Jake Owen opens up about life and music in new album chat

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And so [laughter] while everybody was getting out of LA, you know, that's why I said I flew into LA through a big old cloud of smoke cuz it was [music] cl I mean smoke and you like we're flying in and everybody's leaving and I'm flying in there to make something creative and admit that the world is on fire and my life was on fire. But like dude, I had a record deal long before Bro Country and the reason Bro Country kind of started, I started that. Let's be real, man. Like how weird would it be for a 44year-old guy to release a song [music] now? It's like, whoa, oh, never gonna grow up. Whoa. Like, you'd be like, well, you kind of have grown up a little bit. Like, you're 44 now. Like, so, and the last couple years, I've gone through like my second separation, going [music] back to being just this like single guy. But [laughter] Oh my god. Come on. Holy. Look at this guy. One of my best buddies in the entire world. Give me a love, dude. How are you, man? [laughter] >> How are you, dude? I'm excited to have you in, man. I want to talk about the new record. Um, you made this album with Shooter Jennings, whose father had a great song, of course, called Dreaming My Dreams. Uh, once covered by Jamie Johnson. Is the title of your album just a coincidence? I mean, I guess you mean I guess if you're thinking that words sound alike. Yeah. I mean, like dreams and dreams and whatever. But I think that there's a lot of coincidences uh within this record. It was so random. I didn't even really think about until afterwards. I guess first and foremost, the idea of why the album's titled Dreams to Dream is like the first song that we released is um was called Dreams to Dream. And it's the idea of like, you know, when when I left my record deal last year, um, I've had an incredible career, like 20 years of of major record deal in in Nashville and, you know, 10 number one songs and um, but it's interesting as an artist like when you leave um, the big machine of uh, of the music industry and you're maybe navigating what you're going to do next. I think like I kind of relate it to uh a guy on a football team that's like played for for a long time and then it's time to maybe either change teams or something. So you're like you're waiting to see like what teams want to draft me, you know? Yeah. >> And um >> it was weird, man. Like my my phone or like I just felt like wasn't ringing like and and and it occurred to me in that moment. I was like, "Wow, like I've had an incredible 20 year career. I made a great living. I have a great life. But I think the reason people moved to town here, the reason I moved to town with a dream was not just for the music. It wasn't for money. It says that in the song. I ain't doing this for the money. I ain't doing it for the fame. Um I just think it's time for me to make a little change. Like and the idea is like I moved here with dreams, but sometimes this business and the way that it can like lift you up and then right about the time you're lifted up and it just beat the you. >> Yeah. Um there's a lot of things that can like suck the life out of you sometimes and you need to remind yourself that like and that's what I did in that moment. I was like dude I don't need people to call me and like lift me up like this is me and nobody in the times in my life when I moved to Nashville to chase this dream. Everybody told me I was crazy then. And so I was like but I I kind of went against the grain. I was like no I believe in me. Nobody believed in me ever more than I believed in me. And throughout this career there's been times where I've lost some belief in me. And uh and I realized in that moment I was like, "What are you?" I looked myself in the mirror. I'm like, "Dude, you you still got tons of stuff to fulfill. You still got dreams. You got you're dreaming. Like, go do it." Like, "What are you waiting on someone else to call you and tell you that it's time to do it?" Like, no. Like, it's time time for me to do it. And ironically enough, as I was telling myself this, within that same week, um, Shooter Jennings had posted something on his Instagram that he was working out at Sunset Sound and and he I think he was working on either like a Charlie Crockett record or Turnpike Trouidors or something. And I've always loved Shooter and obviously his father and uh I just responded on the on an Instagram post. I was like, "Yo, when are you going to make my record?" And uh, sorry, that's a friend of mine. a shooter. >> That's actually a guy named Griffin House who uh he's an incredible singer, songwriter, artist. I a lot of people out there know him, but I've been trying to make an effort in my life. I know I'm getting off track here, but [laughter] I ran into him at like a show and I was like, "Dude, I'm a huge fan." And um we connected on a on a level of like sobriety and stuff. And because of my soriety, I've been like trying to really connect with people like remind them that life is awesome. So getting back to to this thing and I think my world in these days is just like brewing with positivity now because uh as I made that thing and said hey shooter like when are you going to make my record? I was kind of I was kind of like shooters I don't even know the shooter even knows who I am or if he likes me or not likes me and like you know knowing shooters history of like kind of getting out of Nashville and being like I'm not into that Nashville deal. Like he instantly within a day I get this message he's like when are