Tony Scott: 0:21

Welcome to The Jay Franze Show, a behind-the-curtain look at the entertainment industry, with insights you can't pay for and stories you've never heard. Now here's your host, Jay Franze.

Jay Franze: 0:49

Well, hello, hello, hello and welcome to the show. I am Jay Franze and this is your Backstage Pass to the Music Industry. This week, we get to talk with a country music recording artist. We get to talk with Billie Jo Jones. We'll talk to her about the impact that her grandparents had on her career, what it feels like to have two back-to-back number one hits, and we'll discuss some of the challenges that she's faced along the way. Now, billie, she is not only an amazing singer, but she's an amazing person, and I can't wait to talk with her tonight. So if you would like to join in, comment or fire off any questions, please head over to jayfranze. com. Now let's get started. Well, why don't we just dive in? Can you tell me the impact that your grandparents have had on your career?

Billie Jo Jones: 1:39

Yeah, I was actually raised by my grandparents since I was one, dive in. Can you tell me the impact that your grandparents have had on your career? Yeah, I was actually raised by my grandparents since I was one, and so I grew up listening to what I call the oldies but goodies. So I grew up listening to Ray Price, george Jones, loretta Lynn, patsy Cline, tammy Wynette all the greats. My grandparents raised me because my dad was a truck driver and he knew the best thing was, you know, for my grandparents to raise me, and my mom was, and still is, a drug addict to this day and I've seen her twice my whole life. So I thank God for my grandparents. So they've been a very, very big, important role in my life and in my musical career and drove me hundreds and hundreds of miles across Texas performing everywhere, growing up, and they still come and support me. They're 89 and 86 years old now and you'll still see them at some of my shows. So that's insane, yeah.

Jay Franze: 2:28

Is it your mother's parents or your father's parents?

Billie Jo Jones: 2:31

My father's parents.

Jay Franze: 2:32

So your father's parents, yeah, and you mentioned your mother. You haven't seen her too often, but your dad do you see him at all? You haven't seen her too often, but your dad do you see him at all.

Billie Jo Jones: 2:40

My dad actually passed away about eight years ago now, so unfortunately he he had some health problems and and and passed away about eight years ago.

Jay Franze: 2:49

So yeah, sorry to hear that. Was he in your life up to that point?

Billie Jo Jones: 2:54

Oh yeah, I mean, I still I didn't live with him, but I still saw him all the time and he's actually the one that taught me how to play the guitar and, you know, throw me up on stage with whatever band was playing that night that we walked into and he always said he was going to be my bus driver one day, whenever I got a bus. So he didn't get to make it there, but I know that's what he would be doing right now if he was.

Jay Franze: 3:13

So well you got to give it to him. Being a truck driver is a hard life.

Billie Jo Jones: 3:22

Oh man, he did it since he was like 15 or something. I mean, you know, back in the day when you could, you could do that back then. But he was like 15 years old, you know, starting out driving a truck and did it up until he was like 60 years old.

Jay Franze: 3:29

So that's crazy, it's crazy. Yeah, it really is. I mean it's a hard life to be on the road like that. But to leave your family and I mean hope you're doing things for the right reasons, but leaving your family like that it's gotta be tough. I mean I have three daughters of my own. I couldn't imagine going on the road for that long and it's, it's really tough. So your father bought you a guitar and he threw you up on stage with whoever was in town at the time.

Billie Jo Jones: 3:55

Oh yeah, yep, he would throw him a $20 bill and be like you know, let my daughter get up there and sing with you and I'd sing, you know, whatever song we could come up with with the. You know what the guys knew at the time, so tell me the biggest memory you have from that.

Billie Jo Jones: 4:11

Oh man, I'd probably say one of the biggest ones. We uh, there was a place called the trail dust and it had a big slide in the restaurant. I think it was in like Dallas, dallas, texas area, and there's like a big slide. Kids could go down the slide and it was a steakhouse and they'd have, you know, bands come up and and sing and there was you know chicken wire up kind of up on the stage and stuff and so they don't throw things at you.

Billie Jo Jones: 4:41

Oh yeah, and my dad, you know know, tipped the guys and then I got up there and I think I sang a Patsy Cline song, but that was. That was one of my, one of my, you know, best memories of that because, number one, that venue was just so cool and it I think it closed down, maybe about 10 years ago or so, but it was. That was like the steakhouse to go to back in the day.

Jay Franze: 4:55

So that's why it reminds me of roadhouse where you throw in beer bottles and stuff you need the chicken wire to keep the musicians from getting it, so you played Patsy Cline and so forth. Did it go over well?

Billie Jo Jones: 5:18

I knew I wanted to be a singer, you know, since I was, since I was a little girl, I grew up singing Billy Ray Cyrus to the Dixie Chicks, to Shania Twain and, you know, would sit and perform in front of my grandparents and the first stage I ever went on was actually at church when I was nine years old. So I grew up in church singing and and then went to the local operas in Texas, which is kind of like the Grand Ole Opry but way smaller in Texas, local Oprys in Texas, which is kind of like the Grand Ole Opry but way smaller in Texas. We had the Point Cotton Pig in theater back in the day, the Wiley Opry, gladewater Opry, and they had like a house band and you know, give them two or three songs and they'd learn everyone's songs for the night and had different singers come up and sing. So those were my highlights, you know, growing up, getting to perform places like that.

Jay Franze: 5:57

You got to love musicians that can do that you just here's my songs for tonight and they'll have them ready.

