Jake Owen is the happiest he's been in "15 years" after getting to spend more time at home during the coronavirus lockdown.
Jake Owen
The 38-year-old country star has been able to spend quality time with his family - including his girlfriend Erica Hartlein, their 12-month-old daughter Paris Hartley, and Jake's seven-year-old daughter Olive Pearl from a previous marriage - since the US went into lockdown amid the global pandemic.
And whilst some people are beginning to feel like a "caged animal" after being at home for over two months, Jake couldn't be happier.
He said: "I don't feel like a caged animal. I almost feel sometimes on the road like I'm a circus animal that's in a cage that, come showtime, they open up the cage, and you go out into the arena and you go do your little thing and then all of a sudden they're like 'Okay!' ... and the tour manager walks his animal back to the cage and they shut the door and then they roll you to the next city and you get out and do it again.
"I haven't been this happy in 15 years, which is weird to say in a time like now, but ... I'm hoping with this virus and everything that's happening is that it breeds that same love and energy into people of understanding that life is fragile and ... let's start taking care of everyone around us more."
The 'Down to the Honkytonk' singer recently celebrated his daughter Paris' first birthday, and says being home "every day" to watch her grow has been a blessing.
Speaking to the inaugural episode of Southern Living's 'Biscuits & Jam' podcast, he added: "I can't tell you how much this last month ... being home every day and the simple things of watching my little girl, as a one year old, crack up laughing in the morning while we're feeding her a bottle. Usually I'd be calling her from wherever, from a bus, a parking lot ... it's been a really big blessing."