Jake Owen has been sober for 689 days. The country superstar shared an update on his sobriety with fans via his Instagram Stories on Monday evening (Aug. 7).
The singer began his message by addressing anyone who might be “thinking about it” themselves and “kinda” wants to “explore ‘maybe not drinkin’ anymore.” “Well take it from me, your friend Jake,” Owen wrote. “Well take it from me, your friend Jake. 689 days ago I made a decision. I’ve stuck to it, and I’m really proud of myself,” he continued.
Owen explained that he did not feel he was at a point where he had a drinking problem. “I was not at a point where I had a drinking problem, I was just being an a**hole and being a person I don’t want to be. Trust me, there’s probably someone reading this that I affected in my days of being an idiot and I can never take that back,” the chart-topping hitmaker added.
“I said things I shouldn’t, as well as did things I would never do sober,” Owen admitted. “I had to own up to those instances and the ONLY thing I could do was be a better person going forward. I’ve been so fortunate to have friends and family around me that support me and I’m so grateful for that.”
Encouraged Fans Who Want To Get Sober To Do So
The Florida native went on to encourage anyone reading that might be considering getting sober themselves “that you should!” “Feel better,” he shared. “Be better. Shoot… I’ll be your supporter. I’ll cheer you on.”
Owen also recommended the Huberman Lab Podcast episode What Alcohol Does to Your Brain, Body and Health.
“If you need anymore reasons and some awesome information on why alcohol is terrible for you in general, I would HIGHLY recommend you check out this amazing podcast by Andrew Huberman,” he concluded.
First Revealed His Newfound Sobriety In August of 2022
The father of two first opened up about his sobriety last summer, when he revealed to fans on social media in August that he had been sober for over 300 days.
“317 days ago I embarrassed myself after drinking too much alcohol one night,” he wrote at the time. “It wasn’t the first time either. The next day I told myself, ‘never again.’ I am better than that, and the people I love the most deserve better. My family, my little girls, and my friends.”
“Just wanted to share my journey in case anyone woke up this morning and wants to make a change,” he added. “None of us are perfect…I’m just trying to be the best version of myself these days.”
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight about his decision, Owen explained that “everything” he does in life “is spontaneous.”
“Like, when I decided I am not going to drink anymore — thankfully, I am not — and what I have learned is I wasn’t like a lot of people where it is really hard to quit. I was just like, ‘Hey, I am making some pretty stupid decisions when I do drink and I shouldn’t do that anymore,’” he said. “So, I am not going to, and I did, and I just told people that.”
“On The Boat Again” And New Album, Loose Cannon
On the musical front, Owen released his latest album, Loose Cannon, in June, and just shared the music video for current single “On The Boat Again,” an on-the-water anthem inspired by Willie Nelson’s classic “On the Road Again.”
“One thing that I think I’ve missed over the last few years is not giving Country radio the songs that they really like. I think they’re waiting for me to give them another Summer Jake Owen song that feels good that they’re like, ‘yes, this is you,’” Owen previously shared. “And so that’s kind of what ‘On The Boat Again’ is. And it’s something that I think is fun and you can’t take it so seriously. That’s why people have a good time listening to it. And I think too, that’s why I’ve been excited and happy about putting out music because if you don’t take yourself so seriously, you can have a lot more fun.”
Additionally, Jake Owen will soon hit the road on his headlining Loose Cannon Tour, which kicks off on September 7 in Cleveland, Ohio. The 12-date trek will feature support from Tyler Booth and Daves Highway.