Billie Jo Jones: 6:02

Oh yeah, oh, I know I. It makes me, cause I'm I'm definitely a singer, like I can play the guitar, but I'm not a guitar player, like there's a difference in that, and so it. It literally amazes me that reading Nashville charts, you know, for instance, like my all, my all my guys can read Nashville, nashville charts and uh, I cannot. I never learned that, and so it's just crazy that I can throw them a song.

Jay Franze: 6:28

They never even heard it and they can play it because of what's you know on the paper and I'm like man, this is so cool, yeah, yeah, you mentioned playing at these Opry, like venues. So what did you have to do to get into the venue? And the first time you did it?

Billie Jo Jones: 6:44

So I don't know how to really explain it. So they would do like these country country shows, you know, at the Opry, and when the show was over they would have auditions. So everyone would stand in line, you know, after the show was over and the band the house band would stay there and you would tell them a song you know that you wanted to sing to audition with and I you had to get up there and sing the song, you know, after the whole show was over. It was actually pretty nerve wracking.

Billie Jo Jones: 7:10

Now that I think back on that, like how crazy is that that you go and watch a you know a show it's about a three hour show. You wait until it's over. So you wait till it's over. You stand in line, you tell the band which at that point I'd never I've only played with a couple of bands at a restaurant, bar or something Never really played with a band before and then you tell the band what you want to sing and then you have to do it. And you know you have to be able to get up there and sing with the band or you won't be able to get on the show. So that's what they did back in the day and you know what, there's really not very many operas, even left, that still do that. I know I know the Wiley Opera is still there in Wiley, texas, but other than that all the other ones have closed down.

Jay Franze: 7:47

So I kind of wish they someone would start doing that again, cause that was, that's great, and I really do think it's amazing that musicians can do it, but I think it's also great that a singer has a venue like that that they can go perform in and sit in with a band of that caliber. It really gives them that experience they need to take their career to the next level.

Billie Jo Jones: 8:15

Oh yeah, and and to, you know, gain the confidence to be able to do something like that, because I, I definitely have way more stage presence now than I did back when I was a kid, you know, doing that Like I would barely, you know, move around on stage and and now I'm totally different. But you know, it took me a little while to to grow into, you know, the performer that I, that I wanted to be, and but I do think that those, those moments really did help and shape me into the artist that I am today. So I'm thankful for this.

Jay Franze: 8:43

I can only imagine that the more you do this, the more comfortable you feel, and the more comfortable you feel, then you start to be your true self. And you take full advantage of the stage, no matter what size it is. Have you had a chance to play at some of the bigger venues across the state.

Billie Jo Jones: 9:00

I have. I actually just got to make my Green Hall debut last weekend, so, like two days ago, my band got to open for Jack Ingram there at Green Hall, and in my eyes that has been a bucket list place that I've wanted to play at since I was a little girl, and Green Hall is like the Grand Ole Opry in Texas, in my opinion that's what I compare it to. So I got to make my debut there a couple of days ago and it was absolutely incredible. So much fun. We had a packed house and had an hour set, so I got to play an hour with my band before Jack Ingram and it was packed. It was awesome.

Jay Franze: 9:35

It's a long time for an opener.

Billie Jo Jones: 9:38

It is a long time, because I mean most openers only get about what 20 to 20 minutes maybe, maybe 30 minutes, but most of the time it's 20 minutes.

Billie Jo Jones: 9:48

But yeah, I got an hour and it was nervous. No, no, I uh I wish it had been 90 minutes, like my, my favorite sets are 90 minutes to two hours. Those are that's. I feel like I'm, like, you know, just getting warmed up at 90 minutes, like I want to go two hours, um, when I'm playing. But we, uh, we cut our set down to an hour and we had such a fun time. It was so much fun.

Jay Franze: 10:07

So it's a bucket list venue. Oh yeah, so when it was over what was going through your mind.

Billie Jo Jones: 10:13

Oh man, I, I don't know Like I got off stage and was like, oh my gosh, it's over. Like I like I felt like it went by so fast, Like even though it was an hour, I felt like I just got started. And then I had, you know, a line of people at the merch table and took a ton of pictures of people in the crowd and sold a bunch of merch and made new fans and it was a lot of fun. Even had people there that literally came, you know, just to see me. Like it's Jack Ingram Everyone knows who Jack Ingram is and and they were like, uh, we love Jack, but we really came here to see you. So there's some people that followed me from, you know, Fort Worth, Texas, that came out there and it was. It was so much fun.

Jay Franze: 10:48

How does that make you feel when they do that?

Billie Jo Jones: 10:50

Oh man, it makes me. It makes me feel great because it's it's something that I've, you know, my entire life, to have moments like these. And now all of these moments are kind of finally starting to happen. So it makes me feel really good, so I love it, so I hope everyone keeps coming to shows, that's pretty cool.

Jay Franze: 11:08

Have you ever had a chance to play Billy Bob's?

Billie Jo Jones: 11:10

Oh well, my band has never played Billy Bob's. I've sang there a couple of times for a different one was like a fundraiser thing, and then I sang at the uh text country music association award show. Last year I sang the national anthem. I'm actually about to be there again singing, cause they hold the award show there at Billy Bob's and it's in a. I think it's about three weeks away and it's November 10th, sunday November 10th, and so we will be at Billy Bob's and I am up for emerging artists of the year, and then I'll also get to sing an acoustic song that night as well. So it'll be a lot of fun.

Jay Franze: 11:43

What do you think of Billy Bob's?

Billie Jo Jones: 11:45

Oh man, it's, it's my, it's my, it's on my bucket list. Like my band is going to play there one day. Like I just I have it, I have it already set in my mind. Like we're going to make it happen. Billy Bob's is is the, you know, biggest dance hall. Like it's just, it's incredible, you know, being up there on that stage and and all the legends that have you know set foot on that stage before. Like it's just, it's an incredible experience. So, my, I hope my band will get to play there one day.

