Popular country music recording artist Jason Owen is back with a stunning version of one of John Denver’s most iconic songs – ‘Back Home Again’ – duetting with fellow country music superstar Tania Kernaghan.
The single will be released on May 14 – the same day Jason’s new upcoming album – ‘Jason Owen Sings John Denver: The Acoustic Sessions’ will be released, which is his first album in four years. The X Factor star will tour nationally with the album from August onwards. Other songs on the album include such classics as ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’, ‘Thank God I’m a Country Boy’, ‘Rocky Mountain High’ and ‘Calypso’.
Jason’s new album follows on from the huge success of his first tribute album to John Denver – ‘Jason Owen Sings John Denver: The 20th Anniversary Album’ which spent seven weeks in the ARIA charts. A national followed including shows at The Sydney Opera House.
“I’m probably one of the biggest John Denver fans in the entire country, and have been ever since I was a boy,” says Jason. “The very first song I ever performed on a national stage was the Denver classic ‘Annie’s Song’ when I was first on the X Factor back in 2012. ‘Back Home Again’ is one of my all-time favourites and is something I have always related to given my country upbringing in Albert, NSW. To duet with Tania on it was just incredible as she’s truly one of Australian country music’s all-time greats.”
In between putting the finishing touches on the album in 2020, Jason used the down-time of social restrictions to make enormous inroads with his charity Doin It for Rural Aussie Kids which supports regional and isolated kids in Australia.
For his efforts the 27-year-old recently won two awards in the prestigious 7News Young Achiever NSW/ACT Awards 2021 picking up the Freemasons of NSW/ACT Community Service Award nomination for his charity work, as well the popular vote for the People’s Choice Award. He was also a finalist for the Ausgrid Indigenous Achievement Award nomination for his commitment to Indigenous communities which made him the most nominated entrant in this year’s competition.
In December last year Jason undertook a gruelling road trip covering 8,000 kms in 10 days across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to personally deliver funds, Christmas gifts and groceries to around 800 children at 21 schools affected by bushfires, drought and the fallout of COVID 19. The road trip is an annual initiative and main focus of the charity which Jason established in 2019.
Following his star turn as runner up of the X-Factor, Jason soon launched his debut album ‘Life Is A Highway’ which debuted at number one on the ARIA Country Album Chart and number five on the Australian National ARIA Album Chart. He has since released albums ‘Friday Night’ containing his first original hit ‘Damn Right’, as well as ‘Proud’, his first all-originals album celebrating his First Nations background.
Jason is now one of Australia’s most popular country artists having entertained audiences around the country including the Tamworth Country Music Festival, CMC Rocks the Hunter, the ACE Awards and the Sony Foundation’s Wharf4Ward event raising funds for youth cancer care.