Andy Frasco's World Saving Podcast - Jake Owen on Family, Sobriety, and Leading by Example

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

Jake Owen just released a new album, Dreams to Dream. In this conversation we don't talk about that at all; instead we go deep on his family life, mindset, and competitive nature. We also touch on how Nashville has changed over the years, antics with his twin brother, and the roundabout way he got to live his father's dream by golfing with Jordan Spieth at Pebble Beach and talking trash to Phil Mickelson. 👉 Subscribe for new episodes every Tuesday 📲 Follow Andy on Instagram and TikTok: @andyfrasco and @worldsavingpodcast Call and leave us a message and we might respond to you on the show: [phone] The World Saving Podcast is part comedy podcast, part music podcast — with raw musician interviews, funny podcast clips, and highlights from Andy's adventures on the road. Each week features musicians, comedians, athletes, or everyday legends. Watch this episode now on Volume.com & YouTube. If you like this podcast and want more, sign up for OnlyFrasco exclusively on Volume.com. They also have tons of live streams, concert recordings, and unique artist experiences. For all things Frasco, go to: AndyFrasco.com

Not taking advantage of it in a bad way. Like, take advantage of what these opportunities are. And through this dream of making it in music that took me back to golf, things like playing the AT&T, Pebble Beach Pro Am every year and getting paired with Jordan Speed, who, you know, after the first or second year, I played with them out there. He wins the Masters, the U.S. Open. And then he wins Pebble Beach.

And my dad was caddian for me. That's crazy. All 72 holes at 10. Heble Beach next to the number one of the world with your dad and watch him win a PGA tour event. And you're like, why am I even here? And it's like, oh, yeah, because one day I decided to tell everybody that they're crazy and I was going to move to Nashville and sing some country music. And now dad and I are sitting on 18th Green, like hugging Jordan's feet when he wins his turn.

Like, it's pretty amazing, man. Like, I have a million stories like that have happened that would never have happened if I wouldn't have just like, then like, like, nah, think I'm going to move to Nashville. So one fan got 514 emails. I was like, oh my God, this guy probably ate. All with Vemmo requests. It's like, yeah, it's like, I'm a Nigerian prince from Denver. I'm trying to promote my new single, Tumbleweed.

Tumbleweed. Please send me $2,000 and I'll send you back $4,000. Right, right, right. So I wanted to make a public apology because it wasn't our fault, but I still feel bad for, you know, I'm not. into spam because I hate spam in my email. It doesn't work. It's pointless. We're bringing in the guy who had to get 514 emails. Zach, how you doing? Welcome to the show.

Thanks. Good to be here. What's going on, man? Tell me, how are you feeling on that day? Oh, man. I had other stuff going on. I kept getting these notifications. My Gmail pings me every time I get one. So it was one after another It was filling up my screen

So I tried to snooze it I guess the snooze can only handle Like a hundred or so at a time Because a few minutes later Here they come again I was like oh no The snooze is broken now The snooze can't even handle this like bombardment

And I swear to God I thought it was you guys Sitting right there in those chairs on laptops Getting sin, sin, sin, sin, sin Sin and just laughing hysterically I was like just I was like just, man Oh dude

I, dude, I am so sorry. We tried to get the CEO of Feature.fm to come on the show to give you a public apology letter. I mean, I would be pissed. I don't know why you still dig our band. I would be like, fuck this band. No, I take it all in stride, man. I love you guys. Hell yeah, Midwest, baby.

That's what I talk about. So, so I can't believe that shit. Like, I would hate that so much. I would start hating that band. So you sent me a message, right? You're like, yo, bro, chill out. Oh, he like sidebarred you? I think you sidebarred me, right, Zach?

No, it wasn't me. I didn't say anything. I thought it was a prank, and I thought everybody got the same amount of emails. So I just doubted out. I was just out that I got more than anybody else. You got the most. So out of 2,000 people. So, like, we presaid, what, 5,000 or 6,000 people for the pre-save of the song.

But randomly, randomly the 2,000 people got between... 10 emails or 514 fucking emails. I wonder why some people got more than others. That's what's confusing. They said it was like this like glitch in the, what do they call that? The check, not the check code. Yeah. So like it multiplied.

So it multiplied and multiplied and multiplied. But some people got more than others. Exactly. That's what I don't get. You think the glitch would be consistent. It was weird. See, that's what I'm talking about. Huh.

Their story does not add up. Everything's not adding up because code is usually. pretty we're like oh poor Zach we're like we're gonna get this dude what do you think Neil do you think what do you think get in here Neil what do you think we have another analyst our world saving podcast

Neil what do you think is going on here do you think we fuck this up do you think we're lying hey Nick clearly fully intentional no it was

come on how does anybody How can you believe that? It's like different numbers. You sat there that morning. You missed three flights because you're sitting there like, I'm going to get this guy, 514 times. I'm going to get this dude exactly 200 so that it looks like just a little code off,

a little bit off the code. It's like Dexter, like instead of killing someone, I just send them emails until they commit suicide. I'm proud of you. It's very smart covering your tracks here. Thank you. How many different people got like hundreds of emails? A lot of people got hundreds of emails. You should know.

No, you'd give them exactly, you had an exact list of Steve. You're Santa Claus with emails. It was 1,753 people got, and they said out of that, like seven or eight hundred of them got 200 plus. Yeah, I would have missed three fights doing that. Shut the fuck. All right, we're done here. Later, later, Neil. Thank you so much for being on the show.

But it's embarrassing because, like, you know, like, I'm not, this is important. and my fan, you know. It's like, it's my fans. You know? And it makes you look bad. It makes me look like a f***le. Me at 4 a.m. all fucked up in Chinatown just saying, send, send, send, send.

Maybe you did do it, actually. I just don't remember. Yeah, you don't remember. It's like that, um. You had hired a bunch of Chinese people in, like, the back of a restaurant, and they're like, chish, shh, shh, shh. Keep work.