Jay Franze: 12:11

So we mentioned Texas before we leave Texas, and I know you've got a career that spans beyond Texas. However, you got to sing the national anthem for the Texas Rangers. What was that like?

Billie Jo Jones: 12:23

Oh man, I uh, I mean, I love, I love sports, so, and I love baseball and Texas Rangers are definitely my team and, uh, I started singing the national anthem for them about I think it's been four years now, um, and I was saying at least once or twice a year I'll get to sing the national anthem for the Rangers, and this, the most recent time, was a few weeks ago. I got to sing for the very last home game there at Globe Life Field there in Arlington and it was sold out. There's like 37,000 people there. I got to sing the national anthem and God bless America. I'm telling you right now, I play shows every weekend, but you know any. Anywhere I sing the national anthem. And God bless America. I'm telling you right now, I play shows every weekend, but you know any. Anywhere I sing the national anthem. I don't care if there's 10 people or 37,000 people.

Billie Jo Jones: 13:06

I'm going to be the most nervous I have ever been in my entire life singing that song Number one, just because of what the song is and the meaning behind the song, and just being able to have the freedom to sing that song means everything. But then, on top of that, you have people that if you mess that song up, you are never, ever, ever gonna be able to redo that. You can't get it back. Like once it's out there, it's out there. So it's always in the back of my mind like you can't mess this song up. Like don't mess the words up, you know, stay on key. So it's a tough one and I know so many artists, huge artists, that are like no, I'm never going to sing that song. But I can see why sometimes. But I've always had it in my mind Like I want to be the artist that can sing that song and I do, but it is. It is so nerve wracking.

Jay Franze: 13:54

Well, you kill it.

Billie Jo Jones: 13:57

Well, thank you. Thank you. Do you ever play it with an instrument or do you always do acapella? No, always acapella. Yeah, is there a reason behind? That Do you ever think about playing with a guitar. Well, I personally would never play the guitar, or even try to play the guitar on that song because I'm not a guitar player.

Billie Jo Jones: 14:25

I am definitely a singer but, if you know, my guitar player is amazing, so he probably could do that sometime. But I have thought about doing it like as a bringing, like bringing in one of my friends that you know could sing harmonies with me on it. I think that would be cool to do that rendition sometime. But I've never, really never really thought about bringing in an instrument just because I I don't know, for me personally, I feel like it shows more of, I guess, my talent, I guess of what I can do with my voice, that you know I can do it acapella and I don't need an instrument or anything behind me, you know, to do that. But then again you have people like Chris Stapleton that can play the mess out of that guitar and and sing, you know, and make it this whole thing. That was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard in my life. So maybe one day I might venture out and do that, but for now I definitely I'll keep it on.

Jay Franze: 15:17

I only ask because I know some people will go up there with an acoustic, for two reasons. One there's probably that element of they get to hide behind an instrument a little bit. It makes them feel a little bit more comfortable, like a little safety blanket or something.

Billie Jo Jones: 15:30

Yeah.

Jay Franze: 15:30

But then also it helps some people stay in key. But you're definitely right, it definitely shows a talent to be able to go out there and just do it a cappella, yeah. When you're in front of 35,000 people. When you look up like that, what's that feel like to you?

Billie Jo Jones: 15:47

I definitely don't look anywhere.

Billie Jo Jones: 15:51

While I'm singing it, my head is looking straight at the camera that is in front of my face and praying that I can ignore the echo and the delay. That is so awful. It is so awful. In that stadium, it is the worst thing to to be singing and then you're hearing what you're singing while you're trying to sing the next part of the song Like it's, like it's coming back to you, like it is. It is so bad. I'm telling you it is the worst thing you can ever do.

Billie Jo Jones: 16:20

I'm like I'm really making this sound like it is so awesome. No, it really is so hard. Like and I know that I don't know, I really don't know, but I feel like I honestly think next year when I do it, I want to bring either in ears or earplugs to where I can't hear anything. I don't know. Like, I feel like maybe that would help, especially with the, because the delay is just so bad. But yeah, but once I'm done singing, then I can smile and wave at the camera and see everyone. And then, not to mention, there's people watching at home, like cause they'll show God bless America, you know, at home on the TV.

Jay Franze: 17:02

So there's hundreds of thousands of the people that see that.

Billie Jo Jones: 17:04

So so I just it is, it really is, it is oh man.

Jay Franze: 17:10

While we're being so patriotic, what? Was it like playing or performing or opening up for Lee Greenwood.

Billie Jo Jones: 17:18

Oh, my goodness. Uh, yeah, I got to be a part of a Lee Greenwood benefit that they did at the Grand Ole Opry recently and that was my first time to be at the Grand Ole Opry and I definitely didn't get in the circle. I didn't get anywhere near it. I did get to stand on the stage and sing with everyone else on God Bless the USA with Lee Greenwood, but I definitely stay away from the circle because that is sacred and it's still a moment that I'm praying for.

Billie Jo Jones: 17:47

My grandparents and I have been wanting that moment for me for a long time, so hopefully that'll happen. But yeah, it was an incredible experience just to be there and stand on that stage with everyone and be backstage and gosh it was. It was an emotional night, for sure. It was awesome.

Jay Franze: 18:04

That circle is something you probably feel like. You have to earn your, your time in that circle.

