He was born in Winter Haven with fraternal twin, Jarrod, and moved to the Treasure Coast town at an early age, graduated from Vero Beach High School and attended Florida State University.
He planned to go pro at golf, but a wakeboarding injury set him on a different path. He picked up a guitar and started playing at bars across Florida, including Riverside Café in Vero Beach and Potbelly’s in Tallahassee.
He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, changed his name when he signed with his first record label and released several hit songs, including “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Alone with You,” “The One That Got Away,” “Anywhere with You,” “Beachin’” and “Homemade.”
Videos of his songs have received millions of views on YouTube.
Owen's laid back sound was influenced in part by Jimmy Buffett, born in Mississippi but associated with Florida because he's lived in the Sunshine State for years and his "Margaritaville" brand.
Hometown boy:Jake Owen looks forward to bringing country music friends to his Vero Beach home | Laurie's Stories
In 2010, Owen created the nonprofit Jake Owen Foundation to offer financial support on a national level to children being treated for cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, as well as provide assistance to youth organizations and charities in Indian River County.
He raises money for the foundation through an annual benefit concert, a songwriters’ showcase and a celebrity golf tournament in Vero Beach. A Little League baseball field in Vero Beach, where he played as a kid, was named after him.