Work. Send, send, send. We've got to get 85 cents on Spotify. all to make $1.75 on Spotify. So, Zach, we want to apologize for what happened. So we wanted to give you a gift, if you don't mind. We're going to give the option to pre-save it one more time. We're going to have the song one more time.

Right on, right on, guys. But we're going to give you anything you want from the merch table, and we're going to give you any show you want to go to for the next five years. So it's all you. That's solid. Solid. Sorry about the mishap. And I'll send you the blackout dates for that.

We'll send you the blackout. Yeah, yeah. Dude, I'm in the middle of nowhere. I can't get to many shows. Trust me. Where do you live? Where are you? I'm in a Toka, Oklahoma, which is about halfway between Dallas and Oklahoma City.

Oh, my God. I'm out in the woods. What do you do out there? What do you do out there? Whatever I want. I love that. Whoa. Is that like a safe behind you?

Like, what's going on behind you? Is that a safe? Yeah, I'm actually in my office, and that is my safe behind me. What's in a safe? What's in a... Oh, you got some guns in there? A few, yeah. Hell yeah.

I'm just sitting in my office. But hey, I wanted to thank you for... I met you at Hillberry. I don't know if you remember, but before your show, I was walking, stumbling around tripping in the dark, and I saw who I thought was you, and I said your name, and you looked up, and I was like, holy shit, it's really him, and I just gave you a big hug, dude, and you hug me back, and man, it just made mine whole night. And then the other sweet set, Hillberry, it was great time.

I love the farm. Zach, you're the fuck, man. I wanted to get into that safe a little bit. Yeah, that safe looks fun. Like, what's going on? He's like, no, no. You got a little bit of stuff in there. Damn, we got a big ass tape.

No, I appreciate that, Zach. You know, I'm always roaming around in the festival, and especially Hilberry is such, you know, you've been with me for a long time. If you're from Oklahoma, I mean, you've seen me play with me play with. probably Norman. So I just, that's why I felt bad. Like the,

you know, the people who pre-save are like my serious. They're my day ones. They're my day-ones. Who always, so I just felt horrible that you got 514 emails

in the middle of Oklahoma. So, well, despite that, I did not pre-save because I don't pre-save anything. I've pre-saved albums before. It adds the whole album to your Spotify list if you pre-save it.

So some stuff I don't, like I don't go through and pre-save, As soon as it dropped, of course, I was listening. I love it. Dude. See, this is what I'm saying. I tell my fans who don't pre-save ever. Our fan base, Jamsey does not pre-save anything.

So you're telling a pre-save because you're trying to be like one of those popular major label records. I just don't think it does anything either. It doesn't. It's all fucking smoking ears. It's either you're famous or you're not. You're either famous or not. You're basically convincing the label that you have fans. Exactly.

Before. I'm like, just trust me that my fans are going to listen to this song. Yeah, you still listen to it, right? You still listen to it, right? No, I haven't gone. Oh, yeah. It's in the safe It's in the safe

I'm like computers in the safe I was going to listen to it Now I'm not Yeah yeah yeah Not until I get my merch Yeah well Email Eva She's going

She's gonna Whatever you want in the merch And I told her Whatever shows you want to go to I'm taking care of it So Yeah You're the best name man

I love you to death Can you get a plus one? You have a plus one too You can have a plus two You have a plus two Does it roll Bring the safe Hell yeah.

No, it doesn't, but it can. Too much stuff in there. You got a plus one, but you have to bring a girl. No, you can bring a man. I'm kidding. I got you. That's what's going to happen. We're about to get frontyed here.

You know? Bring the women to the frasco show. Bring the women to the frasco show. No, not that way. Jesus Christ. You're trying to cancel me. I'm just getting out of Tumble game, and you're trying to cancel me through the fronty thing.

I will get you canceled by 2007. Okay, buddy. If it's a last thing I do Like, Zach, have a great day Thanks for being on the show You too, thanks guys I appreciate it Thank you so much

Love you Later bro Take care Peace guys Salt of the earth Peace I want to know what's in that safe So bad

I can't stop thinking about That safe What the safe is cool Oh I can't stop thinking about it I can't stop thinking about it either I got a pretty good idea What's in there? What do you think's in there?

I can't say I can't say either He lives in Oklahoma You probably can't say What's in there I'll show you guys I don't want you to show it to the world Exactly

Yeah No no we're not No no no Don't show is done show. It ain't legal there, I bet. The guns are legal, but the other stuff. That looks fun, though. I want a safe.

I want a safe so bad. You should get a safe. You would end up locking yourself in there. So we got Jake Owen on the show. Jake. Speaking of safes. Jake Owen definitely has a safe. Two handsome country boys.

God, what a handsome country man. On the pod today. Very, yeah, Zach's very handsome, very handsome country man. And we got Jake Owen, another handsome countryman. You're going to enjoy this episode. Don't miss out. And then who's next week? Oh, STS 9.

Yep. Jam bands. Do you want to talk before we get off this? How'd you do? What do you mean? How'd I do what? How was the week? You good?

I'm good. Tired. I'm good. I'm going to sleep. You look cute. Shade my head. Looks good. I've been pretty just working on stuff,

making the, writing the award show, making some clips. We've got the award show coming up, people, the world saving. Everybody's favorite side episode. Do you think Neil regrets is working for us now?

Yes. Does he hate it? Do you hate working for us? He didn't have anything better to do. So far. He doesn't listen to the interviews. He doesn't care. It's noon on a Wednesday in Denver.

He doesn't have anything to do. Or Thursday. Look at him. I hung out with Scotty's wing. I talked about you. Where'd you hang out with him at? I went to his house. When?

I think he's trying to be cool with me. He's trying to like be cool with me. I don't think he was ever not cool with you. Remember when he called me out of COVID? Oh, COVID doesn't count for anything, I don't think. I think we can all just forget. He called me a dumb bitch. And he said.

