Featured Artist
Rev. Jake Owens
Born 1899
The Rev. Jake Owens was a preacher, school teacher, music instructor, singer, songwriter, and fiddle player. A man of foresight, Jake understood that music wasn’t just a calling — it was also a way to create lasting prosperity for his family. He instilled in his children the belief that their voices and stories could reach far beyond the Smoky Mountains and touch hearts across the country.
Biography
Born in 1899, Jacob Robert Owens stood at the crossroads of tradition and change. As a young man, he found his calling in faith, education, and music. He studied at Smoky Mountain Academy in Sevierville, Tennessee, a Baptist-supported school that offered advanced academics and preacher training.
Ordained in 1918, Jake married 16-year-old Rena Kansas Valentine and soon took to the road as a traveling evangelist. His ministry spanned East Tennessee, the Carolinas, and northern Georgia, where he delivered passionate sermons and gospel music to packed churches and tent revivals. When not traveling, he worked as a teacher, music instructor, and laborer to support his growing family.
By the mid-1930s, Rev. Owens began performing with his children as a gospel group, spotlighting the talents of his daughters Estelle, Avie Lee, and Dorothy Jo. Known as the Owens Sisters, the trio sang at churches and revivals, even appearing on Knoxville’s KNOX radio station—laying the groundwork for a family musical legacy that would span generations.
“While many mountain families had strong musical traditions, most didn’t pursue music as vocation. The Owens did so because my grandfather was a traveling evangelist and they were comfortable with the idea of going out on the road to play music and make a living.” — Richie Owens
Patriarch of a Musical Legacy
When several of his children (along with his young granddaughter, Dolly Parton) began to pursue careers in the country music field in the 1950s, he continued to encourage their endeavors, becoming the patriarch of musical dynasty whose influence and inspiration is still felt today.
