Billie Jo Jones started singing at nine years old in church, you know the story of the grandparents encourages the grandbabies to "sing for the Lord." Billie Jo's grandparents raised her since she was one year old. Though she just released a new album "Turquoise and Silver", she recently re-released her version of the Christmas classic "I'll Be Home for Christmas" in honor of her grandparents.

"It's my grandparents' favorite Christmas song," she said when I asked why this particular holiday classic. "They raised me since I was one and I wanted to make them happy. We actually put this song out last year...we are re-releasing it."

"I could sing since I could talk," Billie Jo Jones told me as we talked about her humble vocal beginnings. "I was performing for my grandparents' songs by Shania Twain, Ray Price and George Jones...then I was singing at local churches."

"My dad, he didn't raise me, but he was in my life...my dad taught me how to play the guitar (at age 14). He took me to bars and paid $20 to let me perform with the bands," Jones pointed out.

"Now I am opening up for Ray Price," she said excitedly, "I am 35 years old and have been playing with my band for 12 years."

Billie Jo Jones' version of "I'm Be Home for Christmas" has an unusual intro to the classic song. I pointed that out and asked if doing this intro was her idea.

"I had to learn that intro the day I got there," she told me. "My producer is Dolly Parton's producer. He said, ‘There's in intro.' I thought it was beautiful."

I agreed with her. Imagine working with a producer with the caliber that a producer for a legend like Dolly Parton would possess working with you. It's an indication of the level of talent Billie Jo Jones has. Evident in the fact that the CBS/Paramount talent competition program came to her to audition.

"We were hand-picked for ‘The Real'," Billie Jo said when I asked. "They reached out to my label. There were 35 people. We auditioned and they cut us down to the top 12. This show is awesome. The experience is amazing. I play my own original music."

The native of Texas' newest album release "Turquoise and Silver" offers 12 selections. Some of the singles on the project include "Marilyn," "Flame," and the title track "Turquoise & Silver." She just completed a nine-venue tour in and around Texas that started in October and finished at the end of November. She said to watch out for more dates during the holiday season.

In 2014 Billie Jo was named Emerging Artist of the Year by the Texas Country Music Association and Texas Regional Radio named her Female Vocalist of the Year. Her debut album "Some Girls Don't Cry" has a single, "Right Now Kinda Girl," that reached #1 on the Texas Regional Radio Chart. That song was followed but the success of her "Whose Tequila Are Your Drinking" which reached #1 on CDX True Indie Chart and it also became #1 on Amazon Music's Best Seller Chart. That song release was followed by her "Flame" single which also reached the top of the chart. www.BillieJoJones.com

June N Joey, who seem to be performing all the time, have performances this weekend on Sunday December 7, 2025 at the Round Up Nite Club Restaurant in Davie, Florida and another the day after Christmas on December 26th in Tequesta, Florida. I am almost certain that they will be performing their Christmas releases.

When I told Joey he sounds like Frank Sinatra on the "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and then asked if he knew of his music Joey said, "I haven't learned his music material, but I know of him. I noticed my voice got deeper...and did a twist to it."

Well, both of their twists to the Christmas classics are impressive and provide their own signature version of the songs. The duo meet at a music session held by Juna.

Joey explained to me how they met, "I was a big sports guy...and I went to Juna's lesson and she said, ‘You sing?'...I went to the piano and did a little note and rhythm and she said, ‘Let's get you ‘Lessons with Juna'.' We then did School of Rock."

"I started singing at the age of 4...classical and piano," Juna said when I ask about her humble beginnings. "I would watch the Lil Rascals' talent show scene and I would perform it for my dad, and he said, ‘Let's get you lessons'."

And as the saying goes, "the rest is history."

Juna N Joey have been together as a duo since then releasing single after single. In the "All I Want for Christmas" single Juna takes the lead with Joey harmonizes in the back and on "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" Joey takes the lead with Juna harmonizing for support.

"We are releasing one single at a time," Juna N Joey informed me when I asked if they are working towards an album.

"I've been in Country music for 10 - 11 years," Juna said as we continue to talk about what duo Juna N Joey bring to the "industry table."

"We do a little of everything...Modern Country," Joey added.

The response they say from their original material has been great.

"People love it in the UK," Juna pointed out.

Juna N Joey's "All I Want for Christmas" and "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" singles also are accompanied with music videos that can be seen on their YouTube channel Juna N Joey which has garnered over 81,000 subscribers. 

SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large) for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENTS: "Uplifting Minds II" Entertainment Conference (ULMII), founded by Eunice in 1999, is into its 26th year. Next events are coming to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday April 19, 2025, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom Saturday, November 8, 2025. The ULMII event is a free entertainment conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and National Talent Competition (vocal, songwriting, dance and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services. Log onto www.UpliftingMinds2.com RSVP for Zoom Access at EventBrite.com or email info@thepulseofentertainment.com.ent.com.