Billie Jo Jones: 18:09

Oh, a hundred percent. I firmly believe that. And there's, there's a. There's so many people that and I don't want to, like you know, make anyone feel bad or anything like that but there's some people that have, you know, stood in that circle or that, you know, have like done the tour or you know whatever that you know that do that. And I just feel like when I see that, I'm like, oh my gosh, no, like don't, don't do that. Like you know, you know, save that moment, for you know, the moment you actually get that opportunity, or if you ever get that opportunity, because there's people that dream of having that spot and they, they never get it and I may not ever get it either I'm I have really high hopes that maybe I will, but it's definitely a moment that I want to cherish and honor, because that is a. It's a huge, huge opportunity.

Jay Franze: 18:53

So what about photo ops afterwards?

Billie Jo Jones: 18:58

Oh no, I didn't. I didn't, I did not, we actually we took most of ours. We took about a bunch of backstage pictures after the show and I took a picture with Lee Greenwood and you know, on like the side of the stage. But no, I've never stood in the circle. I've even done a tour, you know, of the Grand Ole Opry. And they're like, yeah, y'all can stand in the circle. And I'm like, no, I'm not, I'm not getting, I'm not touching it, I'm not getting in it.

Billie Jo Jones: 19:21

Like it's. I feel like if I ever did that, like it would be like Jesus was like no, you're not ever going to get that opportunity. I don't know that's a bit extreme, but I uh, I just I don't know that that just that stage means so much to me. And's it's one, it's a stage that you know they have wanted for me for for years now. So maybe one day.

Jay Franze: 19:44

So obviously a bucket list then.

Billie Jo Jones: 19:46

Oh, a hundred percent. The top of my bucket list.

Jay Franze: 19:49

But you're knocking them off. I mean, you're knocking these items off one at a time.

Billie Jo Jones: 19:59

I am. It has been. The past couple of years have just been a whirlwind. It has been it's. I've had some really incredible moments. Um, the past couple of years have just been a whirlwind. It has been. I've had some really incredible moments the past couple of years, so it's been really good.

Jay Franze: 20:06

Did you enjoy meeting Lee?

Billie Jo Jones: 20:08

Oh yeah, he is number one the sweetest man. I mean one of the sweetest artists. I've met a lot of artists and he is just the most sweetest, genuine, down-to-earth man that I've ever met. And getting to meet him and and honestly I didn't I didn't realize how old he was. I think he just had a birthday, what yesterday, the day before or something, I think. I saw that he's like 82 years old. I'm sorry, but he does not, he doesn't. He literally doesn't even look 60 to me, like he does not look his age at all. Um, it is. It is crazy. So when I saw that, I was like there's no way, like there's just no way. But yeah, he was, he was super sweet. I hope we can do more, more shows together because I love. I love what he does, I love the heart that he has all right, let's dive into your music a little bit.

Jay Franze: 20:57

Let's um find out what's going on with you. So can we? Just start by talking about your songs. Let's start with Some Girls Don't Cry.

Billie Jo Jones: 21:07

Yeah. So the guy that owns the label that I'm on, I'm under Get Joe Records, his name is Len Snow. He actually wrote this song a few years ago and whenever he started working with me he was like I've got a song that I think that you, you know, would really fit your voice. Well, I think you'd like it, you know. And so he played it for me and I was like, oh my gosh, like it was, it's such a, it's a fun upbeat, you know, girl power song. But really what really caught my attention was, you know, the end of the song, and so I had I'd kind of changed it up a little bit and, you know, held out the last note and do you remember the song? Uh, mountain music, play me some mountain music, that song, cause you know the ending of that. They, they do this, you know, hold it up, hold it out. You know long note thing. So I kind of copy that a little bit on the ending of some girls don't cry, and it went over really well and people are always, you know, blown away by the end of the song of you know that note.

Billie Jo Jones: 22:05

And we got to do a music video to that song and I brought several friends to Nashville and filmed you know several scenes and some of my favorite bars in Nashville and all over Nashville, and then got to go in a Hummer limousine thing that they had rented out and we had a great time. It was so much fun getting to film that and then it wound up being the title song of my first ever country album that we just released back in August and it also was my second consecutive number one in Texas. So it's my second number one in Texas I just had about three weeks ago. So the song did really really really well.

Jay Franze: 22:44

That was second to right now. Kind of girl, correct?

Billie Jo Jones: 22:47

Yes, sure was.

Jay Franze: 22:48

Two back to backs.

Billie Jo Jones: 22:50

Two back to back and we're working on a third right now. So I just released my next one. It's only been out a week and it has the most spin increases and the most radio downloads so far, so we're killing it right now.

Jay Franze: 23:05

So many things, so many areas I want to dive into and talk about. But I mean, you talk about people live for a number one hit and you've got two of them back-to-back. I mean it's pretty impressive. I mean that's got to feel good when you first hear your song on the radio for the first time. That's going to feel good. But then to have two back-to-back number ones like that fantastic, was it all it was cracked up to be?

Billie Jo Jones: 23:28

It really was. I mean, it's definitely one of those moments that because I've released several songs, you know, over the past few years and you know they barely made, you know, top 50 or whatever on on the Texas charts, and so still good which is still, which is still good, it's still really good.

Billie Jo Jones: 23:45

But when these, when I put these songs out, it just, it was just crazy. You know I went, but I went and did the work. I, you know, gone hundreds of miles doing radio tours and radio stops and meeting the people that are playing my songs and becoming friends with them and meeting them at CRS in Nashville and, you know, doing the work, because that's that's what it is. It's it's about doing the work and putting in the work. And so I did that and I still continue to do that with every song we released. I do radio tours.

