Jake Owen Stunned By Kenny Chesney's 'Ghost' Story

NASHVILLE, TN (Jake Owen Official Website) - 24-year-old Florida native Jake Owen stands in awe, as his co-written, debut single, 'Yee Haw,' has quickly taken hold at radio, currently at number 39 in R&R after only 2 weeks. 'I know it's happening 'cause I hear it on the radio and we're out here visiting radio, having a blast, but still, it doesn't seem real,' he said as he was pulling into Omaha, NE, continuing his radio tour.

Jake returns to Nashville next week to put the finishing touches on his debut album which will be released this summer. One song already finished is a tune that Jake wrote called, 'Ghost,' based on stories he heard about a grandfather he never knew.

Along with co-writers Jimmy Ritchey and Chuck Jones, 'Ghost' was written not long after Jake arrived in Nashville. The song was immediately put on hold by superstar Kenny Chesney, who planned to record it. Not long after that, Jake inked his record deal with RCA Nashville, sister label of BNA Records, the home of Kenny Chesney.

'It was one of Kenny's last shows of 2005 and Joe (Galante, Chairman, RCA Label Group) and Renee (Bell, Senior VP, A&R, RCA Label Group) took me to see his show,' recalled Jake. 'So it's really wild being there in the first place because it wasn't that long ago I was in the audience watching Kenny run all over that stage at the Leon County Civic Center in Tallahassee, and here I am backstage, on his bus!'

'So we're talking, and Renee says, 'Kenny, Jake co-wrote the song 'Ghost.' Suddenly, he starts singing it back us. Word for word. It didn't even seem real to me. I was stunned. He said it was a great song but it just didn't work for the album he was working on but told me I had to put it on my record. So we did!'

In addition to finishing the album, Jake is looking forward to returning to his old college haunts and the bar where he performed in Tallahassee, where he will film the music video for his hit song, 'Yee Haw.' More to come.