Jake Owen to bring sunshine to Lakes Jam stage

Country star Jake Owen, with his hits "Something About a Woman," "Don't Think I Can't Love You," "Eight Second Ride" and "Tell Me" will be the headliner for country night at Lakes Jam.

Owen will take the stage at 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the three-day music fest at Brainerd International Raceway, north of Baxter off Highway 371.

"This will be my last show before taking a long family vacation which is much needed," Owen said in an phone interview. "I've been on the road for a long time and my little girl is 4 and I am excited for when I leave Minnesota I will see her for a week, so I will be in really good spirits come Saturday night.

"It's hard (not seeing family) but there is so much about being on the road that is so fulfilling. Even though I don't get to see my own daughter, the thought of looking out there at the crowds and watching husbands and wives with their kids on their shoulders. I get a lot of pleasure seeing a dad smile when I hand their kid a drumstick and you see the dad's pride that they are like, 'My kid is going to be so happy and will never forget this moment.' ... And that is an opportunity I have as an artist to do for people on a daily basis. There are times where I miss my family and seeing my little girl, but there is something special to make someone's day and create a memory for them."

Owen plans to put on a show Lakes Jam fans have never seen before. A Florida native, Owen said he has a great band and they plan to bring the beach and sunshine to Minnesota. Fans can expect palm trees and a three-piece horn section, he added.

"It'll be a lot of fun," Owen said.

Owen is a big fan of the state of Minnesota, as it "saved his dad's life." Owen said his dad had throat cancer and he was treated at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He said his dad has been in remission-cancer free-for three years.

"Minnesota will always be a special place in my heart," Owen said.

Owen said all his songs mean something to him.

"It's kind of like having children," Owen said. "Once you birth a song it lives forever, it will outlive me. All my songs have different meanings in different ways. I write songs that are really happy and fun to play and I write songs that are very real to life and there are different reactions from people. Sometimes people will come and say I'll never forget that summer when that song 'Blue Jean Night' came out where I was with my friends. Then people will tell me about the songs like 'What We Ain't Got,' it's a slow ballad and it's something that got them through a hard time in their life and I love that. It's a great feeling of knowing you can add things to people's life with music."

Owen's latest single that came out this past spring called "Good Company" and the country star said Lakes Jam fans will want to hear it as it has a good summertime feel to it. Owen said the whole concept around the song is being around the people you want to be around.

Owen has always loved music, but didn't know he would follow a career in music until hurting his shoulder. He was going to be a professional golfer and he attended Florida State University. He said he found a guitar during the rehabilitation of his shoulder and started playing it. He said people enjoyed listening to him, they'd sing along and he enjoyed that feeling.

"I was raised by a mother and father who taught me great morals and values in life and if you use the talent the good Lord gives you to help other people and create happiness then that to me is more fulfilling."

Owen released his debut album "Startin' with Me" in 2006 and had three singles "Yee Haw," "Something About a Woman" and "Startin' with Me" that made it to the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot Country Song listing. His second album "Easy Does It" was released in 2009 which made it to No. 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart. His next album, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" came out two years later and included hits of "Barefoot Blue Jean Night," "Alone With You," "The One that Got Away" and "Anywhere With You." His fourth album "Days of Gold" was released in 2013 and his fifth album "Real Life" was released in May of 2015.

Owen won the "Top New Male Vocalist" in 2009 and the "Breakthrough Artist of the Year" at the American Country Awards in 2012.

Off the topic of music, Owen who used to have long brown hair, cut it several years ago.
"I'm glad people are still talking about it," Owen said with a chuckle. "It's still taking people by surprise everyday. People at the meet and greets who are used to seeing me with long hair and they kind of look at me like "Is that him?' and I am like this is me."

Owen said he cut his hair, simply because he was bored and a spur of the moment decision.

If You Go

Lakes Jam 2017

• When: Thursday-Saturday

• Where: Brainerd International Raceway

• Thursday: Dylan Jakobsen, 2 p.m.; 32 Below, 4 p.m.; Chris Hawkey, 6 p.m.; Locash, 8 p.m.; and Chris Janson, 10:30 p.m.

• Friday: Fabulous Armadillos, 4 p.m.; Buckcherry, 6 p.m.; Bret Michaels, 8 p.m.; and Skillet, 10:30 p.m. On the secondary stage will be Analog Drifters at noon; and Fookey at 2 p.m.; Kat Perkins at 11:30 p.m.

• Saturday: Maiden Dixie, 4 p.m.; Montgomery Gentry, 6 p.m.; Trace Adkins, 8 p.m.; and Jake Owen, 10:30 p.m. On the secondary stage will be Steele River Band, time to be determined; and Chris Hawkey at 11:30 p.m.