He did? Okay. that's awesome he called me a dumb bitch for not wearing a mask well one thing scottie likes to do is put his opinion online he does yeah

I told him I'm team Neil he's a big fan of those like face the camera I can't believe that happened we're talking about that Scotty um was like I'm like I really didn't know about the dope pot that I didn't set you up like that

I really didn't know that he was that was random that was so random it's crazy um all right let's get out of here you don't bitch I'm so dumb. Such a dumb bitch.

I know. What the fuck? He called you a dumb bitch. I didn't know it was that deep. He's like, you dumb bitch. Well, he likes to be on politics and like talk to the camera and stuff. He's like one of those guys. I know. I can't yell that because I'm telling everyone to follow the dreams.

He's one of those guys. Okay, got to go. Bye guys. Have a great day. Bye. This is a call to action. You guys love this podcast. This is your way to support us.

Head over to volume.com slash Andy Frasco and support the podcast. It's five bucks a month. You're going to get extra podcast episodes, extra Nick episodes, Monday morning motivations. The whole nine keeps his podcast going because I love doing it and I want to just be part of this forever. We just need your help. So head over to volume.com slash Andy Frasco. Subscribe to our only Frasco podcast because without you, Nick will be on the street. And do you want Nick to be on the street?

No, I don't want him to move into my house either. Okay, so either to subscribe to this or Nick will be on the street. the street. All right, bye. Wow. Look at this handsome motherfucker right here. What's up, Jake? How you doing, buddy? Oh, man, I'm good. How are y'all doing? I'm doing good. Just hanging in Denver, finally have a day off. It's all good. Where are you right now? I'm actually just outside Nashville. I live in Kingston Springs, which is like 20, 20 minutes just outside the like downtown Nashville area.

Oh, fuck, yeah, man. Let's start this conversation here. How much has Nashville changed in the 20 years do you've been there? A lot. In so many different ways, you know, obviously the influx of just business and downtown Broadway, that's just changed incredibly. And then when I go down there now, like the buildings they've built down there, I don't even, I sometimes don't even recognize what road I'm on.

It's pretty wild. The property values have obviously gone up a lot, and that's cool. But I kind of got out of town a long time ago. I got out here west of town, Kingston Springs. Do you think you have to get out of the riffraff to not, like, trigger you to, like, just get fucked up all the time? I feel like I have to, like, kind of be far away from the riffraff for me to, like, not feel like go out, go have a bender on a fucking Tuesday, you know what I'm saying?

Yeah, dude, thank goodness about four years. Well, it's just over four years ago I quit drinking. So when I did that, I kind of, I realized once I stopped drinking, I just stayed away from that type of stuff in general. And not that I don't still have fun. I'm a good, you know, I'm a good time. But I tell my buddies a lot, I'm like, I don't ever go downtown. I just don't ever get down there.

I probably should. What? Why, what triggered you to stop drinking? What was there a moment in time? Like crazy? You just weren't feeling good? Tell us a little bit why you went so. No, I didn't, I didn't really, I didn't drink that much. To be honest with you, I was just an asshole, man, when I did. And yeah, yeah, yeah. Just like, like, just not only people I love, but just like myself and just, you know, and it's a, I have a history. that in my family and I have a twin brother who deals with that as well and I have two most importantly really I have two daughters and um my oldest well it will be a teenager this month she'll be 13 and my youngest is six and so like I said it's been four years so my youngest has never really seen me drink and I you know long answer your short question I just feel like it was time man for me to kind of fucking step up, not be an idiot anymore.

And I can tell you it's hell. It's definitely a hell. Got to lock in. Got to lock in. Yeah. I mean, yeah, we're musicians too. We've been doing for 15 years just on the road nonstop. And sometimes no one's going to tell you to lock in beside your fucking self sometimes.

You know, everyone's going to be like, yeah, do this, do that. And you might not listen to him anyway. Yeah, you might not listen to them anyway. So how long did it, were you always trying to like tell yourself, to lock in on that stuff or just one time like I'm just kind of over this I think I was just kind of over it I had enough times of feeling morally like just guilty for stuff that I didn't want I felt like okay the only reason I'm feeling bad about this is because I did do some stupid shit last night but I put myself in the position to do that stupid shit and it wasn't worth the feeling

I had the following day over and over and I would just feel like that I'm like this is this is a exhausting to feel this way and I'm putting myself in this position so when I stopped drinking you know and I don't even preach about it really like when I stopped drinking a lot of my friends noticed about me they were like dude you enjoy it like how do you feel like you look like you're happy you look like you feel good and it made me it made me kind of smile internally knowing that some of my friends have been inspired to honestly do the same thing because they kind of they They saw it in me that it just kind of made my life better. And I think that's been the biggest benefit.

You look, you know, it's like you've dealt with your anger issues. You look like, do you have like any advice for like guys like Morgan Wallin who fucking throws a fucking chair out the fucking hotel? You know, like some of these homies like, have you taught, are you close with this new scene of Nashville? And what kind of advice can you give them when everyone's looking at you all the same? every all the time great question dude that's a great question the difference is and it does make me sound older uh i just turned 44 man i got my record deal of the right you know i think he's 28 now

so he's he's old enough to know better and i think he's getting he's getting better hopefully you know that's that's part of this whole journey and like maturing and coming up in this like this business which is can be so weird Um, my, I mean, my, I, I guess I look at it too. Like if I, if there were cameras around and social media and stuff in 2006, seven, eight when I was really like first got my record deal and was out on these tours and it was wild, man. Uh, so I, I feel for him in ways. Uh, I, I, I, I definitely, I'm not, he's not the only guy.

I, I definitely, I threw a chair one night down in the keys off the roof of a place. What is it with you country guys? Throwing chairs. Throwing those fucking chairs. Bold it down, baby. I don't know why. I don't know why. I'm not really,

I'm not proud of that moment at all. And that's a reason I quit drinking. And anyway, my biggest advice, as you said, would probably be, you just got to, like, learn from your mistakes.

Like, it's okay to make mistakes. We're all doing that. That's part of what I think, as musicians, as you just said, man, like, shit.

