Country Thunder — the largest Country music festival brand in North America — revs up a brand-new episode of its fan favorite podcast, “On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer,” today. The chart-topping podcast cruises into the summer on a hot streak by inviting latest guest Jake Owen along for the ride. The award-winning, MULTI-PLATINUM Country superstar speaks to host Troy Vollhoffer about how he traded golf for a career in music, the story behind his biggest hit (“Barefoot Blue Jean Night”), and recording his much-anticipated next album with MULTI-GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Shooter Jennings [Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker].
Born and raised in Florida, Owen initially harbored athletic ambitions until a wakeboarding injury derailed his goal of playing golf on a professional level. During the wide-ranging conversation, he recounts this series of events to Vollhoffer.
“I was going to play golf in college, got hurt, didn’t end up playing golf in college, started playing guitar instead and decided that I was going to drop out of Florida State one day and move to Nashville,” he elaborates. “That was twenty years ago…And honestly, I really am excited to always continue my career from here on out, but I feel like I made it the day that I got to Nashville.”
Given his gusto, drive, and talent, it didn’t take too long. He landed his first deal in 2006 and notched his first No. 1 smash with the 2X-PLATINUM generational anthem “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” during 2011.
“I feel that song was ‘Song of the Decade’,” he smiles. “I’m 43 now, and I was 30 when that song came out 13 years ago. It’s kind of wild. And I think to myself, that song says, ‘Whoa, I’m never going to grow up’…I think that’s what music is. It’s kind of like this fantasy life that you can live through, like ‘Jack & Diane’, you go back to that two kids lash on chili dogs at the Tastee-Freeze, it takes you back.”
He also spilled the beans on what to expect from his album with Jennings. “Super Country,” he proclaims. “It’s not ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ at all, but it’s something that I’m super excited about…super proud of. And as I said, it relates to where I’m in my life.”
Between canvasing the country on the 2025 Driftwood Ramble Tour with Uncle Kracker and rocking alongside Dirty Heads, Owen also gave a shoutout to Country Thunder. He adds, “I think that’s what I love about doing these Country Thunders and these big festivals is that you get a lot of artists out there and they’re your chance to own that crowd.”
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Next month, Country Thunder Wisconsin takes over Shadow Hill Ranch in Twin Lakes, WI on July 17-20, 2025. The festival first planted roots in the “Badger State” almost thirty years ago in 1996 and even received “Festival of the Year” from ACM in 2015. This installment has all the makings of a milestone moment though. Its stacked lineup features Cole Swindell, HARDY, Jelly Roll, Dierks Bentley, Gavin Adcock, Ashley McBryde, Tyler Hubbard, Zach Top, and many more. Not to mention, the “millionth fan” will walk through the gates this year and be treated like royalty. The lucky attendee will win First Row Reserved Seats and Camping for life, unprecedented access to Festival Catering and Artist Hospitality, and much more. In April, Country Thunder Arizona hosted the biggest, brightest, and boldest west coast iteration of the festival, while Country Thunder Florida lit up the Sunshine State in May.
Simultaneously, season two of “On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer,” has effectively cemented Vollhoffer as a major voice in the world of podcasting. So far this year, he has spoken to MULTI-PLATINUM, 9X-GRAMMY® nominee Blake Shelton, MULTI-PLATINUM arena-filling phenomenon HARDY, MULTI-PLATINUM artist Justin Moore, award-winning PLATINUM superstar Jordan Davis, rising Georgia Country star Gavin Adcock, ACM award-winning North Dakota-born duo Tigirlily Gold — sisters Kendra and Krista Slaubaugh, and more.
This year, “On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer” expanded to include video as season two gains traction, landing at #1 in Music among Apple Podcasts in the U.S. with already featured episodes including MULTI-PLATINUM rising star Koe Wetzel, top booking agents Rod Essig, Curt Motley, and Nick Meinema, and MULTI-PLATINUM Country superstar Dustin Lynch – whose episode launched in the Top 1% of all podcasts. The Jordan Davis episode was also the highest performing YouTube video with nearly 100,000 views. Making waves, MusicRow touted the podcast and Amazon Music has included it in their Featured Podcasts.
The show is hosted by Country Thunder owner and founder Vollhoffer. With cameras rolling and tape running, he engages in funny and freewheeling discourse with A-list Country talent as well as buzzing acts. The episodes are filmed from Vollhoffer’s tour bus and home studio, providing an unfiltered vignette into the lives of artists as they tell stories, recall memories, and share unwavering passion for music.
During season one, Vollhoffer played host to Country music royalty with a string of fascinating, funny, and enlightening conversations. The roster included Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, Bailey Zimmerman, Ashley McBryde, Nate Smith, Marty Stuart, Parker McCollum, Terri Clark, and Big Kenny, among others.
The podcast stands out as a must-listen for Country aficionados and music fans at large. Boasting an intimate format, exclusive content, and an elite lineup of all-star guests, there’s nothing quite like it.
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