Watch: Jo Dee Messina cover Ella Langley's nostalgic ballad

Jo Dee Messina delivered a stunning rendition of Ella Langley’s “Loving Life Again” during a recent appearance on the God’s Country podcast.

Ella teamed up with Devin Dawson and ERNEST to write the grounding, nostalgic anthem about returning to your roots amid burnout, and finding joy with loved ones. The single appeared on Ella's latest studio record, Dandelion, which arrived earlier this year. Jo Dee covered the song with songwriters and brothers Dan and Reid Isbell when she appeared on their podcast earlier this week.

“Just like that, I'm back to loving life again/ Dreaming dreams 'bout back home riding on the wind/ When I close my eyes, I find some peace in the back of my mind/ In between them pines where I'm jumping on that quarter horse, and then/ Just like that, I'm back to loving life again”

Jo Dee, who previously shared her rendition of Ella's “Choosin’ Texas,” also spoke with Dan and Reid about “the wild story of being sent to boarding school at 13, running away, ending up in Mexico, attempting to cross the border alone, and eventually being escorted home by an air marshal — a story she says she’s never told before,” the episode’s description reads.

“But this episode goes far beyond the crazy stories. Jo Dee opens up about her faith, motherhood, raising two boys, cutting toxic people out of her life, the pressure and ‘crush’ of fame, and why she believes stepping away from time with God is never worth the success on the other side. She also shares the heart behind Broom Tree Haven, her vision for creating a safe place where artists, athletes, and people in the public eye can escape the pressure, reconnect with their families, and remember who God created them to be. Plus, Jo Dee talks about her new album Bridges, her journey from a scrappy kid in Massachusetts to one of country music’s most iconic voices, getting her car repossessed so many times she knew the repo guy, and the grassroots hustle that helped launch her career. This one is funny, raw, faith-filled, and full of stories you’ve never heard before. Subscribe to God’s Country for more conversations at the intersection of country music, the outdoors, faith, family, and the stories behind the songs.” 

Find the full conversation on iHeartRadio here.

Dan and Reid, who have written music for Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Scotty McCreery, Jon Pardi, Lainey Wilson and others, started their weekly podcast in early January 2024. Some of the first guests to appear on the show include HARDY, Dustin Lynch, Colbie Caillat and others.

“One of our favorite things about country music has always been how intertwined it is with the outdoors,” Dan and Reid Isbell said in a statement when God’s Country launched. They hope to “bring the outdoor enthusiast or country music lover an up close and personal look into the minds of some of the best songwriters and artists of the genre — a place where they can be honest about struggles, relationships, their connection to the outdoors, the music business, family, whatever they feel comfortable talking about. We can’t wait to see where this partnership will lead and who this podcast will reach.”

The iHeartPodcasts/MeatEater show is available anywhere you listen to podcasts, including in our free iHeartRadio app.

- Written by iHeart.com and republished with edits & permission

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Hear Jo Dee Messina, Ella Langley and more of your favourite country artists on iHeartCountry NZ by using the player below.