we making this record? What? >> And I was like, "What?" I was like, "We we we we should talk. Like, we should talk." Like, so he called me and we talked for two hours on the phone about everything. And dude, what really made sense to me was, and this isn't knocking Nashville at all or anything, but like this business is fickle, man. And they're always looking for the next thing. They're always looking for the next thing. It's never like embracing the things. Sometimes it's like if it's working, everybody's all involved. It's not or people wondering and they're just like next thing they move on. They're never like And so I got this feeling from shooter he where I was at that time in my life a year or so questioning my own decisions. He was like, "Dude, you're awesome and I can't understand why you haven't made an album of these songs that you sit there with your guitar on Instagram and plays. Like I see it all the time. Like it blows my mind these old songs, you know, and and you sound great singing them. why have you never made a record like that? I go, dude, I've been trying to do that forever, but I don't know that I was at the place of my life. Um, I was having major hits with songs like Barefoot Blue Jun and Beach and like I instantly became this like beach guy, but like early in my career, I was out touring with Allan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Like I love country music. I've always have. He's like, "Well, what are you waiting on, dude? Like, let's make this album." And I said, "Well, dude, I have a lot to say. I'm not just going to make an album. Like, I have stuff I want to say. I need to kind of take some weeks to write some things and and so I did and then um went out there. I know this is a long answer to dream. Why is it called why is it called dreams to dream? But >> but uh I wrote that song after talking to him about going out there like you know and it related going back to the coincidence of whan and all this stuff but how Jud and I connected is our immense passion for Hank Williams Jr. Like dude, he's my my my hero. I love Hank Williams Jr. always have. You know, a lot of people reference, you know, Merl Haggard and Whan and all and I love Whan too, but like Hank Williams Jr. like was one of is one of the greatest songwriters I've ever listened to. And the way he told his story and when he made the new South album and he went the first song on there, Feeling Better, he says, "Oh, you know, I I moved on down to Sweet Home Alabama in 1974. I had to get out of Music City and I had to get off the road >> cuz my woman, she left me and the people wouldn't let me sing nothing but them old sad songs which were his dad's songs. >> I had to get high so I wouldn't cry. You know, it hit pretty close to home. But now I'm feeling better. Well, >> man, the last couple years I've gone through like my second separation, going back to being just this like single guy, not having a team as a record deal. I was like alone, dude. I felt really alone. And uh there were times where I felt like I had to get high so I couldn't cry, you know? And in that moment, dude, uh shooter was like, "Come to LA. Let's make this record." Well, that album of Hank Junior's you know who produced that record? Whan Jennings. >> Wow. >> Wayan Jennings produced the New South album on Hank. And if you listen to Feeling Better, I'm feeling better. Whan singing backgrounds. >> Okay. >> And Whan loved Hank Jr. And that's what Shooter started telling me. He's like, "Dude, like my my dad loved Hank Jr. and on this new album that actually Shooter just released of all New Wayan songs. There's I don't have any more love songs to try on you is on there, which is a Hank Junior song." Um, so all this comes back to this coincidental thing of here I am leaving the place I had dreams and dreamed and moved to and at a point where like I fulfilled all of them. I'm like, "What am I going to do now?" No one in this town that I came to was really like, Drake, what are we going to do? Like, I didn't have other producers reaching out to me saying like, "Let's make a record." I've got I have a friend of mine that I've been working with here for a while that will always I'll do stuff with and I love him to death, Toeer Brown. Um, but >> I I felt like, dude, this guy doesn't even know me. Like, all these people in Nashville know me, but here's a guy that got out of Nashville that is calling me to tell me I'm great and what am I doing? And I was like, "This is the most unbelievable feeling." Like I I felt like a kid again, dude. I felt like like I can't wait. And here And then so I'm going to LA. And at the same exact time, I'm going to LA. LA is on fire. If you remember this in like January, February, people leaving like Hollywood Hills are on fire. My best friend who lives out there, he's like, "Dude, the fires are getting close to our house. We might have to leave." >> So I'm like, "I don't guess I'm going to make this record." And in a way, I was kind of like getting a little extra time. I'm a little nervous to go out and do this. I call shooter. Hey man, like it's it's firing out fires out there. Like are y'all still working? He goes, "Business as usual, man. Come on." And I was like, "Shit." He called my bluff again. [laughter] And uh and so while everybody was getting out of LA, you know, that's why I said I flew into LA through a big old cloud of smoke cuz it was cl I mean smoke and like we're flying in and everybody's leaving and I'm flying in there to make something creative and admit that the world is on fire. and my life was on fire. Like and so