Our favorite people that we love in their music, they all fucked up. They've all done, like, but it's cool to like the trials and tribulations, so-called of what this journey is all about is like learning from that and moving on forward. And that's kind of my biggest advice would be to just kind of like, okay, man, you can always say sorry so many times. You know, I kind of did the same for myself. I got, I got tired of just saying sorry to people when I realized like, dude, it's on me to own my life. life and my truth and that's it like we're all grown ass men you got to make you got to do your thing what's a song title right there i think there's already been a bunch of songs sure um

no but dick i i hear that man it's like also are you competitive you have like are you an athlete did you have like that athletic blood in you that made you competitive or like talk about that a little bit oh yeah dude i'm super competitive with this with this idea that i'm not right like I think a lot of my friends, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I'm also really honest with myself at why I think I shouldn't be competitive at all in certain things. You know, like, I'm just not that good at that. Why would I be, why would I think I should compete? but I'm definitely I definitely have the drive in the things that I want to compete in to be to care enough about

about competing and I think that's what gives you nerves that's what makes you you know want to do new things like it gives you drive and desire and so yeah I got I'm definitely I was an athlete as a kid still like to you know what did you play

like I wasn't say I'm an athlete What did you play? I played everything. I have a twin brother. So I played everything from baseball to I played golf a lot. I was a good golf. My dad's an incredible golf from my brother.

And all my best friends played college and professional sports. It was pretty cool to grow up in Florida like that with a bunch of talented people around to kind of give you that competitive drive. Who are you more competitive with yourself or your brother? Great question, man. myself honestly because my brother is my best friend and somebody i lean on but i think that the understanding between twins is that we is is that we are have always been in competition with each

other uh he's my biggest fan and i'm his biggest fan uh but as twins that were that grew up as competitors um i you have to understand i dropped out of college and moved in nashville this dream of kind of doing this. And everybody, my family and friends, and we're like, what? Are you like, whatever, loser, you know? And I moved to Nashville. And my brother got the full ride on tennis scholarship, graduated great. I mean, he's super talented, smart guy.

Got his economics and financial accounting degree. Move back home, got a great job. Did the whole thing. And when I got the record deal, like the roles kind of flipped as like, oh, like, And I kind of, it became, it made this thing between my brother and I kind of tough where I know he loves me, but he kind of resents the fact that like my parents will drop everything to come out on the road and, and come to some cool place because, you know what I mean? There's that competitive nature between us. They're not swinging by the accountant office. But I would say, yeah, but I would say that I'm definitely harder on myself than anything, which is, which is, like, I think the biggest battle for, for all of us.

Yeah. So like you say you're hard on yourself and then but earlier years used to like fucking just be angry and like what do you think that that was rooted from? Because you always feel bad about the things you did, but you still did it. So what do you think we're like when you're fighting with your internal battles? Was it like you're fighting to be something different or did you were you fighting to be something you never really wanted to be? Are you guys therapists? This is great, man. We're not licensed. We're just in the music industry, so I just understand that. Yeah, yeah. We're all fucked up, Jake. We're all just all a little fucked up.

We're not sober either. Dude, you're asking awesome. You're asking such great questions because I think as musicians, you totally understand this. You know what? Again, great question. And the answer to that would be you said, where does this anger? It wasn't anger. I said this the other day to someone.

Like, I think it's an interesting. insecurities. Right. Like, all I've ever wanted to do was be a part of these people and better than myself in music. Like, I'll never be better than anyone. I mean, I'm grateful for when I've done a music, but like, I'm so inspired every day by other people and new music I hear.

I'm like, holy shit, I wish I could do that. I wish I could sing like that. I wish I could play like that. And that's what makes us as musicians want to want to be better. But moving here to Nashville too, there was this part of me wanting to fit in. I was from Florida. People are like, what do you know about country music?

And I think part of that wanting to fit in and prove myself, the wanting to prove myself came off as arrogance, which in turn when I drank came off even double like arrogance, which was just like, what an asshole kind of did. And so there's just, I just had a point in my life now where I'm like, got it fulfilled and I don't know why I acted like a lot of times and I've learned from it but that's where that like you said anger I don't know if there's anger as much as it was just like

I just didn't know any better and I was just being a cocky little kid well yeah it's like I'm moving to Nashville and I'm from I'm in the jam scene and I've been writing songs for some of these guys like Zach Brown now and stuff and I feel I'm like a Jewish guy from the jam scene who's going to go into country me you know and like I already feel like there's a fucking target on my goddamn head for this shit so it's like

I look back at like the stuff like when you're defending LGBT communities and that and the fucking country scene could not fucking handle it. I was like you know it's like why can't we fucking

I mean you're fucking Jake I've I love your tunes I've been a fan of you forever and this is like cool that I get to talk to you about this shit because like why is it why is this scene so fucking judgmental when it's all about peace and love and happiness until it gets down to the knit and gritty,

you know? Dang, you're asking a lot of great questions, and I wish I knew the answer to that. I think the only way to really answer it is to kind of walk it. And like, look, man, when I say walk it,

I just be like, own your honesty and who you are as a person. It's okay to feel ways. I don't fault people that feel super, left left that don't feel fault people that feel super right right but like but at the same time like just like be good to people and humans and and and and and promote what I feel like humanity is all about and that's like acceptance and love and and I've definitely like I said dude I've not even been it's so wrong so many times in my life but I feel like at this age raising daughters

learning about my past trying to forge the path forward. You kind of just like realize like, all right, I got to pick, I got to aim towards something. And where I'm aiming, I suppose, is like that, like the honest good, good in the world and the truth. And so I don't have an answer to your question about why are, why is our genre or why are people not more like that? I don't know, but I feel like it goes back to kindergarten class, like where you can lead by example. Even even, even though I falter, I falter a and I'm not, you know, but we're human. Shit, that's part of it.