Billie Jo Jones: 24:18

It definitely pays off because people can put a face, you know, to the, to the name and the song that they're hearing on their radio or you know wanting to play, or they might be on the fence and then, after they meet you like, oh, you know, I want to play your song, or I may not change their mind. And there's a couple of them that were like, no, I'm still not going to play your song, but it's OK, but it's. But it's one of those things that is definitely, you know, moments that I would never take for granted. It's not something that I expect.

Billie Jo Jones: 24:44

Oh yeah, we're going to get another number one Like that's not me, and people that know me they know that I'm not like that and it would be great. But if I don't, it's that lets me know. Okay, well, what's another song we can write and put out there? That's going to be better than that song Like that's that's. I'm always thinking ahead of. You know what's, what's coming next. So I want to write a better song, you know. Or I want to perform a better song and make it better than the last one.

Jay Franze: 25:07

So yeah, that's ambitious and it's a. It's a good, good work ethic to have, for sure. Yeah, so when you come down the strip in a Hummer and played all these different venues, what?

Billie Jo Jones: 25:23

kind of attention does that, you know, attract? Oh man, everyone was like. We even filmed a little bit in front of the Grand Ole Opry and so we pull up in front of the Opry and people are like, who is it Like? Who is she Like, who's? Who's this girl? What's going on? What are y'all doing?

Billie Jo Jones: 25:36

You know, and they were trying to like, people were even trying to like get in the video. So they didn't even know who it was or what the video was for, but they wanted to be in the video. So if you want to draw attention to yourself in Nashville, just rent you a limo and drive all around downtown Broadway and you'll have anybody and everybody thinking that you're somebody in that moment. So I definitely drew a lot of attention, but it was. It was good attention. And then it was an opportunity for me to be like hi, I'm so-and-so. You may not know who I am, but you know this is my song, or you know filming this video and go check it out when it comes out. So, and I'm, I'm all about trying to make new fans and meet people.

Jay Franze: 26:11

So Well, that's going to be really cool. I mean to meet these people on the street, somebody you've never seen talk to people who don't know you and by the time they leave, it's like a connection that was made and you can guarantee they're going to go back and listen to your music now and they're going to go back and start following you. So when you're developing this following, how do you stay engaged with them as time goes on?

Billie Jo Jones: 26:36

Uh, I mean, I'm still at the, at the level where I mean, I, I handle all of my social media. Um, if, if there's a post being made on Facebook, instagram, tiktok, it's me, I'm the one that's posted it, I'm the one that comments back. I, I, literally I was commenting back to every single person on every single post, but then it was, it became too much because, you know, I started, I started out getting you know 50 or a hundred likes and now I'm getting, you know seven or 800 likes, you know, on a post and I'm getting over 200 comments, you know, on each post, and so I can't comment back to everyone, but I try really hard or at least go and heart the comment, you know, so people will know that, yes, I really, I for real, read every single comment, even if I don't respond back. I really am reading them and I try to respond back. But it is it.

Billie Jo Jones: 27:25

It does become a lot sometimes, but yeah, I still, I try to stay engaged as much as possible and, you know, when people come to live shows, I will literally stand at my merch table, at my merch table until everyone is done, after I've met everyone or greeted them or taken pictures or signed stuff. And I've done that on a couple of, you know, opening gigs open for Dina Carter. I've opened for Neil McCoy. I will miss the entire show because I'm, you know, making new fans and meeting people and taking pictures, but I love it because it's. I love performing on stage, but my favorite part is meeting the people after and then hearing their stories of, you know, a song that I wrote or something that touched them. That's, that's what it's all about for me.

Jay Franze: 28:09

Well, you have to take advantage of those times and when you're opening up for people like that that have such an audience, and then you get to socialize and participating, get people from that audience, and that has to mean a lot. But when you open up for one of these big artists and then you get to go stand at your merch table and sign autographs or talk to people, do you then see a spike in your social media immediately following that show?

Billie Jo Jones: 28:35

Yes, um, I mean, I honestly hadn't. I'd never really watched it very closely until probably this past year, and I've started to like, after I play a show the next day, like I go look and see you know how many follows or how many you know new followers on Instagram. You know, apparently Instagram is the thing. I've always been a Facebook person Like I'm more of a Facebook social media person. I love Facebook, and I've really been trying Facebook person Like I'm, I'm more of a Facebook social media person. I love Facebook, and I've really been trying to grow my Instagram, because my Instagram is way lower than my Facebook Cause I've worked very hard on Facebook. So now I'm trying, you know to to grow my Instagram as big as my Facebook is, and so I've been really paying attention to that Like.

Billie Jo Jones: 29:14

When I played green hall the other night with Jack Ingram, we had close to 700 people there and it holds 850, I think between the you know inside and outside, so we had like 700 people and I saw so many new followers on Facebook and Instagram after that night. So it was it's really cool to see, especially when people you know actually take the time to go and find you know the opener. You know that was there because a lot of people sometimes won't even pay attention to the opener, but we had everyone's attention and they were locked in the whole show and hooping and hollering and having a good time. So we, uh we, we did something right, cause we, we gained a lot of followers.

Jay Franze: 29:50

So do you ever think of doing something like a QR code at your merch table or something that makes it easy for them?

Billie Jo Jones: 29:57

I, just when I just was talking about it just now to you, I was like man, no, much easier to be. If I like, put something up. And I do have, like, uh, on the back of my koozies it's a QR code that you can scan it and it takes you to my I think it's called link tree and it has. I have all my links on there for you know, whatever's important you know going on at the time, I try to keep that updated, but I should get a couple of little things to put up, or even, you know, up on the stage you know, when I'm singing, have something hanging up somewhere. So that's a that's a good idea.

Jay Franze: 30:29

I need to pay me for that one.

Billie Jo Jones: 30:30

Oh, I don't have to pay you for that one. Okay, that was the free one.

