Touring with just three of her musicians, Messina will perform scaled-down versions of her No. 1 singles, favorite covers and songs she's written but not yet recorded. The intimate setting will allow fans to interact with Messina, who will answer questions, take requests and talk about some of the stories behind her songs.

"Taking requests -- especially for new material -- and answering questions from the audience makes it a blast, because literally every show is different," Messina said. "I never know what people are going to say, but that's part of what makes it so much fun."

Messina is an award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist who's had nine No. 1 singles. She's been honored by The Country Music Association, The Academy of Country Music and The Grammy Awards and was the first female country artist to score three multiple-week No. 1 songs from the same album.

Jerry Flowers, who co-produced Messina's Unmistakable album, called her the best vocalist he's ever worked with.

" No matter what you ask her to do, she can do it, and do it better than what you wanted," Flowers said. "She sings from her heart and it's just amazing every single time."

Born in Holliston, Mass., Messina was first attracted to country music after hearing the recordings of Alabama and Hank Williams Jr.

"What I love about country music is you can relate to it," Messina said. "It's real, it's about life."

She began appearing in local plays and musicals at the age of 6, and by age 16 she had a band that played gigs throughout the northeastern United States.

Three years later, the 19-year-old loaded a car and headed to Nashville, where she entered talent contests and got a regular gig on Nashville's "Live at Libby's" radio show.

Producer Byron Gallimore heard her and introduced her to another struggling newcomer named Tim McGraw. Messina was signed, then dropped, by one major label before landing a record deal with Curb Records.

Her album, "I'm Alright," included back-to-back-to-back chart-toppers "Bye Bye" (ASCAP's Song of the Year), "I'm Alright" and "Stand Beside Me."

Messina won the ACM's Top New Female Vocalist award, the CMA Horizon award and the nod for Most Played Country Female of 1999 from Billboard. The Burn album entered the Country Albums chart at No. 1, went platinum and earned two Grammy nominations.

Messina acknowledges it was a heady experience.

"All of a sudden we started having huge hits, and suddenly I was surrounded by people who were telling me, 'You need to do this,' and, 'Your hair needs to look like this,'" Messina said. "I followed their advice, and I think I kind of alienated fans who didn't recognize me anymore."

It took a few years, Messina said, but eventually she went back to being herself.

"That's when I figured out it's not worth selling out who you are just to be in the music business," she said.

(Nov. 6, 2009)