Well, also, you know, going back to that anger thing you're talking about. No one fucking got pissed at Kobe Bryant for fucking having that anger fuel him. Right. No one got pissed at Michael Jordan. It's almost the opposite, actually. Some people need that stuff to fuel them to keep moving forward. What's your take on that? Yeah, you're right.

You're right. Mike, I've used this quote a few times. recently because it stuck with me my granddad who just turned 103 to him. You got some good genes. He's in, look it. It's still hot. I know it's,

everybody says that when I, when I, when I, when I told them about my granddad, if anything, I'll be so grateful. I can't do them to be a hundred and three. The reason he has is his proof and what he says.

He's always lived, uh, being grateful every day for everything. And, um, he told me that you can't be, truly grateful if you live with like a bitter heart

you know and so that like I guess you know you ask my thoughts like my thoughts are living with with an open kind of mind and like my granddad I want to live a long life man I want to be this music isn't everything to me and the business and

like it was kind of more out there I feel like like what? What do you what do you what else you you're looking for in life? Um well as musicians, you know, we all dream of this dream of making it, whatever the fuck, whatever that means. I don't know, because it's never, I find those that, that moved here with nothing.

I say here, as if we're all, you know, here in Nashville, like, but it wasn't about the money, right? So even if you make it and you make money, that's not really what it's about. For me, it was always about, I got, I was really raised, I was lucky to be raised around an incredible mother and father. and my twin brother and have that family life that I feel like I've I kind of set aside to chase this dream of music and I and although I've tried to put it together and kind of manifest in these this family throughout this my journey up into this point of my life now being divorced and having kind of doing the single parent back and forth thing um when you ask what am I looking for like I'll be honest like I really am looking for more consistency in that kind of family life

type of thing that I feel like sometimes we can all avoid it as much as we want there are people that are great at it that I'd love to learn from. But being on the road, it's been hard on my family life and just keeping it all together and that's what I'd like more of if I'm being real. Like the rest of it, I'd trade that

you know. Wow. Let's fucking go. That's what I like to hear, Jake. That's how you know you're successful. That's how we know. You know you're successful when you're like, I'll just do family now. Or just like, I'm satisfied. But also like, it's not about like that I'm satisfied it's like what we missed out there's more to life than

just this fucking rat race that we all are fucking living in every single day in this music industry you know it's like the same like I'm stoked that I got to buy a new or any yeah or I think even any industry really I see people out there all the time and right about the time that I

think man I did this a long time and I wonder if people care and if they care as much as my daughter cares for me being at something she's doing right And it's right about the time I start feeling like that, that I play a show somewhere. And you see somebody that brought their kid to their first concert. And they're like the dad is fired up to create this moment with this kid or the mom, whatever.

And the kid will never forget it. And then you as the artist or any of us on stage have this feeling of being like, that's why you do it. And that's, so it's like, the grass is always greener on the other side. But I think it's still okay to admit that you think about it, right? You can't just pretend that that's not something that you think of. Yeah, and it's okay. It's like not, it's okay to take a little break on being obsessed with something and to be obsessed with something else. So when you go back to that first thing that you're obsessed with, you kind of get more energy, right?

You kind of get more va-voom with it. I don't know about you. If you ever get jaded with fucking playing everywhere, every day and not seeing your family and shit, I mean, I do. I mean, sometimes I'm on the road. I'm like, what the fuck am I doing here? Yes, I have 100% guilty of not only thinking. What town?

What town am I in? I outwardly say that. Like, there's been times I've said that. But I also, like I said as well, man, I really remind myself a lot. I'm not to say that, like, I cannot believe that I've been able and still able to do the things I get to do. keep waiting for someone to shape you, like, oh, the dream's over. Yeah, you know. Yeah, you're in college.

You got econ. Some of the mom flips the light on when you're a kid. And she's like, wake out at school time. Yeah. Real world starts. Right. I feel like I've been in this really wild dream for a while. It's, I feel pretty lucky for that.

So like, you know, we say that it isn't a dream, but do we still take advantage of the dream? Sometimes? Um, I don't know. I don't think I I haven't um just because um I find that I haven't had it not that I could even but like I just I don't know how I'd have the time I feel like I'm just keeping up with it all like along with the dream that's a good that's a good one comes up with so comes along with so many things right it's not just like the dream of like man like my my like getting back to my my kids, even like, they're a dream. And really, that all came along, too, because of the path

of my music. And, you know, what's weird is, too, not to get off track here, but, like, the dream of when I was a kid playing golf, like, my dad was really great at it. And I think we all want to do what our dad did or, like, make him proud with whatever he didn't fulfill, which was, like, he was a great golfer. And he wanted to be a professional, play the master, like, that's the national, right? And, like, he never did that. So I was like, maybe one day I'll be a professional golfer and I'll make it there one day my dad can be there and see me do it well I never did that I quit playing golf and I'm sure that pissed my dad off you know it was really cool was calling him years later when I got an invite to play at augustin national and the only reason I ever got an invite

to piss against me gosh against my golf game it's because like somebody knew me because of my music the one like the one thing my dad couldn't teach me how to do is what took us to the place that he could teach me everything to do. And I think like that's the beauty and the dream. And like following it. You have some, it's the ups and down. It's like the fucking roller coasters, man. Not everything fucking boof.

Yeah. The feel like you got to ride it out, man. I like that about it. I'm just kind of like, I'm learning to like just to kind of endure it more than just like be shocked by it. I used to get a little more volatile. Yeah. I'm trying to be better about, you know.

Well, when we realize the dream is the in between, there's no finish line. I think that's when we start putting our shoulders down a little bit, saying it's that little thing. It's like this story of Phil Mickelson and you, bro, is the most legendary shit ever, dude. You know, just like having Phil being so pissed off at you and stuff. And like, think about now, thinking about your fucking dad. Yeah. And the dreams he had of, like, meeting these guys in golf and then. you're having this own moment with this thing.

