of my son, and he told me that he needed me more than anyone else needed me. Wow, so, him being at the age he was. That's why I said I know that it was nobody but God that sent him in my life. That's why I had to take that break to make sure that I, you know, loved on him and he was helping me as well as I was helping him.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he seen me in some sometimes where I was very dark times, you know, and every time I would get it to that point, he'd be like mama, you all right, he'll come and check on me, mama, you good, you okay. Mm-hmm Will pray for me, yes, will lay his hands on me and will pray for me. Okay, and will be life to me, okay, as a child. So from the mouths of babes. It's God was saying yeah, yeah, he used them for particular reasons as well. So, he basically saved my life.
Speaker 1:So really, really. Yes, yes, that's a testimony within itself. Have you had a chance to tell someone about that testimony, or you? I haven't.
Speaker 2:I haven't.
Speaker 1:But I'm sure it's coming, baby. It's coming Because someone needs to hear it. They do, yeah, they do. Will they hear it through your nonprofit as well? They will, okay, so I'm going to see how it's all teething up now, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great. That's great. Let's talk about a little bit of your involvement with music. You've been involved in music for over 30 years, plus coming back singing. Yes, you come. I feel that you're coming back with a more deeper you know that's going to resonate with the audience that's listening to you now with your music. Yeah, I feel that you're going to put all that into your songs. Now, how do you feel that you have evolved with your singing now, or you still coming in?
Speaker 3:I feel like this point in time of my life there has been so much to go on, so I see things with brand-wise. I no longer see the glasses half empty. It's full to me. It's half full to me. So, with that being said, I want to use my life experiences to help the next person. My encouragement through other women and men that may have gone through this, their stories of helping someone else or being so true with themselves that you know, sometimes we try to hide things, right, because we don't want people to know exactly what it is that you're going through. But that's a part of life, you know. And if you don't share those things to let people know that you had a testimony, your test was your testimony, if you don't let people know that you're testimony because your testimony is for a person, for a reason, to help that person through life. So just life experience, life experiences, and I think that's the best teacher there is. It is, it is.
Speaker 1:What do you enjoy most about? I know when you was performing before again I say before then and now performing live, do you?
Speaker 3:miss it. Oh wow, Live music is everything for me. It gives you a chance to uniquely be yourself.
Speaker 1:Do you connect with the audience as well? Yes, through your life.
Speaker 3:Yes, one of the main reasons why I love now my favorite spot was, as far as entertaining people was Memphis Islands, because it was so intimate and they were so close upon us. King Ellis and I, we just got the living room and in the living room, you know at home, when you're in the living room, you're just comfortable being yourself. So, with that being said, every weekend, every weekend that people came, we had people coming so far out, you know, just to hear us sing live. But that experience of being in a live setting with people that connect with you and you're able to sing something, and somebody could come up to you at the end of the show and say, yeah, what church you go to? Do? You go to church Because we feel nothing but church in it, so just to be able to give something to somebody to help them release that pain or whatever they were dealing with at that moment, to be able to release it and enjoy and enjoy life to the fullest during that moment. So live music to me is just that.
Speaker 3:It gives you that, that um to feel like you could make it a little bit further and you build that connection. You build that connection so it's more like family to me. It's more like family to me so I like uh you feel right at home.
Speaker 3:Yes, I feel at home. That's just. And then, especially during that time when I was working a lot, that was my, my, my moment to release all that I was going through. So it was like a release moment for me. So, uh, it's been times that I've been on stage and I've been completely winning tears because, you know, I felt some kind of way, and then this music that I was singing resonates on what I was experiencing. So to release, it was everything for me. Yeah, um, it's been a grand teacher for me. I love live music. There's nothing like live music. Good, good good.
Speaker 1:Two other questions. What's JoLynn Go for 2024? Oh wow.
Speaker 3:To get the business up now, because I'm doing the nonprofit and then I'm doing the journalist books. I hope to write a book as well and I want to. I'm opening up a t-shirt company as well. I do have a business that's on board with me. There's a lot of things that I'm trying to put my hands in. I'm stirring the pot. There you go. I'm allowing God to give me my visions and let me see my visions prominent, Cause everybody's not gonna see your vision and they're not gonna agree with your visions. But as long as you are in agreement with what he gives you. But now, with that test, he ain't gonna make sure you go through the test to see if that's what you really want to do, Right? So I'm prepared for that test. If I fail, I fail about. I can at least say that I tried.
Speaker 1:And that's all he asks about. That's all he asks this walk by faith, walk by faith, and now by sight.
Speaker 3:That's it, and I'm with you. Yes, you know what I'm saying. Yes, I see it's live and living color right here. This is wonderful. I think this is a wonderful thing that you're doing.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate that and I put my heart into it Cause I want to bring up. My goal is to definitely to make this a platform for artists Whether they're entertainers, actors, actors, single song writers and stuff like that when they can come and tell their story and also get them exposure as well as I get exposure to, and we build a relationship, longterm relationship. So this definitely what the whole speed to the beat podcast is all about.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:A platform for single song writers, producers and stuff like that. So definitely appreciate that. Now, hey, where can people find you? Where are you listed again, where they can book you and all that stuff? Are you ready for that, or?
Speaker 3:what, like I said, I'm slowly sliding into it. I do have a page that's set up if you would like to book me Jolene Deeg song Songstress Diva Social media and Jolene Deeg's Massey. Both are on Facebook, one is Instagram and one is Facebook. So, however you can find me, if I'm available and I am Able to you know, give it to you and talk to you about doing something here in Memphis. It'll be greatly appreciated. Most definitely, most definitely.
Speaker 1:All right, folks. There you have it. Miss Jolene in the studio with me live in full effect. Hey, awesome, Awesome. Thank you for having me. Thank you for being on Spirit to the Beep podcast. Stay with me as I wrap up the show.
Speaker 3:Okay, okay, hey.
Speaker 1:We did. Oh, Thank you for watching spit to the beat podcast. Catch us again next week for another live episode of spit to the beat podcast.