Jake Owen decided to keep it real in his "American Country Love Song" video, taking his vintage VW bus on the road to spread some love. The artist says instead of putting together a polished, highly produced video for the nostalgic tune, he wanted to create something as true to who he is as possible.

"The song is about feeling young and free," Owen tells People. "I've done videos before where there's a bunch of people standing around putting make-up on me and I don't think of that as being free. I wanted the all-American road trip."

So, he loaded the Love Bus up with buddies, hit the asphalt and hoped for the best.

"I thought why don't I just get in a van with the director and take some good friends and hit the road and see what happens?" says Owen.

The 1966 seafoam green Volkswagen traveled from Music City to Key West, taking it slow and easy and stopping to really experience life along the way, which Owen says was nice after the tough year he’s had, divorcing ex-wife Lacey last year.

"I've gone through a lot in the last couple years,” he shares. "And it was nice to just literally drive 55 miles an hour in the right-hand lane, which was as fast as we could go, not be in a hurry, and along the way see what happens ... Stop places, play music, eat some good food and talk to people."

Owen says, for the record, he gave the bus its title because “ we were going to be bringing love around to everybody we meet, and making people happy wherever we were going.” He plans on keeping the vehicle and eventually passing it on to his daughter Pearl — if the future 16-year-old will allow it.

Owen has been preparing his new album for release, which he’s said will be an honest reflection of these life experiences. He’s currently balancing being a single dad and life as a country artist, and he'll headline the 2016 Taste of Country Music Festival in N.Y. this June. Expect new music there — he says he hopes to have his record out in July.

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