Tell us a little bit about that and how that got situated because my fans who don't know who are, this is so fascinating, dude. So, like, you're out here. You meet Phil. Tell us the whole story. Oh, yeah, well, I definitely, this is years back. I think the story was really blown up, you know,

by, I think it was a bar stool. I was on their podcast talking. They were just asking funny stories and things that had happened over the years. and I've just mentioned that I'd always been really good friends with Jordan Spita. This was years back. It was his wedding, actually.

And the day before his wedding, Hill Mickelson was playing Tiger Woods in one of those matches for like $9 million. I think they, if you paid like $29.99 or something, and you could watch this match. And then neither one of them really made any birdies. They made like one dirty or two birdies apiece.

said they died and then they had a chip off or something to win and ironically enough the next day after he won nine million bucks he was there at jordan's wedding and i that was i was turn of my drinking days man see so i would just i would talk shit and i just was like i'm gonna say something you know and i chirped at him and i told him that i would uh i said man you want me you owe me 2999. You know, I watched that bullshit off, you know, and he just basically pulled out like

a $100 bill and he said I won like however many 90,000 of these yesterday. So go fuck off. It was a bad match. It was legendary, man. That guy's a legend. He's a, and that is totally something like he's a G. Like he's a like, you know, that got

pretty awesome moment. It made a lot of people laugh and And it wasn't long after that, too. We played another golf tournament together. He's a good dude. Hello, everyone. It's Andy Frasco, your local drunk. We're here to support Gardenista.

Gardenista, our sponsors. I've been sub-intuned this from Jameson because I like the idea that there's ginger, lime juice, and green herbs in this. So I kind of feel healthy drinking this. I mean, they got all these different ones. I was kind of nervous about this bourbon cocktail, but it's bourbon whiskey and green herbs,

lime juice, ginger, and jalapagia. Got a little spice to it, but you put some ice in it, and it's actually a cocktail. And, like, I'm not really good at proportions, so it's already made for you. Look at this. It's cute, too. You could be on your table. You're like, oh, look at you're sophisticated. Do you want pop-off on your kitchen table, or do you want something that's pretty?

Gardanista, vodka cocktail. Grab it. Tell them frasco sent you. So what's your dad say about this? Like, you're fucking playing with Phil Middleton. is he jealous? Like is he's like Can you take me with you?

Like what's your relationship with him? No, that's what I'm saying, man, about like following dreams and things happening that you never expect in this crazy dream

when you said like do you take advantage of the dreams? Like fuck yeah excuse me my French and shit my mom's gonna be mad when she sees this. I'll blame it out for you. But yeah, yeah.

But she, you take an advantage of the dream means like not taking advantage of it in like a bad way. Like take advantage of what. what these opportunities are. And through this dream of making it in music

that took me back to golf of things like playing the AT&T, Pebble Beach Pro Am every year and getting paired with Jordan Speed, who, you know, after the first or second year, I played with them out there. He wins the Masters, the US Open. And then he wins Pebble Beach with me as his partner. We didn't win as a team,

we finished second or third, but he won as like the pro. And my dad was caddian for me. That's crazy. To really walk all 72 holes at Heble Beach next to the number one of the world with your dad and watch him win a PGA tour event. And you're like, why am I even here? And it's like, oh, yeah, because one day I decided to tell everybody that they're crazy and I was going to move to Nashville and sing some country music. And now dad and I are sitting on 18th Green like hugging Jordan's feet when he wins his turn.

It's pretty amazing, man. Like I have a million stories like that that have happened that would. never have happened if I wouldn't have just like, then like, nah, think I'm going to move to national. Sorry, really. I love that. So, you know, well, that's a great point. Like, it's, why are people afraid to follow their dream like that?

It's like, you take the risk. Not even follow the dream. Why are people afraid to take risks? I don't know. And I wish, I think sometimes people like, it's okay. Like, they feel, it's, I don't know. There's an answer that none of us could ever answer, but I can tell you my perspective.

And it's funny because this goes back to the golf thing. As a kid, which is why maybe I didn't want to play anymore. Because my dad, if we were on a par five, are you guys golfers? Yeah. I know enough to know what that is.

All right. So if you're up. Like you're on a par five, right? Like, you know, you have the opportunity if he has to be drive to go for it in too, but meaning like take advantage of this hole and like just be a little, you know,

boisterous. And my dad would always be like, just lay it up. You'll be smart, make a part. And I would always be like, no, I'm going for this. I'm taking a risk. Right. And because by taking that risk, the payoff to me is so much better that you cannot get if you play it safe.

Right. And so I used to just hate that. I'm like, why? I don't know. And so when I, when I've always taken that risk and I've always, and I've not always been right. The risk hasn't always paid off. But the times that it has has been so much more. fulfilling than when it hasn't.

So I try to always shoot for the take the risk and go for the green and a par five. Get that eagle. Well, you know, music is the... Yeah, not lay out. The music industry is the ultimate risk. Yeah, yeah, it is.

You know? So maybe you got the balls from fucking golf to take that ultimate risk. Like, you were fearless. But, man, but like, I don't mean to sound like it's not easy. There's so many of us that are still chasing it. I'm still chasing it.

I feel like I've had success. Like, what is, like, for me, when I look back on it, like, what was the risk? Like, for me, the risk was like, finish school, get a job, maybe move back home. I was an English major. I was like, what am I going to do with that? Like, what am I going to go be a teacher, maybe a lawyer, maybe like, how do you make money? Like, I don't know. I didn't care about money.

Like I said, like, I needed to make it. I was fortunate as a kid to have, like, parents that, you know, were able to send us off to college, but my dad always made us, like, work for everything, you know. And so I was like, I could always, that's how I feel now. Like, if this ended tomorrow, I mean, like, my dad was always always like, hey, you, you can, we can always make a limit. Like, you work hard and you believe, like, you could. So I didn't ever feel like I was risking any, the only risk was me not chasing something

that would, is what was in my heart. Yeah, that's the biggest risk. But the rest of it is like, you just fall back on what happens next, I suppose. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I had friends in middle school and high school. I mean, there are people in their lives that have families and there's people that have families and are back in their hometown right now. They would love to move to Nashville or whatever and do it or wherever and chase a dream.

