Jake Owen has fast become accustomed to playing for huge crowds — and he loves it — but as sociable as Jake is in person, and as much as he’s in the public eye, he appreciates devoting some of his free time to just being by himself and having time to reflect. He also admits that he’s not especially comfortable being stuck in big groups of people, or even a crowded elevator. “That freaks me out,” he says, “I’ve never been one that wants to be in the middle of a bunch of people at one time.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

• Jake is hot on the radio now with the kick-it-up energy of his latest hit, “Eight Second Ride.” Be sure to catch Jake’s knockout live performance of the song this Saturday, as GAC offers their premiere airing of the recent ABC special, CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock. Featuring music and fun from the 2009 CMA Music Festival in Nashville, you can see the special at 8pm, ET, with additional airings beginning at midnight, ET, Sunday morning and again at 5pm, ET.
• “Eight Second Ride” is on Jake’s current album, Easy Does It, which is also home to his blockbuster, “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You.”
• Look for a photo and a few insights on Jake and his twin brother Jarrod as part of a feature on country celebrities with a twin connection in the new issue of People Country, on sale now. 

  Jake Owen appreciates having some alone time…and some space. (:36)
“Every day I spend my days surrounded with people that I enjoy seeing and playin’ for, but when it’s time off, you know, I want to just kind of take some alone time and just downtime, and just really reflect on everything that’s goin’ on, and just kind of let everything kind of clear my mind a little bit. I don’t like gettin’ stuck in big crowds, and I don’t like bein’ on elevators with a lot of people. That freaks me out. I just…I get really uncomfortable. I mean, I love to talk to people and create conversations, and I’ve just…I’ve never been one that wants to be in the middle of a bunch of people at one time.”