I guess all I'm getting at is man is like I do have dreams to dream and fulfill. But like I've never been in a pl like like the deal is until you're in a place in life in your career where you're really going like what is happening and you're kind of scared and you're kind of freaked out like that's the point that the great happens. You know when you're just cruise controlling it and everybody's telling you how great you are. Plus, trust me, I've been there. And there's a lot of these artists that are out there now. They're doing it and they got people around them telling them how great they are and you're going to be the biggest thing forever until they don't have a couple hits in a row and their team moves on to the next guy that's having hits and then they're like, "What? What am I doing?" And at that point is when you or she, her, he has to go like, "Who am I? What's my truth?" And uh for me, this was it, man. It was like I'm like, "Dude, I've got a lot to say. I've been through a lot of I've been divorced, you know, I I'm I'm sober now. I used I I I had m moments in my life I just wasn't a good human. Um made bad decisions and uh nobody knows that about me. Everybody just thinks I'm a barefoot blue jean guy, you know. And I was like, my first song or second that I ever released was that song starting with me that I wrote with Kendall Marvel, who happens to be the guy that I called on this record when I went to LA. And I said, "Hey dude, why don't you come and like make this with me and let's be a team and like let's let's go." And he was like, "Hell yes." And so the two of us went to LA with Shooter Man and we holed up in this Sunset Sound where Prince made Purple Rain. >> Wow. >> And and I met five guys I'd never met before and we sat there and made an album with no time constraints. Nobody's looking at their watch. There's nobody like there's no studio musicians. With all due respect, like these studio musicians have helped make my career what it is. But at the same time too, it's a business, dude. So like while you're in there making a record, you know, Cartage guys are coming in mid song because they got to take take these musicians stuff to the next studio and work on the next guy's album. So like there's no like I feel like sometimes as great as these art these and maybe these musicians in town will hate me for saying this. I hope not because I hope they know I care for them and I and I love them. But like I'm also telling the truth here like and they know it as well. Like there was a time I made my last record where I walked in and said, "How you guys doing, man? I won't mention the guitar player." And he's like, "Good, man. We're you know, a little tired. We've been here for a few weeks." And I'm like, "What? A few weeks? What do you mean? I thought you Oh, yeah. You know, we kind of basically the my label at the time like just just booked the studio out for like few weeks at a time. these musicians in there and they're just running their artists through there >> and like using the same musicians on all these different stuff. >> I'm like, no wonder this sounds the same, you know? And so when I went to LA, I met five guys that were just ready to jam and play and not have time constraints and not worry about where they had to be in 2 hours. And it was more about the music and like making it feel real. I I kind of felt like I was back in a garage again with my friends in college and we were just playing. And granted, when you listen to this album, it's not as polished and pretty as the stuff I've made here in Nashville with these incredible musicians, but these guys in LA are incredible, too. But it was more about the rawness of it. And it was more about capturing the feeling of this raw vulnerability that I that I have in my life right now. And um I swear on my life, dude, I I could not be happier with the outcome of it and the idea that this could possibly be my future of my career. Like meaning like I'm I like this guy. I like I like uh I like where I'm headed. >> So like do you get pissed when you hear Barefoot Blue G Knight constantly? Like that's something I wonder. No way, dude. No way. I don't get pissed at all. And it goes to show you like that's what I love about Shooter, man, is that he in a way like he kept telling me he's like, "Dude, you know why I love you and why I want to make this record?" He's like, "You got balls, dude." He's like, "You you you could just go and got another record deal. you could gone and made more radio songs and gone back to radio and giving them the hits that they want that you could probably do. But he's like, "You decided to spend your own money to fly all the way to LA and make a record." And I mean, this cost me a lot of money, dude. I've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this. And uh he's like, "Because you take this risk, that's what fires me up." He's like, "I want to work with people that are taking risks." And he's like, "And you're you're doing it, man." and and and so he just gave me this inner confidence that I'd lost man along the way. And that's why I said that in in in Dreams to Dream the song. I was like, you know, you know, I moved it says I I say in that first verse like um you know, old Hank moved back to Alabama when he had all he could take. And I think lately I'm kind of feeling the same way. And I sent the prayer to Jesus, which I did, and he just said, "If it's burning [clears throat] you up, man, like do it." and everything I'd lost along the way, I went out there to find again. And I feel like I did, man. And uh so being back here