But they're like, I just can't. I got kids and a wife back here. And that is a major risk. But at the time for me at 22, 23 years old, I didn't have all that. And I just felt like my biggest. would be not chasing that dream at the time, I guess. I started to be long-winded. No, it's true, man.

I had friends in high school. They were, like, actors and want to be musicians and stuff. And I was, like, they're, and I was there, I was in the music business. I was, like, booking their bands and stuff. And the minute I wanted to, and, like, they always wanted shit from me. And the minute I became a musician, fucking crickets. He's from L.A., by the way. Yeah, I'm from L.A., so it's like, everyone's got their own fucking

dream if you're stepping on someone else's dream. No one wants to touch it. So I was like, you know, fuck these guys. So I was like, I'm going to play in Kansas. I'm going to play in Oklahoma. I'm going to learn a craft and not chase the rabbit's tail if I don't have a support system. So it's like

when people say, damn, it's so risky that you're not going to be a music industry guy. I agree with you, Jake. Risk wasn't part of it. It was just what we knew, right? Because I was an athlete too. and I think that helps shape my career to feel, like when I say the idea of fearless, it's like we take those crazy shots.

I'll take that long-ass three-point. I know I'll probably airball it, but I will fucking try my guy. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, and it goes back too to that whole saying. It's weird to me how later in life sayings that you've heard your whole life that didn't make sense. All of a sudden one day you're like, you ever do that? where you're like, oh, shit. Yeah, I know what that means, you know.

Hindsight's 2020. Like, when you're like, what? When you're young, you're like, you don't really have, you don't understand hindsight. You know what you're like, oh, I understand this thing. But the whole deal of ignorance is bliss is like, maybe that's why too. Like, I was young.

I was maybe ignorant. Like, they didn't even know any better. And so you just don't care. Failing isn't an option. And if you do fail, you're kind of like, you just don't. Nowadays, for instance, since my biggest risks are like letting my kids down.

Right. You know, like letting my daughter down. And I don't ever want to do that. And so to me, that's my, you know, I think risk changed throughout your life too. Yeah. Speaking of that, you know, fatherhood, what did you, what were some things that you learned from your father that you wanted to do better at as a father? my dad is nobody's perfect

but my dad was damn sure close to it he had a pretty good role model of my grandfather I mentioned was 103 um I think

when I learned from my dad that I also but that he didn't do like you know you can learn a lot of things from your parents or father from what they did do

but you can also learn a lot from things that they did it. And my dad did not, he gave me a lot as far as confidence and pushed me to do things and be a competitor, as you said. And more importantly, my dad was really, really implemented morals and values more than winning or losing. It was just like lived the right kind of life because I think he also walked a staggered kind of line to throughout most of his life until he met my mom.

But I think like one thing he didn't do sometimes was tell me to take some of the risks that maybe he wished he would have taken. And I think he was really fulfilled when he watched me become what's so-called successful in this business with something he couldn't teach me how to do, right? So long answer to your question is like what I learned is that I want my daughter, my kids to be successful in whatever they want to do. And as a father, the best thing that you can do is just be there for them and those things that they want. And like, I want to be leery about pushing her or either daughter to do anything they don't want to do. And my dad never pushed me to that, but he definitely like wanted me to.

like play golf because he was a golfer right or he wanted like that was that would but i think like when he finally let go and was like i i'm i'll support you as a father i won't support you financially but i'll support you as like i'll be i'll support your dream it was just as fulfilling to him as it was for me uh to fulfill a dream on something that he could not teach me how to do i guess is again yeah no i mean that i hear that like sometimes like you're lucky you got a great dad who like inspiration. A lot of people are like hiding from the Freudian stuff or trying to be someone that their dad was, you know, like... Dad's a risk averse, you know?

So it's like, yeah, it's like, I kind of, it's like, respect the shit of it. Like, how you, how you're, how high of a pedestal you put your pops. So I want to know a little bit about your brother. Do you guys ever want to beat the shit out of each other? Like, what's... There's got to be some dirt. We have. There's got to be some dirt. Are you identical?

Are you identical? Yeah, if you're identical, you're the popular kid, you know? Is he jealous of you? No, no. We, Jared's a stud, and he lives back in our hometown, and he just had his first child. He has a baby boy. He named Nash, because he brought his wife up here for the first time,

where they kind of had their first date to Nash. It's pretty appropriate. That's pretty cool. He's just a good dude. He's my biggest fan, like I said. he's caused me a lot of chaos and headaches throughout the years. He's definitely had a lot of fun. Oh, yeah, multiple times.

What was the worst blowout? Probably like, you know how everybody goes out? When you go home, we used to at least, you go out the night before Thanksgiving, everybody's like, you haven't seen it a while from college, back to town to see their fail. And then everyone goes to the bar. You know, after you spend the, like, so-called day with the family on that day before Thanksgiving,

just knowing you're just going to get just shit housed at the bar with all your friends. Yeah, ours was Shagebrush canteen. Yeah. Yep. Yeah, ours was Riverside Cafe. And we would go there and we got super hammered. And I don't even remember what we were fighting about. It was usually about that brotherly thing.

Like, oh, yeah, man, whatever you want to do. Or it's because it's what you want to do. Right. And we just got to full. on fistfight and he busted my nose pretty good. I was bleeding. I thought I couldn't really breathe out of it. His eye was like swollen or whatever.

But then we had to go to the next day to like family Thanksgiving and explained why. And you're hungover. And you're hungover strung out. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

So we definitely. We scrapped for sure. Does he ever go to music festivals and pretend to be you to get some of the shine? That's what I would do if I had a famous twin. he used to for sure yeah he used to pull that boop all the time he pulled a chick one time back back uh that's the first i have you know i probably should watch my stories these days now that he's got a you know significant other than a child but he definitely told me one time after he took a visitor

back to my bus on a show that he was like i went back he's like dude what the heck two knock rule like two knock rule this is my bus yeah like what are you talking about right Two knock rule. I got you a hotel, bitch. Yeah, I got you a hotel, I got to give you a I got to give you a heads up to come back to my backplown to my boss.

