Jake Owen Opens Up About Losing His Granddad, Bryan Yancey Owen, At 103

Jake Owen recently said goodbye to an incredibly beloved person in his life: his granddaddy Bryan Yancey Owen, a World War II veteran who passed away at 103. To the country star, Bryan was much more than a grandfather. He was someone he looked up to, leaned on and continued to learn from well into adulthood.

Their bond was something that Owen has spoken about many times throughout his career. In fact, when asked in October 2025 about the most important person in his phone, Jake didn’t name any of the major celebrities that he likely has stored in his contacts. Instead, he said his grandfather.

“I’d say the best number that I got in my phone is my granddad, who’s 103. There’s nobody on Earth that’s more important in my phone than him,” he told Evan Paul on Taste of Country Nights at the time. “There’s nobody on Earth that I can call that can give me the wisdom and insight and knowledge [that he can]. I could call him right now and he would answer the phone: ‘Hello there, grandson.’”

Even at 103, with his grandmother at 102, Owen revealed that the two were still strong enough to live together on their own in Winter Haven, Florida. And it’s clear that Bryan’s wisdom never faded.

Owen also recalled asking his grandfather how he was able to live such a long life, to which Bryan responded, “’I’m grateful…You can’t truly be grateful with a bitter heart.”

When the unfortunate loss came, Jake Owen honored his memory by taking to Instagram and sharding a powerful video singing Randy Travis’ “He Walked on Water.” The caption paired with the heartfelt clip found Owen admitting that his grandfather’s loss had him feeling “heavy on my heart.”

“Lost my Grandaddy recently. Been heavy on my heart. He was an angel on this Earth, here to tell us about the importance of Christ and Heaven on the other side of life,” he wrote. “I know he’s there, and he’s smiling down… see ya up there one day, Grandad.”

Bryan Yancey Owen was just a few weeks shy of his 104^th birthday in October. Owen had celebrated his granddad’s 102nd birthday back in October 2024 with a heartfelt tribute that captured just how much Bryan meant to him.

He reflected on the incredible life Bryan has lived, from being born in Hopkinsville, KY to serving with the 13th Armored Infantry Division in 1944, and then coming home to work as an Executive Vice President of Hays Supply Co. until retiring in 1988.

“Born in a time when the world was tougher, you served with the 13th Armored Infantry Division in 1944, and even now, you remain the definition of strength, consistency, and grace. You’ve been the guiding star I’ve looked up to since I was a kid always wanting to walk through life like you do. Your steady presence grounds me every time I feel scattered, and your example teaches me what it means to live with intention and heart,” he wrote at the time.

“You’re not just an unbelievable grandfather, but a great-grandfather, a great-great-grandfather, and a loving husband to your 100-year-old sweetheart. The love story you share is nothing short of magic…something the rest of us can only hope to touch in our lives. Thank you for everything you’ve built for this family and for being the unshakable rock of the Owen legacy. You’ve shown me what it truly means to be a man, and I’m so grateful for the lessons you’ve passed on.”

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Along the way, Bryan also had an 85+ year love story with his wife. Together they raised four children and had 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Their longstanding relationship inspired Jake’s hit song “Homemade” and its music video. Earlier this month, before performing the heartfelt tune, Jake Owen told a room full of fans the story of how his grandparents met and fell in love.

“My granddad met my grandma on leave from the army. He was in a town of Mumfordville, Kentucky. He just happened to be trying to get to where he was from in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. They hitchhiked. He’s like, ‘That was the best way to do it.’ At the time he saw my grandma walking into a house he thought was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He took a picture of the house. This is a true story. He took a picture of that house and he went back and when he had time, he started writing letters and just putting a picture of the house on the letter and he put Munfordville, Kentucky underneath it,” Owen explained.

@ms.shaymedina This is a story Jake Owen told that his concert about how his grandparents met it tugged on my great strings. His grandpa recently passed away at 103! What an amazing life this man had my heart goes out for Jake and his family I know he is surly missed ❤️ ##jakeowen##sweetstory##grandparents##lovestory##concert ♬ original sound – AdventurousShay

Bryan’s persuasion worked because eventually, she replied. Years later, they met up again and the minute she saw Bryan come back from war, she vowed to marry him.

“They were married for 79 years and as much credit as my granddad gets for being an awesome man, you can’t be a great man without an awesome woman behind you. I know my nanny is the reason he lived to be 103,” Owen added.

Even though his granddaddy will no longer be at the other end of the phone, the lessons, stories and love he gave Owen will continue to live on through his family and through the music he helped inspire.