Jay Franze: 30:33

That one's free. It's like the sampler oh, mercy me, so you've. You've had an opportunity. Well, before I go to the opportunity here, let's go back to your song, cause I'm kind of interested in where you tracked it and how that process went for you. So let's start with who produced the song.

Billie Jo Jones: 30:53

Yeah, so my my first, ever country album just came out, on August 23rd, and Kent Wells actually produced my album, kent.

Jay Franze: 31:03

Wells Productions.

Billie Jo Jones: 31:05

Yep, kent Wells is actually Dolly Parton's producer and so, as you can see, even just from the name, like you definitely know, I've got a good producer. He definitely pushed me to my next level. You know, on several songs I hit higher notes than what I, you know, ever thought I could hit and changed up some things you know, a different way than what. I went in the studio thinking I was going to sing it because he's like, hey, why don't you try to do this? And he's definitely, I mean, he's definitely a producer. Uh, he is a hands-on producer.

Billie Jo Jones: 31:32

Oh, a hundred percent, he is not going to let me and I will never, when I wouldn't let myself walk out of there without, you know, being 250 percent Like. I'm not going to allow myself to do that. I'm a perfectionist. I want to go in there, make it great. If I'm struggling to hit a note, he knows when I'm in that moment he's like, hey, let's go, let's go get some hot tea. Or, you know, let's, let's take it, let's take a minute, you know, cause I'll sit there and beat myself up. And he's like, no, let's, let's, let's step back. And then then we'll come back to it and then then, sure enough, I'll go in there and first time I'll hit it and we're good to go. So that he's, he's been amazing to work with. We're actually working on my second album right now and, uh, it's just, it's been awesome, the whole process has been awesome. So, yeah, yeah, it's been really good.

Jay Franze: 32:19

Well, he's definitely a known producer and he's got a style behind him, but it's good to hear that he's a hands-on producer and actually coaches you through the process. A lot of producers might just be more of an administrative side and orchestrate everything, but did he select all the musicians?

Billie Jo Jones: 32:38

Yes, that's definitely all his part. He, he has, you know, certain musicians that I think he brings in for for certain things and he definitely, I don't know, I think he has this way of just handpicking the right people, cause he'll bring them in there and cause we would take, you know, two or three songs and record two or three songs and you know, I'd fly back to Texas and I'd fly back, we do two or three more songs and, you know, a couple of sessions we'll have different, either have a different drummer or a different lead guitar player. But I think he, like he, he knew, like he definitely knew what he was doing, because it just everything flowed so, yeah, everything flowed so easily and they would listen to the song and they, you know, put their, you know trademarks on the song and just the music of of this entire album is is just awesome.

Jay Franze: 33:23

Do you remember any of the musicians?

Billie Jo Jones: 33:26

I am so bad with names and I get in trouble all the time because I I'm just really bad with names and it's so bad and I shouldn't be like that. But I, I really am like I'm the person that like I need someone next to me, that I'm like you know, when someone's walking towards me, who is this? You know, and they're like, oh, that's so and so, and I'm like, okay, and then you know, because, if not, I'm gonna pretend like if you, if you know, when someone's walking towards me, you know, and they're like, oh, that's so-and-so, and I'm like, okay, and then you know, cause, if not, I'm going to pretend like if you, if you know me and I really don't know you, I'm going to pretend like I know you until you figure out that I really don't know you. But I'm going to be that person that does that.

Billie Jo Jones: 33:58

But no, I'm gosh, I'm so bad with names. But they are, they're, they're all incredible musicians. I do know that one of them is Dave Fowler. He's a good friend of mine. He's on a part of the label that I'm under, get Joe Records, and he's an incredible bass player, played with Lori Morgan, he's played with Dolly and just everybody, so he's a pretty phenomenal bass player.

Jay Franze: 34:20

Very nice. Yeah, I'm with you. I'm extremely, extremely bad with names. For sure, yes, yeah.

Billie Jo Jones: 34:25

I'm with you. I'm extremely, extremely bad with names, for sure. Yes, yeah, it is. It is very bad and I, I try really hard, but I just I meet so many people all the time. But even if I didn't meet a lot of people, I'm going to be honest, I probably would still be really bad with names.

Jay Franze: 34:39

I call my wife wife, just so I don't forget her name.

Billie Jo Jones: 34:47

Honest to God oh that's pretty bad.

Jay Franze: 34:49

That's pretty bad. I could count on one hand the amount of times that I've actually said her name. Oh, my gosh and the only reason for that is when somebody flat out asks me.

Billie Jo Jones: 35:01

That's pretty funny.

Jay Franze: 35:02

That's pretty funny, my grandfather always called my grandmother wife. Why? I just thought it was sweet so I started doing it. But I swear I've never. You know, I very, very rarely say her name.

Billie Jo Jones: 35:14

That is so funny.

Jay Franze: 35:19

It's crazy. All right, so did he have his own. I know he's got a production studio, but did you record all the stuff at his place or did you go into a commercial studio?

Billie Jo Jones: 35:26

No, it's at his studio. He's got a studio right there on music row, so it's technically like the back part of a I think it's called ocean, ocean way studios. He's like, yeah, back and he's back in the other part of that. So it's really, the studio is very, very nice. Gosh, it's, it's awesome.

Jay Franze: 35:47

Yeah, old church, the amazing sound in that room and the, the people who have recorded there and the the gear that's in that room. It's got one of the largest Neve consoles in the world. I mean it's a beautiful, beautiful room.