is cool. Um I'm still this is my home. This this place will always be like a I'll never move to LA, but like I needed to leave the place that felt comfortable for so long and get out of my comfort zone to because the best things that have ever happened in my life is when I took risks. And I look back at when I moved to Nashville, like I said earlier, when everybody told me I was crazy and why are you dropping out of college? Are you nuts? You can always go do that. I was like, no, I can always finish college. Like, >> and I took a risk. And that risk is what changed my life. >> And I just felt like, what good is it going to do me, man, to to go do the same thing again and give people what they kind of think I'm going to give them? Like, I want people to be like, who what is this? like who is this guy? And to be real with you, everybody that's heard what I've been playing them and this new stuff, they're like that's the I like that Jake. I like this guy. And they believe it. It's real, you know? So, feels great, man. I'm I'm really This was a deep conversation for you and I just meeting. [laughter] But but you know there's been days like Billy will tell you like we go way back and I I used to like part of me hated Billy for a while because he was honest about music >> and and and and and that's why he's great at what he does and why you guys are doing what you're doing. Like you not everything is great and it's okay to say that it's that it's not. And an artist sometimes like myself at the time even or other artists when they read reviews of their songs will be like damn man like really. But honestly, if you really dig deep into the reviews of why people like songs and don't like songs, usually it boils back down to the fact that things don't they're not believable. It just seems like something that now granted hits like granted beer for blue gy night to me will always be like a diddy of a song along like along with songs like you know beaching and those deals but like they were like monumental moments at the time. And I actually told this shooter I was like dude I feel like you took a risk. You said I took a risk. You took a risk on me. Like like you took a risk on working with a guy that was in the era that people now reference as Bro Country. But like dude, I had a record deal long before Bro Country. And the reason Bro Country kind of started, I started that. Think about it. Like I'm not a lot of people don't they want to shy away from you and tell you that like, oh, you know, we're broke country, you know, but like I'm proud of that moment in my life because I took a risk then. How did you start it? >> I How did I start it? >> Like I I I would challenge most people in this town to tell me that I didn't because I'll never forget working with Tony Brown who's produced Steve Earl Copperhead Road and he's amazing all the way to every George Straight album. And he was awesome. And I never forget when I went to Tony Brown one day and I was like, "Tony, man, I've been doing this for a while and I haven't had the big hits yet and the label really wanted me to work with you, but I feel like maybe some of this music that I just made with you, it's not feeling the way it needs to feel." And I met this guy, Joey Moy, who produced Nickelback Records, and I feel like he can make my sound sound different than the rest of these guys on the radio. And so with him that next week, by the way, Tony Brown said, "Man, I can't wait to hear what you guys do." That was the coolest thing ever to me. To this day, Tony Brown, I have so much respect for that guy because instead of him being like, "What are you doing?" It was almost like he said to like, "Take a risk, dude. Do your thing." And so I took a risk, >> started working with a guy who' only never produced country music, only Nickelback albums and rock and roll stuff. And this is before he worked the Florida George line and all these other guys. and he and I went in his studio, just the two of us in a room this size, kicks and claps and loops and wo and next thing you know, by the way, Barefoot Blue Gene Night was song of the decade. The most played song of the decade. So my point going back to Shooter is he's like, "Dude, you took a risk then. People might on you for, you know, it wasn't it's not like old school country or whatever, but like he's real artists throughout their careers take risks." And he's like, "You've done that multiple times and I respect the out of that." And when I started thinking about I was like, "Oh, you're right." Like part of me was wanting to shy away from the old that side. So when you ask like, "Do I hate No, dude. Barefoot blues tonight is a major huge song in my in my career." And and and it's a part of a life that I was a 25 to 30 year old kid. Dude, I'm 44 now. Like I want to sing mature music. I want to be real with the people that are my fans. Like my fans aren't I have 24 and 5-year-old kids that like my music? Sure. