- 2 days ago
Luke Grimes is back with his vulnerable and personal sophomore album, 'Red Bird,' and the actor and artist is joining to Katie Neal unpack it inside our Nashville studios. It's all about balance and beauty for Grimes, as we dive in with the Country star.
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00:00Thank you so much for coming to see us today and to hang out.
00:03Of course, thanks for having me.
00:04How have you been?
00:05I've been very good. Very busy, but all good things.
00:08Yeah, a lot going on, but I'm liking it all, so that's good.
00:12That is really good.
00:12So your sophomore album, Redbird, is coming out on Friday.
00:15How are you feeling at this point, like the week of,
00:18compared to when you released your debut album?
00:22A little more comfortable than last time.
00:23I was going to say.
00:24Yeah, the first time is probably always going to be the hardest.
00:26And I think, but honestly, this record's more personal and sort of, yeah.
00:34So there's a different vulnerability about sort of that, about like, okay.
00:39It's kind of weird putting that out in the world and telling people these things about myself.
00:44Yeah, because when you're in a writer's room,
00:46it's easy to be that vulnerable with the people that you trust.
00:48And it's like, oh, wait, everyone's going to ask me questions about this.
00:51It's kind of crazy.
00:52But when I was looking over the songwriting credits from this album,
00:55I was really happy to see, like, you have so many good people
00:57that were working with you on this project.
00:59Like, that had to be, like, just an amazing experience overall.
01:02Absolutely.
01:03I think, you know, I didn't understand how sort of Music Row worked
01:07or any of that before I came to do my first album.
01:11And sort of discovering that was amazing.
01:14I don't think I can think of a better way to spend a day
01:16than, like, getting together with, you know, two other artists
01:20and usually very brilliant ones and kind of sitting down.
01:23And immediately you meet and then you get very honest with each other
01:26and you start talking about, like, what's really going on.
01:28And I don't know, there's like a, it's sort of like a therapy session.
01:32Yeah, that's how I always think.
01:33I've never sat in on a room like that.
01:35But from what I hear, it sounds very much like a group therapy session.
01:38It can be.
01:38Yeah, it's a special place.
01:40And the fact that everyone here is so, like, willing to help, you know,
01:45we're all sort of trying to mine everything out of each other.
01:48And it's just a really beautiful thing.
01:51And I think very different from the town that I had come from, you know,
01:55where it's a little bit more competitive.
01:57And I feel like here it's like, if you win, we all win.
02:00Exactly. Definitely.
02:02I was thinking about you when you were saying, like, you've been so busy.
02:04I feel like between wrapping Yellowstone, having a baby, starting Marshalls,
02:08I'm like, when did he make this album?
02:10Like, when have you had time to do this?
02:13Yeah, we're finding it.
02:14I think the cool thing is that, you know, with the acting stuff,
02:19they schedule that based off of a lot of different things,
02:22and I am not one of them.
02:23So I just sort of have to show up when they tell me and where they tell me.
02:28But with music, you know, I can do it when I want.
02:31So the way that it's been working is when I'm not doing that, I'm doing this.
02:35You know, so it's been working pretty well.
02:37There's 10 songs on this new project.
02:39What do you hope people take away from it after they listen?
02:43I mean, I think the goal was just to sort of, like, take a snapshot of who I was at
02:49that time.
02:52This record's, you know, very autobiographical.
02:55It's very, you know, we were trying to be as honest as possible about my experience at that time,
03:01at that age, new father, you know, husband, still a bit immature in ways, you know,
03:09and, yeah, just trying to say, look, total self-expression, honest self-expression,
03:17and maybe, you know, if I do that, then more people do that, I guess.
03:20Yeah, definitely.
03:21I felt like the production on this entire record was so beautiful.
03:25I was, like, imagining, like, if I walked into a bar out west, like, this is exactly what would be
03:30playing.
03:30Like, not overproduced, but there was something, like, so raw about it that just, like, felt very...