Jay Franze: 36:02

That's Studio A. Their other rooms are nice too, but Studio A is the church. Yes, now part of Belmont University, oh, wow. So let's talk a little bit more about the other people you've opened up for and you've had a chance to work with. I just want to, you know, just see some of the relationships you might've had, one of which was the oakridge boys, the reason why I bring up the oakridge boys. I just went to see them last weekend or the weekend before here in town. It was an amazing show and for we mentioned age earlier for people who are 85 years old and still standing on stage singing like it's nothing, that was pretty impressive to me.

Jay Franze: 36:41

What was your experience like?

Billie Jo Jones: 36:43

oh man, those, those guys, they're, they're just phenomenal. I mean, you feel like when I, you know, played with them, I was actually I'd won the oh gosh, it's called the John Ritter Showcase for the Texas Country Music. It was for the Texas Country Music in Carthage, texas, and it was the John Ritter Showcase back in like 2014, 2015. And so I got to share the stage with the Oak Ridge Boys that night. The Oak Ridge Boys were there Gene Watson, linda Davis got, jeannie Seeley was there. I mean, there's just, there's so many greats. You know, that weekend they do a whole weekend of country music and you know, just getting to see the Oak Ridge Boys up close and personal, like that was just awesome. And I got to snap a few pictures with a few of them and they, they were those guys are. They were a lot of fun. Yes.

Jay Franze: 37:32

Yeah, Nicest, nicest people. William Lee Golden was on the show a couple of times now and he is just the nicest guy. I took my my nine-year-old daughter at the time to see them in Indianapolis a couple months ago, I guess at this point, and he was backstage and he took some pictures with us and then walked away and I sat there and I was talking to the bass player, Scotty Simpson. I was talking to him and we're just getting ready to go out front, and then William turns around and walks back and he walks back straight to my daughter and I can hear him say I know, you don't know who I am.

Jay Franze: 38:08

And I know you've probably never heard my music, but I truly appreciate you coming here tonight and giving this a chance and spending some time with me. And then he shook her hand or hugged her or whatever he did and walked away and I was like man, that was just amazing. So, he was just the sweetest guy. He's always been super nice.

Billie Jo Jones: 38:27

That's so sweet.

Jay Franze: 38:28

So what about Diamond Rio?

Billie Jo Jones: 38:31

Oh man, those guys, like I literally was so blown away with them because I and I even was, I was that person. You know I, literally, my band and I played and got to open for them in Fredericksburg Texas. And you know, I, literally, my band and I played and got to open for them in Fredericksburg Texas.

Billie Jo Jones: 38:47

When we got done, I rushed down there to be right in front of the stage because I wanted to watch them and watch the show and I was looking for every excuse. I'm like they have to be lip singing, like they have to be playing to a track, they have to be lip singing. There's no way that they can sound this good. And I just, you know, I kept looking, you know, trying to find an excuse. I'm like there's just no way. But sure enough, like those, I'm telling you those guys can sing and they still sound the exact same, you know, as they did 20 years ago. Put on one heck of a show. I'm telling you that was, that was one of the most most fun concerts that I've, you know, stayed in and watch. So it was a lot of fun.

Jay Franze: 39:24

You mentioned filming your video in Nashville. They filmed the video in a house just South of Nashville and every time I drive by that house now, that's all I can think about is their video. But I mean, they had a scene when, when they were filming. It's just funny how people find out what's going on and want to be part of things and be around it, and you know what. I also wanted to ask you too. I mean, do people try to compare you to other people?

Billie Jo Jones: 39:52

Well, they used to quite a bit. I think now I mean more, now that I've, you know, put more songs out on the radio and people are finally seeing you know who I am and in my sound and what I sound like, people know like, oh, that's Billy Joe on the radio, like they know who I am. But I do have I've been compared back in the day to Miranda Lambert, quite a bit our voices. But the biggest, I think the biggest compliment, yeah, I mean the biggest compliment that I've, that I've gotten, that I've been compared to, is if Miranda Lambert and Dolly Parton had a baby, it would be me. Um, and so I'm, I'm totally okay with that and I've, I mean I've never been compared to anyone that I'm like, oh my gosh, why would you compare me to them? Like, I will take any comparison to anybody that is, you know, successful in this business any day. Yeah, I uh definitely been compared several times, but I love, I love being compared to Dolly Parton for sure.

Jay Franze: 40:45

She's awesome, oh my gosh. Yes, but you're. You're talking about two extremely strong women. Do you find yourself to be a strong woman?

Billie Jo Jones: 40:55

Oh, yes, yeah, I'm. I'm a very, I'm a very strong, independent woman. Um, I've, I have been I mean, I wasn't always I've had, you know, I've had some things happen in my life that have kind of made me, um, have to become a strong woman with you know things that happened in my past, but I definitely am am a strong woman, strong independent woman and I, uh, I respect the heck out of you know the ladies in country music that are killing it right now and paving the way for artists like myself that are trying to come up to their level. Lainey Wilson is killing it right now. She's just a powerhouse. So it's, it's cool, it's, it's really cool to watch. It's it's cool to watch, kind of where someone was to. You know where they are now and sometimes it happens you know in six months or a year, and it's crazy how, how fast someone can can blow up and go from playing in front of a couple hundred people to playing in front of 20,000 people. So it's people. It definitely happens quick, yeah.

Jay Franze: 41:54

Do you feel that strength came from being raised by your grandparents?

Billie Jo Jones: 41:59

Oh yeah, I definitely my grandparents, you know, being there and raising me since I was one, and you know just the things that I've kind of been through. I just know that there's there's no way that I would be the person that I am or doing what I'm doing right now if they hadn't raised me. So I'm forever grateful for that.

Jay Franze: 42:20

Well, I don't think it's just raising you either. I think it's the support, support of you as a person but support of your career.