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> But like let's be real, man. Like how weird would it be for a 44 year old guy to release a song now. It's like whoa, never going to grow up. Well, like you'd be like, well, you kind of have grown up a little bit. Like you're 44 [laughter] now. Like, so it makes s like not everything has to be exactly true, you know? >> So that song is the beginning of bro country, you would say? >> I would say so, dude. I I mean what what I mean at the same time I think the only other like cuz it was at a time like ask most other artists too like I remember tons of artists calling me at the time being like dude what is this you guys are doing like this doesn't even sound like you like this sound I heard this song bareful blush night I was like is that Jake I'm like yeah boy [laughter] that's that's that's me and uh and a lot of people hated it you know but at the time too I guess you could give a little you know give some credit to um >> you know like Aldine obviously like he's a country dude. He wears a country hat, you know, cowboy hat. And he had that dirt road anthem. It was a bit of a, you know, had that it was the first that you heard that kind of like hip-hop style style thing in country music. But once we used loops and started putting all these like, you know, major pop and rock effects in in in the country side of things. Um, everyone else started doing it until it got old, you know, until everybody all of a sudden put their cowboy hats on now and everybody's country again. [laughter] Like, whatever. I'm I'm not hating on everybody, but let's be real. Like, you know how many people I look around now and be like, "Wait a second. Why I don't care you? I don't care if you're making country music now, but why are you wearing a cowboy hat?" Like, like, are you all of a sudden cowboy? Well, and there's some artists that will wear the cowboy hat only when they're performing and then not in regular life. >> Well, I mean, that's fair. I I'm not hating on people for that. George Strait doesn't wear his hat walking into Target, I'm sure. You know what I mean? Or like, but my thing is is like >> I don't mind >> I just I I struggle with following the pack, dude. There's lions and there's sheep in the world. And like I don't I can't be a sheep. I can't I I'm not saying that I know what I'm doing. I'm not say I don't like I've messed up so many times in my life because of my what people I think think of me, which is maybe what's been a struggle in my life. Like I have a confidence that sometimes comes across as arrogance. And I think it's because what people see as arrogance is truly some of my insecurities. And so my confidence is overcoming the insecurities within. And every artist out there, anybody watching this or any any kid trying to make it in life, like I want them to know like, dude, insecurities are awesome cuz that's what challenges you to get out of those moments. And uh in that moment making dreams to dream. This was way long talk. I was as insecure as I could have possibly been, but at the same time, I found the most confidence ever in an insecure moment. >> Wow. Good example for your kids, by the way. And I say that because I want to show you this picture over here. Uh, take you back. [laughter] So crazy. Ben, I just got a text from Kenny this morning. >> Actually, this is really random. And I'm not to drop names, but it's stuff like that, dude. That makes me smile. Like that. That was You'll see my daughter, she's got a mask on her face. >> And that was that was during 2020, like right around the co time. >> Yeah. And a lot of people don't know this, but what a night that was. I have pictures with her of that night. It was because Payton Manning, who I happen to be with yesterday playing golf, um he was in town and he's like, "Hey man, I'm get some buddies together. Like, why don't you come by this place he was having it at?" So, I was like, "Heck yeah, man. I'll be there." And I walk in with my little girl. The other part was funny about this. My cousin was with me and her husband. I was like, "Hey, Payton asked me to come to this thing. you guys want to come with me? And they're like, what? Payton Manning, I ask you to like, yeah. So, we go to this thing and we walk in and there was like 50 pe maybe 40 people there, but it was like Kenny was there, Morgan Wallen's there, Luke Combmes is there, like all like Cole Swendell, like all like everybody, you know, there in the and Kenny. And so it was funny cuz my cousins were like, "Is this what people do in Nashville?" like this this [laughter] so funny because that's like the only time in my life that we've all been together at one time. I'm like, "Oh yeah, this is what we do on Wednesday on Wednesdays, right?" >> But uh I look at that moment and I look at her with Kenny, who by the way, like I said, I talked to him this morning cuz I said, "Dude, I want to be there on Sunday >> when you get inducted to the Hall of Fame because there's no one in this business." That's why I have a picture of him with my daughter. I swear, man. Kenny Chzn has has single-handedly shown me the ropes of what it's like to be I'll never ever be as successful as him, but he definitely gave me and a lot of other artists road maps as to what it is to be successful and how to get there. And for him, the reason he's done that is because he works incredibly hard, but music is his passion in his life and he treats the people around him incredibly. Like I I was out on tour with him from day one cuz we were on the same management company. So it was me and him and Dirk's Bentley on a tour in 2007 um all the way up until 2013. I think I was out on the Brothers of the Sun tour with him and Tim McGra and uh I just would watch his camp and the people around him love him, man. Is because when you can get the people around you to love you and fight for you and like your whole aesthetic and the vibe is who you are because the people around you know who you are and they want to make like it's such a it's a feeling I've never had being on any other tour with anyone else. And everybody tries, but they'll ne they never get that. They never get what Kenny and his crew have, which I think is an amazing accomplishment. So, I