Jette Porrazzo - Training Wheels (2021)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The 12 track album, first studio album and sophomore album for the newly turned country artist JETTE PORRAZZO has a long list of notable country music contributions. The album will be released first digitally (presale) on July 1, 2021 (amazon & iTunes) and digitally everywhere August 6, 2021, at midnight Central Standard Time.

Her second single, Hard Headed - an uptempo country rock song, highlighting the guitar stylings of Jon Conley - is available now, as of May 28, 2021.

Jette Porrazzo, formerly an opera singer, then bluejazz artist, has spent the last three-and-a-half years writing, producing, and collaborating with Nashville’s elite country music musicians and songwriters. Entirely self-produced, the artist cut ties with her former producer Jeff Sturms (George Strait) and struck out on her own, working long hours as a ride-share driver in Nashville since 2015 so she could fund the album and own her music outright.

This savvy businesswoman also owns Jetty Entertainment Inc. which includes; a record label (JUMPjive Records), music publishing company (Jetty Music Publishing) and film & TV production company (Jetty Spaghetti Films)— based in Nashville.

She began writing music at age 10, and now with over 2,200 songs in her catalogue she already has her sights set on her second studio album. “I’m living my 15-year-old girl dreams now. I can see myself making many more country albums. However, I love the freedom of being in control of my career and have plans to do a pop-classical EP — as well as more live bluejazz EP’s,” says Jette.

This larger-than-life powerhouse has been compared to the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Adele and Kelly Clarkson — just to name a few — but with a voice and style all her own.

This “Monster Record,” says Nathan Smith (veteran engineer who masters for Dolly Parton and Lorrie Morgan, among many others) is set to also be released on 12 inch vinyl Aug. 6, 2021 - and is also currently on presale.

“Jon Conley (Kenny Chesney) and I were in the studio. It was a long day, and we were tracking seven songs on rhythm section. It was about five songs in, while charting Big Dreams-when Jon, Nathan Smith (Mainframe Recording Studios) and Dow Tomlin (Wynonna Judd) started looking at me funny. I asked them if I had a bug in my hair or was something wrong, and Jon said very matter-of-factly, ‘Kid, you got a hit record here.’ I about hit the roof. It meant a lot, especially coming from him, and the other guys chimed in — in agreement.

It was the reassurance I needed, that I was on the right path. And it’s that kind of encouragement that has kept me going no matter how many setbacks I’ve had or how much adversity I’ve had to continue to overcome in life — not just in making my dream country record,” says Jette.

She goes on to say, “These are guys that have the pick of the litter when it comes to projects. They get hundreds of requests a year and only have time for a handful of projects, along with their label contracts. They chose to work with me, and it’s incredibly humbling and inspiring to say the least. I feel so blessed that Nashville has welcomed me with open arms, far beyond my wildest dreams.”

Talk about setbacks, this tenacious firecracker came to Nashville in 2012 with very little; her life’s possessions (including a catalog of 500 songs) and her service dog. She drove all the way from California in a moving truck, knowing she had only a small monthly allotment ($900) from Social Security disability guaranteed to be coming her way. Jette and her service dog camped along the way, with only enough money for food and gas.

The journey took her 10 days, as for every day she drove, she rested two days. “I didn’t even have money to pay the campground fees. I would drive in after dark and leave at first light. I did what I had to do,” she says reluctantly. She didn’t even have a job or housing lined up — she drove by faith. “I knew that I would have to work harder than I ever did before, and I prayed God would heal me, and give me the strength to complete my life’s mission,” says Jette.

All this just two weeks after having a 12-centimeter inverted papilloma precancerous tumor removed from her face — that had started in her right maxillary sinus. “I was bound and determined. I didn’t even know I had the tumor. I went to get checked up at UC-Davis by the ENT just to make sure my vocal chords were in good shape, only to find out I needed immediate surgery. Two surgeries later, as soon as my doctor cleared me to travel, I was on the road. I prayed the entire way, listened to K-LOVE and had this knowing in me that I had only known while pursuing music, it grew with every mile east I drove. Fast-forward eight years later and I’ve worked my way off of disability, and in a matter of weeks I’m releasing my first studio album — with God all things are possible.”

Fifteen-year-old girl dreams really do come true.
By coming back to Nashville in 2019, Jette took back her power that she had lost years ago while attending Austin Peay State University, where she had been on full scholarship for voice performance.

While at APSU, she was attacked and sexually assaulted in her dorm room by a fellow student and basketball player (whom she had never met before). Despite this, she stayed for another two torturous years. Jette then transferred to Denver’s Metropolitan State University to get her Bachelor of Arts in Photojournalism and Broadcast Communications. Her sister offered her a safe place to live while attending college together, far away from her attacker and the school that failed to protect her. Far from the grand jury that failed to indict her attacker on an 11-1 vote in her favor. The jurist who held out felt those kinds of things didn’t happen in Clarksville, Tennessee. Sadly enough, this did happen.

“I never wanted to leave Tennessee. I had plans to graduate and move to Nashville and start my professional career in country music — but I had to put some distance between what happened to me, hoping that in time my wounds would heal and I’d be strong enough to return. I just wish it didn’t take me nine years to take back my power, but in other ways I’m proud of the woman I’ve become and I wouldn’t trade all the other wonderful experiences I’ve had in that time — while I was away from my true home,” Jette says.

Jette has also overcome a stroke in 2008. She currently has a medical alert dog named Chiara and her 14-year-old, now-retired service dog, Miracolo, and is happily living with them.

So when you hear JETTE PORRAZZO sing the way she does, it’s because she’s lived all 42 years and then some and her every emotion is felt with intensity. Her songwriting is that of a much-more mature woman, and she has been called a “sage” by other notable Nashville musicians and fellow songwriters. Her soulful torch-like bel canto voice cuts through the noise and can silence a loud room. Her songwriting is unbelievably honest and straightforward. She can paint a picture and tell a story just as good. She can transport you to another time, to a fantasyland in your mind — and in those minutes you will forget all your troubles. “Grandma always said, ‘The world needs to hear your optimism,’ and that’s what I’m doing,” Jette says.

Country music and optimism aren’t usually ever mentioned in the same paragraph, let alone the same sentence — but Jette is changing that one song at a time. Even the sad songs have a power that seems uplifting and makes the listener feel that there will be a happy ending.

Jette Porrazzo is one of those artists who has been hiding in the background for decades and is now ready for center stage. To quote her single, Big Dreams, “Some people just take longer to come of age.”