I believe it's true what they say about the classics never dying -- fashion, cars and music. Of course, their perpetuation is dependent on our efforts to keep the classics alive and pass them on to future generations.

Lucky for us fans looking to spread the word about classic country music, Jake Owen is ready and willing to help us out.

Owen is out on the road right now with his Days of Gold tour and is apparently keeping the crew and everyone on deck thoroughly entertained with his renditions of classic country songs during his soundcheck. The Cadillac Three's Jaren Johnston, who's currently opening Owen's shows with bandmates Neil Mason and Kelby Ray, is impressed with what he's heard.

"Jake's a genuine country fan," Johnston said. "He can get up there and do Merle Haggard. He can do T.G. Sheppard. He can do all those old greats, and he does it every day at soundcheck for, like, eight hours."

There's certainly nothing wrong with a little Hag before a show, right? Johnston certainly agrees, even though he admits the Cadillac Three's "country fuzz" sound is a bit of a shift from the classic style of yesterday's country. For him, that just makes their presence on the tour even more humbling and exciting and Owen that much more important as an artist, friend and tour host.

"It's very cool to be on the road with somebody that respects all those different types of country music and then would take somebody like us on the road that sees a different spin on it," Johnston said.

But Owen is a contemporary artist, too, with that same edge and modern feel to his music. But that won't stop him from stopping an interview to gush over an old Dan Seals record -- an experience I've witnessed firsthand -- or clearly, as Johnston shared, sing a country music standard for everyone's education and enjoyment.

Owen's Days of Gold tour featuring the Cadillac Three and Eli Young Band (with Parmalee and Thomas Rhett on select dates) is currently kickin' it through October.

By the way, tickets are now on sale for the eighth annual Jake Owen Foundation benefit concert set for Oct. 25 in Vero Beach, Fla. The Cadillac Three will be along for the show at Holman Stadium.

The foundation was created to offer its support on a national level to children battling cancer and other childhood diseases while also lending its support to youth organizations and various charities in Owen's hometown area of Indian River County, Fla.