say this about Kenny is like, I'm I'm lucky to have people like that in my life, man. And and and I'm lucky that we all have people like Kenny and and I want to support him because I know that like there's nobody more grateful and that like this is going to mean more to than him. Uh and I text him last night and I said that I was like, "Dude, I don't know if you guys have any extra seats or anything that I could just come. I'll stand in the back, but I I want to be there and watch you and Clint um who came up together and your whole team that has helped elevate you to that like I want to be there. I just want to be in the back and clap for you because the reason is I would hope that if I ever accomplish something like that I could look back in the back and not friends and stuff but like it's a big deal man when another artist like tells you that they appreciate what you do cuz artist to artist is you understand and uh throughout this record for me I've had multiple people reach out and tell me like dude what you guys are doing is incredible and it stuck with me because the I also wonder some of my friends that didn't, you know, and and I'm like, yeah, like a lot of people care about themselves and >> and so Kenny's always been that guy for me where he's just like if I text him, he instantly texted me back. >> I got friends of mine too that are never not even remotely dream of being on Kenny's level. I text him and like a week later, hey, sorry man, I've been a little busy. I'm like, oh really busier than Kenny Chzn. [laughter] Whatever, dude. Who are some of the what's what's the craziest phone number you have in your phone other than Kenny Chesy, Pton Manning? Like one that we wouldn't expect that you that you constantly that you communicate with. Oh damn, [sighs] man. I don't know, dude. I'm not like I mean I know it seems like I've dropped his name or whatever. I'm not really a name dropper or nothing. I'd say the best phone number I got on my phone, man, is my granddad WHO'S 103. >> WHOA. OH, >> AND he'll and uh and there's nobody on earth that's more important in my phone than him. And there's nobody on earth that I could call that could give me the wisdom and insight and knowledge. >> Still doing it out >> right now. I could call him right now and he'd answer the phone. Granddad, he's Hello there, grandson. [laughter] >> He would too, man. He's a gangster. My granddad I mean 103. My grandma's 102. They live alone in in Winter Haven, Florida, where I'm born, PT County. Shout out. And um yeah, they're like my granddad's an amazing man. And and and he's taught me a lot. I asked him how he made it that long and he told me cuz I'm grateful. And he said >> I said, "Well, how do you remain grateful all the time?" And he said, "You I'll never forget this, man." He said, "You can't truly be grateful with a bitter heart." And for me, it hit home a lot because I realized like, "No wonder my grant's 103. Like, he's right. I've never seen my grandad bitter. I've never seen him." And I'm like, I'm a bitter dude sometimes, like about things. And I've learned in my elder years getting more mature, that um like what do I have to be bitter about, man? I have I have a 103-year-old granddad that's still there reminding me to be grateful. Right. Right. Like we can all create our own demise by being bitter, but gratefulness, man, can carry you obviously a long way. And I think my granddad's a pure living proof of that. And so, uh, I just I I think, man, this is a really cool time in my life. Um, I couldn't be happier. Honestly, you're never like, >> "I figured it out." [laughter] I >> don't know about you guys, but like you got your life figured out. >> And that's cool. That's part of the love of that's part of the journey is like what's next? What's the next bump in the road or wrinkle in the road? Which is also a new song on this album. So, anyway, talking a lot here. >> After this record uh comes out, what are your live shows going to look like uh percentage-wise from old and new since the sound is so different? Uh, and how are you gonna transition in between songs? Just do it. >> Yeah, I uh I actually have been kind of sneaking in a few songs here and there. I just played over in Europe and uh I played some songs they don't even know, like not even out yet. And they freaked out. Like people freaked out. And I think that's because Europe has a little bit of a different take on music than the States. I mean, I love that the States loves country music, but Europe has like a respect for not only music, but each other more than the States do. >> Um, and uh, I could just tell like they listened and they got it. And it was really encouraging for me because uh, I realized that like it's not doesn't always have to be about the uptempo arena banger song, right? This has to be about making someone feel what you feel. And uh and I the songs I love the most in life, when I listen to them, I'm like, "Oh, I know. This is why I love this song." Like, it makes me feel something. Dude, I mean, I think we covered it all, man. I I appreciate you coming by. Th This album is great, and I love the transition you're making into the next phase of Jake Owen. >> Yeah, man. Me, too, dude. I I really am grateful as my granddad said um >> for like for there's been times in my life where I question like what is going on man like or or I question my myself and decisions I made but [laughter] oh my god >> holy look at this guy one of my best monies in the entire world dude how are you [laughter] >> are you dude I was They were like, "Jake here." I was like, "Wait, I