For Alabama-bred Shane Owens, it’s all about staying true to who you are and what you do. And, it’s been working very well for him these days. Owens grew up Country – in lifestyle and in music. He come from a six-generation family farm, so he’s no stranger to hard work. Musically, he was listening to the masters. Names like Haggard, Jones, and Twitty. His new EP, It’s A Southern Thing, carries on that Traditional Country legacy, and he’s proud of it.
“I’m a traditional Country singer, and I’ve never strayed away from my roots,” he says. “It’s a little bit tougher at radio nowadays, but we’re trying to do our part to keep Country Music alive.” And, he’s done quite an impressive job doing it. Owens has garnered impressive reviews and acclaim from outlets such as Billboard and Rolling Stone Country, and has garnered over 450,000 video views for the first single from It’s A Southern Thing, the infectious “Lie,” which has already found a home on radio stations across the United States. He has definitely built relationships with Program and Music Directors, as he was selected by the reporting stations of Music Row magazine as the Independent Breakout Artist of the Year in February 2018 during the Country Radio Seminar positioning himself quite nicely among modern-day traditionalists such as Jon Pardi, Cody Johnson and Aaron Watson.
Since the release of his debut album Where I’m Comin’ From in 2016 (co-produced by Country Music Hall of Fame member Randy Travis), Owens has taken his music to stages across the country – with two appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. He doesn’t take opportunities like that for granted. As a fan of Country Music, he knows what it means.
“That was a dream come true,” says Shane. “To be able to stand and sing where so many of my heroes have stood was so incredible. It’s the Grand Ole Opry, man. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
It also doesn’t get any better than the music that Owens offers up on It’s A Southern Thing. From the humorous wordplay of the set’s first single, “Lie,” to the honky-tonk dancefloor beat of songs such as “Honky Tonk Girl,” there’s a little bit of something for everyone. However, there are some more serious moments on the new EP. As mentioned before, two things that are the most important to Owens are his Country upbringing and his love of Traditional sounds. He celebrates the former on the emotionally stirring “It’s A Southern Thing,” and tips the hat to his musical influences on “Love To Try Them On,” where he celebrates the heritage of those who have come before him.
Owens is humbled by the songwriters he was able to attract to pen songs for the EP. “People like Bob DiPiero, Tim Nichols, Tony Stampley, Wynn Varble and Tommy Barnes that have written hits for people like Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire. That’s amazing to me. There’s a reason that they are number one songwriters.”
From those highly-respected tunesmiths, Owens realized that each writer has their own way of weaving a story into a lyric, and he considered himself a eager student to learn.
“We all write from the heart – things that happen every day. They had a lot of great ideas, and everybody writes different. Some write the choruses first, and then fill in the verses. Some do it opposite, but I learned so much from each of them. Being able to hang out with them and get to know them has been a blessing.” It’s a sentiment – and an emotion that shows up on such standout tracks as the powerful love song “Here Without You,” and the simple and direct “Working Man,” which is a lyric that needs no explanation!
Now, with “It’s A Southern Thing” complete and released, Shane Owens is ready to share his music with the world! For more information, visit www.ShaneOwensCountry.com