Like, no, man, I got to change, dude. Just remember, I was there when you're fucking in your diapers, you piece of shit. Yeah, yeah. You and your accounting degree. Yeah, you and your accounting degree. Account for this, bitch.

You want to hold accountable of this bit? All right, Jake. I know you got to get out of it. Dude, I love talking, man. You're great, dude. this has been a breath of fresh air, man. I like when guys can answer questions

and have a lot of thoughts. Yeah. I apologize, it's about it was too in-depth, man. No, no, no. This is our podcast, man. We do, I mean, this is what we talk about. We're not, I'm not trying to listen, everyone else,

I'm not trying to listen, talk about what fucking bass track you put on your fucking song, dude. Or musicians, you know, is going to cares. Yeah, I hear you. I've been working a lot with children's cancer foundations as well. Tell me a little bit about your charity work and why pediatric cancer is so important to you. Well, thank you for asking first off about the foundation. That's a super important thing. Not as important, obviously, is childhood cancer and disease, which is what St. Jude was our first and major beneficiary.

and I learned growing up like I said I had great family healthy twin brother we've been healthy art most of our lives until my dad faced cancer at a later age but when I first got my record deal a part of country music and I give a lot of credit to country radio

all the labels in Nashville they immerse us as artists into this country cares program which goes to Memphis to St. Jude Children's Hospital. And that's where I learned for the first time. I learned about St. Jude, what they do, how they provide for not just the kids at no cost, but their families.

They bring in therapists so the therapists can talk to the brothers and sisters of those families as to why their sister or brothers get in treatment for six months, you know, across the country. They do amazing things, all at no cost to the child. So coming from a family, like I said, that we've been really blessed. It's just instilled in us to always do great for others. And so that's how we started my foundation with them as a centerpiece. And then we've grown. Now we have over 35 different beneficiaries.

Our foundation, by the way, is the J-Go and Foundation. Our motto is helping people in the places they call home. So we're not just helping, you know, pediatric cancer foundations. and we're doing everything from helping autism speaks. My nephew's autistic. That's a big thing for my family and my older brother. And then we do lots of localized charity work in my hometown down there in Florida and Beera Beach. And all over, which is why our motto is kind of, as I said, helping people in the places they call home.

It's a lot of that opportunity to help people everywhere, which is a really cool thing. It's awesome. Look at this fucking guy. Stand up guy. So much better than me. thankful you're not throwing chairs out the windows now, buddy. Maybe one or two. Maybe one or two. It is kind of fun. Like I said, I'm lucky.

I'm lucky I did. I've definitely done that. We need a couple bad boys. You need a couple bad boys. You know, you can fight cancer. Still be a little bit of a bad boy, Jake. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You get one chair per foundation. That's right. That's right. One chair per foundation. It's so funny. Jake, I'm like, whatever I can do to help too, you know, I, that's just my

My mom has leukemia and I'm, I work with St. Jude a bunch. So whatever I can do to help too, man, I got you. So whatever, let's talk. Maybe I'll, I'm in Nashville. I work in Nashville all the time. So whatever you need for me, I got you. Yeah, I love to connect, man, even if it's for coffee or something or whatever. Yeah.

It's refreshing to chat with you guys. I mean it like, you know, as musicians, especially, the reason you know, I obviously have a record and stuff coming out this coming week and I'm not getting to that. I'm saying that I loved about this interviews that we didn't talk about that at all. It's about like, no, it's about like

learning as somebody as a human and like you asked some of the greatest questions that nobody's ever asked me before. And like sometimes that gets clouded by just the music. And as I mentioned, this ain't all about the music. No, man. Like we all as musicians, like it's about us, our families,

the people that supported us to even get to this place. And like, so keep doing what y'all are doing, man. Like, keep asking the right questions and like, and bringing more out of, like, us as artists than just, like you said, like, so what was it like working with,

you know? Right. Yeah, exactly. What studio were you in? That's what I enjoy. I enjoy about this and what you guys are doing. So thank you very much. So grab Jake's new record.

I mean, the thing is when they'll find you as a person, they'll find your music, you know. Well, I think. I think what's important is like, if we're living to write, we might as well know the story of the person who's living their life to write for the people. You know, I don't need to get into depth of like why you wrote that song with someone. I want to get in depth like why do you feel like you have to make a record like this this year. You know, that type of stuff is important to me.

You know? Yeah, agreed. So keep finding the good five big dog. I'm grateful, dude, for you guys. Thank you. I'm honored, man. Thank you guys. I really appreciate it.

No problem. I got one last question. I'll let you go. When it's all said and done, what do you want to be remembered by? Oh, this is the first time I've thought about this. I think that's maybe why at this point in my life and how we started this whole interview, kind of your podcast and ending it is like, it goes back to learning a lot about myself, I think.

And what I want people to remember is that I was just a really, I was a good human and had a great heart and always met well. And that was what led me to the places that my life, like, amounted to. And, and then I, you know, I leave something behind that people are proud of. Like, that's really it. Like, you can't be selfish in this world. You look around. You can be humbled every day with all the things that are not just around you, but the people, too, you know.

And so don't take yourself too seriously. and leave that. Leave it as that, right? Yeah, baby. Go fuck shit up out there, Jake. Yeah, yeah. Hope the record is everything you wanted to be. And like you said,

don't forget to love yourself and don't forget what's important like your family. Yeah, man. Well, thank you guys. I really appreciate it. Rock and roll, baby. I'll see you soon, bud. Yeah, I'll message you on Instagram

and I'll give you my number. So be good. Go on Denver. Hell yeah. Gang. All right, bud. Have a great one. Thank you.

man see you guys late later later bud