got They're like, "Do this." I'm like, "No, >> skinnier than me, bro. >> You look good. >> What's up, man?" >> All right, let's bring in Billy Dukes now to talk about this interview here. >> 13 minutes and 16 seconds. That's how long it took before you got to question number two. >> Really? You know what's weird is that so I'd never met Jake and as you can hear in the beginning, you know, so he walked in and he was kind of a little a little cold with toward me with his intro. I mean, not really, but he wasn't like he was like, "Hey man, I'm Jake." And I'm like, "Okay." And then like he sat down. He was just kind of all business. And then asked him the first question. And I got to admit, like after I asked it, I was like, "Oh man, we're going to hit a brick right here. What's going on?" And then dude flipped it and talked for the longest I've ever had anybody talk without interruption. >> I I I think you described what happened perfectly. I thought it was a dud. And then in the room, I started to get kind of really excited about his answer because thinking, "Wow, this is some really interesting content." But sometimes that happens in the room, you're kind of invested in a way that maybe you're not upon playback. But watching back through this interview, like it was all solid. Like there I wouldn't have made any cuts even if we made cuts to these interviews because it was interesting. He moved from topic to topic. got really personal about his like his lows, his personal lows. He admitted, I think for the first time, that he and his fiance had broken up and he's single now. I know you didn't dive into that, but if people picked up on that, he did say um he went through his second breakup and he's single again. Like, that was interesting. And it just kind of kept rolling like people say all the time like, "Let the guest talk." That is what people want. You let the guest talk. No doubt about it. [laughter] >> Thanks, James. Yeah, definitely, man. Um, do you think that he was just waiting to get because he doesn't do a lot of interviews from what I see? I mean, do you think he had a lot to say and he was just waiting for the right opportunity to to get it out there? >> I think we were early on in his media tour. So, to answer that question is yes. I think he probably will do a lot of interviews for this uh album cycle cuz he talks about how much money he spent on this album. He's an independent artist. He's probably going to be doing more publicity than he's ever done for an album because it's his money at stake, right? Like he wins or loses. It's not a label that he has to fall back on. So I I think Yeah, I think he's been wanting to tell some of these stories and get this off of his chest and we were fortunate enough to be amongst the first to have them and and kind of catch a lot of that. And you know who's like who was like that? A good example of that recently is Low Cash who went out on their own and those guys really >> those guys literally went to every radio station that plays country music in America and like they stop everywhere, talked to every program director and did all that. And those are things you don't do unless you're independent like Billy said. So when you're independent, your money's at stake, you know. I guess we can we're going to see how far Jay Goen wants to drive this bus of his new sound and if it would I know he doesn't care based off of the interview, but if it will translate into any, you know, like number one hits. >> Yeah. I wonder how he's defining success with this news phase of music, right? Because it's really challenging to have that level of a hit as an independent artist. And I don't even what's the single? I I don't know if I could recall, which is probably bad research on my part. >> Yeah, I'm not sure. But I mean, I'll follow back with that Low Cash again. Like Low Cash did it. They had a number one single while they were independent. But yeah, it's so hard. >> But I wonder if he defines success before the album even comes out in making the kind of music he wanted to make. >> Think so. Even if it's a passion project and he loses money, I feel like he got it all out of >> This has always been like the story of Jake Owen. Like as long as I've known him and and we go back almost 20 years now. Like as long as I've known him, there's always been sort of that conflict between the artist he wants to be and the artist that the public perceives him. And even when he was making those songs where he talks about bro country and starting bro country like he was into those songs but he always wanted to kind of do this other thing that showed his traditional countryside and like he's from Florida and he's this beaching guy and he's so good-looking. Like people really struggled to sort of give him the credibility as a traditional country guy that I think he proves he's always deserved with this album. >> Yeah. I mean, I I gotta admit like I I didn't know he had 10 number one songs going into this and then but you can tell by like him mentioning Being and was the other one uh >> Barefoot Blue G nights of gold. Yeah, >> you could tell that those were the two like he's had eight other number ones, but he mentioned just those two. You could tell that those are the two that he's known for. I'm guilty of that, too. Like I Hey, when I get to the beach with my family, one of the first songs I put on, Sunshine, Tan Line, like dude, you got to put on beaching. So, a little bit of his other, he's actually had some success within the last five to seven years too, like since the beaching days. But amongst his