Country artist Jake Owen will be performing at the N.C. State Fair on Saturday, Oct. 13. Owen, who entered the country music scene in 2006, quickly made a name for himself with hits such as “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” “Alone With You” and “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You.”
The Florida native, like so many other singers, moved to Nashville with a guitar and a dream. But unlike many others, he was almost an immediate success. Within months of moving to Nashville, Jake had landed a contract.
He recorded his first album, “Startin’ with Me,” and quickly followed it up with his second album, “Easy Does It.” In 2011, he released his third album, entitled “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.” It included two singles that have made it to No. 1 on the country charts.
One of those songs is the title track, and it is one of my favorites. Perhaps the reason that Owen’s song particularly stuck out to me was that it almost perfectly describes my summers at home.
The song starts out, “A full moon shinin’ bright, edge of the water; we were feelin’ alright…”
One of my favorite summertime activities is going to my best friend’s lake house. We spend the day soaking up the sun, swimming, tubing and just riding around on the boat.
Right around dusk, we pile in the boat and head out on a sunset boat ride. It is truly awe-inspiring. I love watching the vibrant pinks, oranges and purples melt away into inky darkness. Then, the stars come out and the moon rises, creating the perfect backdrop for our very own “Southern, summer barefoot blue jean night.”
The boys normally try to build the biggest bonfire they possibly can, while the girls sit around the fire and talk. Once the guys are satisfied (or give up) with their fire, we all sit around the fire laughing, telling stories and sharing dreams. Eventually, we all just get quiet. We listen to the water gently lapping against the shore, the bugs singing in the night air and the fire quietly snapping and popping as it dies down. It’s a time to reflect on life, on happiness, on friendship—on the things that truly matter. It’s just like Owen says, “We were comin’ alive, Yeah! Caught up in a Southern summer, barefoot, blue jean night.”
Great tickets are still available for the Oct. 13 show. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.ncstatefair.org. All Dorton Arena concerts start at 7:30 p.m.
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