Jay Franze: 42:26

I mean, I think that somebody having that kind of support just gives them the framework, the foundation for what they need to be strong. Yeah, so it's pretty cool that you have somebody in your life like that. It's also pretty cool that you get compared to those two artists, which is awesome. Yes, I thought one of your songs not you necessarily, but I thought one of your songs had a jody messina vibe to it. Oh so, I love her too, she's awesome, she's a fellow bostonian, so we get to throw my name in there once in a while yeah, she's, uh, she's awesome.

Billie Jo Jones: 43:02

I, uh, I was on a tv show called uh, real country a few years ago and one of the songs that I sang on there it was with Shania Twain, jake Owen and Travis Tritt and I sang heads Carolina, and she actually tweeted I guess, tweeted Twitter whatever about me, um, and was like love this girl's voice, you rocked it or something like that. So I, you know, obviously screenshotted it and I probably have it somewhere, but, um, I just thought that was so cool. It's like man, she, she watched me on the show.

Jay Franze: 43:33

So that is very cool. Who are your biggest influences?

Billie Jo Jones: 43:37

Oh man, uh, loretta Lynn has always been the queen of country music in my eyes. She's my biggest influence. Uh, growing up, uh, loretta Lynn and and uh, ray Price were were always my, my two biggest influences. So they, uh, they, they definitely paved the way for me in in country music and, and I love, I love old country, I love traditional country music. So, um, that's been. My goal is is to keep the traditional country sound and mix it with a little bit of modern, you know, to fit in a little more. But that's kind of where we've been right now, so we've been doing good with it.

Jay Franze: 44:12

Well, I think you're killing that. Yeah, I know we talk about your success in the things that you're doing and that's great, and we talk about your grandparents building that foundation of being a strong woman, but there have to have been some setbacks along the way. Do you have any that you could share with us?

Billie Jo Jones: 44:30

Yeah, for sure I actually. I got married when I was 18 and had kiddos after that and was with someone that I couldn't get a job, I couldn't, I couldn't work, I couldn't really go do anything. I um definitely couldn't go sing um or anything like that. So it was a pretty, pretty bad, emotionally abusive um marriage that I was in and I finally got the strength to leave that.

Jay Franze: 45:04

How long was it?

Billie Jo Jones: 45:06

Um, I stayed in that for four and a half years, um, and then left and became a single mom of three kids and um had to get a, had to get a job and and I couldn't, really, still couldn't really sing, you know, because I was, you know, trying to work a nine to five job and and still, you know, have time with you know, trying to work a nine to five job and still, you know, have time with the kiddos and stuff. So those were definitely some darker days, you know.

Jay Franze: 45:32

back then, how did you get through it?

Billie Jo Jones: 45:36

I just kept pushing forward. I mean, I had to move back in with my grandparents and you know they helped me with the kiddos, and then I got remarried and he was in the oil field and so that you know, definitely oil fields definitely helps with, you know, financially, so I could finally go out and sing some more. So definitely got through through that. But there's, you know there's been a lot of ups and downs in my life. There's been a lot of ups and downs in my life but thank goodness I didn't give up and push through and have been, you know, singing full time now for for several years and playing on my band for several years now, and so to go from that to back to back, number one hits and opening up for these major artists, and I mean that's a hell of an accomplishment.

Jay Franze: 46:24

You got to feel and I mean that's a hell of an accomplishment.

Billie Jo Jones: 46:27

You got to feel, you got to feel good now, right, oh, a hundred percent, yeah. And to look back on those years of just not even knowing what I was doing, or you know what I wanted to do and you know, you know why did I do this type of situation, um, to go from that to really having things fall into place for me in this journey, has it's been, it's been incredible. I've had two really amazing songs that you know, hit number one and, and people are, you know, starting to see me and they're like, oh hey, that's that girl. Oh, here's her name again. Oh, she's over here, oh, she's in Texas.

Billie Jo Jones: 47:02

No way, she's in Nashville now, like you know, there are people like, how, like, like, how is she doing this? Like, you know, how is she doing it. But I'm just glad that I I'm, you know, kept pushing through and didn't give up, no matter, no matter what. So, and I hope that that inspires other people and other moms out there that are, you know, trying to make it and they have kiddos and just show, show your kiddos that you know, do what you love and never give up.

Jay Franze: 47:25

Absolutely Well, I think I know the answer to this question, but I'm going to ask it anyway.

Billie Jo Jones: 47:30

Yeah.

Jay Franze: 47:31

We do this thing here. We call unsung heroes, where we take a moment to shine the light on somebody who works behind the scenes or somebody who may have supported you along the way.

Billie Jo Jones: 47:38

Do you?

Jay Franze: 47:38

have anybody you'd like to shine a little light on.

Billie Jo Jones: 47:42

Oh man, I mean definitely. My obvious answer is my grandparents. They are 89 and 86 years old and drove me hundreds a part of the award shows, and I wrote a song about my mom and my grandma and it's on my album. It's called she Did so. I have to give a shout out to that, but my grandparents are my biggest inspirations and my biggest role models, so I definitely appreciate everything they've done for me my entire life.

Jay Franze: 48:23

A big thanks to Billie for taking the time to share stories with us and thank you for taking the time to hang with me here, as always. I really do appreciate it. If you know anyone that would enjoy this episode, please be sure to pass it along. You can do that and find the links to everything mentioned over at jayfranze. com/ episode 98.

Tony Scott: 48:50

Thanks again for listening and I'll see you next week. Thanks for listening to The Jay Franze Show. Make sure you visit us at jayfranze. com Follow, connect and say hello you.