Teacher releases second album

David Owen, a local songwriter and teacher at Lakeside High School, is releasing his second full-length album this week.

Once Out Loud, which includes 11 original songs, will be unveiled at a release party on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Serendipity Coffeehouse in Evans, and at a special acoustic in-store release concert at Borders Books on Sunday at 6 p.m.

Once Out Loud can be found at Borders, CD's and More and at the Web site www.athensmusic.net.

Owen, 27, has been writing songs since he was 18 and played for three years with the Athens-based band Salt while he was attending the University of Georgia. The band disbanded after its members graduated, and he has been nurturing his solo career since then. He has been teaching language arts Lakeside High School for the past three years.

The title of album comes from a song on it called Say Goodbye.

"Every song is about connecting, communicating, growth, crossing those bridges between people," Owen said. "There is a line from the song Say Goodbye - 'If I say it once out loud then I know I'll be free.'

"It's about one of those guys who is always talking about living his life but who never does it. He finally reaches a moment where he leaves to go on and do what he was going to do."

Unlike Owen's previous album, Between Here and There, his new album includes back up singers and instrumentals while still built around his acoustic guitar.

To hear sample songs from the album, visit www.davidowenmusic.com.