other hits, Alone with You, the one that got away, Anywhere with you, and then he went to Big Loud, which is a different record label. He had been with Sony for the first decade and he released American Country Love Song that hit number one. Um I was Jack, you were Diane. Homemade. You remember Homemade? Homemade. >> Uh and Made for You. Best Things Since Backros was almost number one. And then after that, uh for whatever reason, two singles after that were Stiffs. And I I thought they were kind of clever. Although the last one he released on Big Love, maybe he doesn't really love. It's called On the Boat Again. It's kind of a take off Willie Nelson's On the Road Again. >> I thought that was good. I did too. I thought it was a clever little song. I >> I like that stuff. >> Yeah, I did as well. So, this is the first time anybody's actually kind of called me out in an interview with you, which was interesting. >> That got weird. >> Well, >> he said he hated you. So, I had to go back and look because back in the day when Taste of Country started, like our first five or six years, we would really review albums and songs and singles and we weren't mean. Like, I thought I did a pretty good job of it overall, but eventually it just kind of became messy as we added Taste of Country Radio, Taste of Country Nights Radio, and some of these other we had a festival series for a long time. Like it became complicated when artists wanted to play our festival and their manager would say, "Okay, great. We're in. But what about this jerk reviewer you have who panned my artist's song?" And I'd be like, "Wow, that I don't know that guy." >> There's a few artists that have mentioned that to me and you like Kit Moore, >> Chris Jansen. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I've had talks about it before. Um Jason Elden, he won't ever talk about it, but that was actually why we stopped. That was soon after my review for his song 1994 um that we stopped doing reviews. Um so I had to go back and look which Jake Owen songs was I not nice to. Did I pan right? >> No. I I think Beach and I liked Okay. The two I found were Alone with You I I said it was somewhat thin lyrically. Um but I gave it a three and a half star review out of five. But I gave the song Anywhere with You two stars out of five. And I said it's a song we've all heard a dozen times before. Served with generic country seasoning. >> Yeah, man. I mean, when you go out with those, what are they called? Oped pieces. When you go out on a limb, man, it's the same on the radio. Like, if you stay Swiss, you're okay. But the minute you're like, "This is not a good song," people are going to start taking note. But I'm glad that y'all cleared up your uh uh uh Biggie and Tupac beef and it didn't escalate because that got a little weird for a second, man. >> You know, I didn't know what to do. What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to talk about what's going on? You know, I was just let letting it unfold. Fortunately, no one could see me squirm just off the camera because, and this is a little bit of an insidery thing, too. Like, we've never been able really to talk about this because this is kind of we're just beginning to sort of share the video versions of these podcasts, but like I usually park myself and stand right behind the camera that is trained on the artist only. We call it the artist cam. So, a lot of times you'll see an artist looking at that camera a lot. It's cuz they're actually looking at me. And this tends to happen with artists that we have I have good relationships. >> Yeah. >> Sometimes to the point where I'm like, you know, pointing >> like look over that way. >> I think it's good though because it does look look like they're looking at the camera. So it it it adds an element because sometimes I'll forget that if I forget that you're there and they'll and the artist like says something uh prolific and they look over in that direction, I'm like, "Oo, okay. media trained, you know. Well, really, I guess they're just looking at Billy Dukes, man. >> So, this interview ended with a big tease. First of all, I think Jake Owen would come back, right? Like, this was in my mind, this was one of your >> your top interviews. It was deep. It was long. >> Yeah, >> we got some good news nuggets. Um, >> yeah. >> And it was all the artists. Like, you know, you you did a nice job of kind of not making it all about you, which you often do, but this was like the best example of it. Um, but it ended with a nice tease about who entered the room >> without plan. We didn't know this artist was coming into the room. Um, and then it leads it to like what will be next week's podcast. >> Yeah, you got to check it out because it was really like the timing was weird too cuz we were I was pretty much done with Jake. I've been like however long and then you just hear them three taps on the glass >> and everyone looks back and it was like what? So I'm I'm excited to bring you guys that next week. Um and I promise you it'll be worth it, especially if you've been a fan of country music for a while. That's that's what we'll say. So thank you for checking out this podcast. Can we call it like a video cast? Well, it's both, you know, video and we're on YouTube now. For people who have been listening loyal to us through the audio players, feel free to check us out on on our YouTube channel. But, um, yeah, it's it's we've just expanded into some other realms, I guess. >> Nice. Check us out. Check me out. Scratching my beard. We'll be back next week here on Taste of Country Nights on demand.