Jake Owen at Knitting Factory in Spokane, WA April 14th

"You've got to care about the music...You'd better not be doing it for the publicity, the fame or the money. And you'd sure better not be doing it because it's a way to make a living, 'cause that ain't always going to be easy. You got to believe it, believe in the music. You got to mean it." -- Waylon Jennings

A framed copy of that quote hangs on the wall in Jake Owen's home in Nashville. It's served as a valuable piece of advice in the last few years as he's made the transition from a country newcomer with an infectious first single called "Yee Haw" to a bona fide star with a handful of hits under his belt and an ever-growing and loyal fan base.

Some young artists might buckle under the kind of pressure and distractions that comes with country stardom, but Jake's sophomore album, Easy Does It, indicates he's taking Waylon's words to heart. There's a certain confidence and honesty evident in Jake's performances on all of the album's 10 tracks, eight of which he had a hand in writing. In short, Jake makes it all look, well, easy.

In the past three years, Jake's racked up plenty of reasons to believe in himself and the creative direction he is taking on Easy Does It. The journey began in 2006 with the release of his debut album on RCA Nashville, Startin' With Me. The insightful title cut from that project hit the country top ten, leading to Jake's first ACM nomination for Top New Male Vocalist. An out-of-left-field hit with Sugarland and Little Big Town on the tune "Life in a Northern Town" gave Jake's upward career momentum even more steam, garnering the Florida native his first CMA and Grammy nominations in 2008. With the new project, Jake builds on these successes, using his own life as the catalyst for his songwriting.


Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Knitting Factory Concert House
Spokane, WA
Doors – 7:00 pm Show – 8:00 pm
Tickets On Sale Friday February 5, 2010 at 10 am