August  28

Joshua Ryan Owen's  Birthday
 

This article might have been about one of the newer golf stars rather than one of the newer country music stars if Josh Owen hadn't had a serious wakeboarding accident while he was attending Florida State University. Wakeboarding is a water sport that requires combination of water skiing, snow boarding, and surfing techniques. Josh won his first tournament at age 15 and had won a place on the FSU golf team.. But his accident required extensive surgery which ended his promising golf career, and while he was recovering , he borrowed a buddy's  guitar and began to teach himself how to play it. He was soon playing in a local bar and writing some of his own music.

Like many new aspiring country singers, Josh  moved to Nashville, hoping to break into the country music business where he was eventually signed  by RCA Records in 2005. who suggested that Josh changed his first name to Jake, so as to avoid confusion with country singers Josh Turner and Josh Gracin since apparently the county  music industry did not want to be known for its excessive joshing. He released his debut album Startin' with Me that year and his debut single "Yee Haw" peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. His next album  "Easy Does It" was released in February 2009. It opened at #2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums. The title track that spent more than 35 weeks on Billboard Country chart and became his first Top 10 hit. The came his greatest success to date when in September 2011, the lead-off single and title track to the album "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" became his first at #1 single on the country chart.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Jake leads a very private like and it is impossible to even find an celebrity gossip about the handsome singer. There was a short-lived rumor of Jake dating pop star Britney Spear resulting from a YouTube video that shows the two singers engaged in some hot dance moves at one of Britney's shows. When questioned about the video by a Missouri radio station,  Jake replied "I ended up getting a lap dance on stage from her, which was pretty interesting," Jake explains  99... I haven't talked to her since." ,fter which he admitted "I had a girlfriend for quite some time and we broke up, and that's OK. Things happen for a reason. I'm enjoying my single life right now." One reason may be his recent appearance in People magazine's Sexiest Men in Country issue, which obviously pleased his twin brother Jarrod who is often mistakes for Jake.

One of our favorite Jake Owen songs is "Green  Bananas" which provides the life mantra for many young people
 

I don't own an umbrella If it rains I'm gonna get wet And I don't buy green bananas 'Cause I don't plan that far ahead

and is why we suggest celebrating Jake's birthday with Green Banana Curry while enjoying Second Best (1994) in which Jake playa the young boy Jimmy.

Green Banana Curry