Renaissance man
‘Nashville’ alum takes the TV show’s hits, his original music on the road
Charles Esten is a product of his surroundings.
At home, he has his wife and family.
On set, he shares scenes with talented actors and crew.
In music and living in Nashville, Tenn., his relationships with songwriters and musicians have made him better at the craft.
Esten is the common thread in these situations.
Each one of them gives him the confidence to branch out and fulfill his dreams.
“I can’t believe it, either,” he says of the rise of his career. “It’s been something I’ve been working on for decades. With all that hard work, things are paying off.”
Esten is best-known for his role on the drama “Nashville,” as Deacon Claybourne, which he played for six seasons.
The role on the acclaimed series also gave Esten the chance to show off more of his singing talent.
With the show airing its sixth and final season this year, Esten decided to push forward with his music career. In fact, he actually started writing music in his early 20s.
The 53-year-old musician was honored in July by the Guinness World Records for his #EverySingleFriday campaign.
The campaign ran from July 15, 2016 to July 21, 2017, and yielded 54 original songs that Esten wrote (or co-wrote), recorded, and released, every single Friday since the campaign began.
“When I said I was going to do it, I started putting them out once a week and thought I probably would get to 20 or 25,” he says. “I ended up at 54, and it’s a testament to Music City and the fact that I’m surrounded by great writers. I must add that the biggest secret weapon was my wife. She made sure everything was handled. She’s sort of the functional part of my brain.”
During his time on “Nashville,” Esten would often head out on small tours.
He would slowly gain more fans with each show.
Now on his headlining tour, he’s looking forward at expanding that even more.
“There will be people that haven’t heard my music,” he says. “This is a chance for me to showcase my own writing and songs. Of course, there will be songs from the show. Accomplishing the release of 54 singles has given me focus on what I want from my first album.”
Esten isn’t taking anything for granted. Though the show has ended, he’s picked up a recurring role on TNT’s “Tell Me Your Secrets.”
“I was blessed with Deacon, and I have a wonderful life,” he says. “I’m a lucky man. My wife and kids, my job and extended family. I am coming from a place of happiness and contentment. Walking in the boots of Deacon helped me tap into the dark and painful themes. My life isn’t a Disney ride.”