03:36I was, like, I could, like, picture a scene that came with it almost, which was really, really fun.
03:40That's awesome.
03:40What song are you, maybe, most excited about to see how people react to?
03:45Oh, that's a good question.
03:47I mean, they're all, you know, they're all my babies, as people say.
03:51But I'm excited for Come Home to come out.
03:55I just feel like, you know, like I said, like, tonally, it's all over the place
03:59because it's about a human being, and human beings are complex.
04:03And so, you know, there's a lot of different things going on.
04:06But Come Home just sort of felt like what the whole album is about,
04:12which is, like, it's time to quit, you know, sort of putting anything on
04:17or pretending you're something or doing this and just, like, come back to the essence
04:20of, like, what you really are.
04:23And that's what that song is kind of about.
04:25I mean, more literally, it's about me leaving Ohio and, you know,
04:29talking to people back home and really wishing I hadn't left.
04:31And, you know, and that's sort of the reality of the song
04:36with the metaphor being something much bigger.
04:38So I just, I love that song.
04:40I got to play drums on that song, which is a first.
04:43I was very surprised.
04:44Dave is, you know, it's very particular about drummers.
04:49Really?
04:49He let me play on that one.
04:51That's really fun.
04:51Yeah, because I was listening to some of your interview with Joe Rogan,
04:54and I didn't realize that you had, like, played drums.
04:56Like, that's kind of, like, where your love of music started, right?
04:59Like, I want to backtrack a little bit, like, acting you've done, like,
05:02the last 20 years, music at this level, much newer.
05:06But talk about, like, kind of, like, how you got into music
05:08and playing drums was, like, part of that.
05:10Yeah, I grew up in church.
05:11My dad was a pastor, and there was this thing.
05:14If the church needed something, you had to do it.
05:16So I think I started running sound when I was, like, nine, you know,
05:20like running the PA system.
05:21And then the drummer left when I was, like, 11, and I started playing drums.
05:25And I loved it.
05:26I actually fell in love with it.
05:27It was, like, I kind of had to do it, and then I really enjoyed it
05:30and sort of got into all these drummers and bought all their videos.
05:33And then when I moved to New York, I obviously couldn't have a drum set.
05:37You live in, like, a shoebox in New York.
05:39There's no space for it.
05:39It doesn't go all with the neighbors either.
05:41No, no one would like that very much.
05:43So I got a guitar and started learning every Ryan Adams song
05:47and every John Mayer song I could figure out, you know,
05:50through, like, going online and finding the charts and figuring, you know.
05:54And then I got into songwriting probably, like, 1920.
05:59I started, like, really loving songwriters.
06:01I think my first – this is funny – the first secular concert I ever went to,
06:07someone invited me to go to Damien Rice when I was in New York.
06:11I didn't know who that was, and I was, like, blown away by him, you know.
06:15And I think he's got sort of something close to, like, an Americana, sort of Rootsy vibe, you know.
06:21I don't know.
06:22That was just sort of all these different guys.
06:25And then at some point in my, like, late 20s is, like, when I got back into, like, actual country
06:32music, you know.
06:34Like, Ryan Adams was sort of the gateway into, like, this thing I loved when I was younger.
06:38And then I, like, really went back and started listening to all the greats.
06:42I always say everyone needs, like, their gateway drug to country music.
06:45Yeah, you do.
06:46Like, there's so many people who are, like, I don't like country music.
06:48And I'm, like, tell me what you do like, and I will, like, match you with, like, a country artist
06:51that fits that vibe, and you will find your way back in.
06:54I remember growing up, like, in the 90s, you would ask people, like, what kind of music do you like?
06:58And they'd be, like, everything but country.
07:00Yeah.
07:00Remember people used to say that?
07:01And I was, like, what's wrong with country, man?
07:03It's so good.
07:04No, exactly.
07:05And when someone says that to me this day, I'm, like, I think you're just saying that because you've always
07:08said that.
07:09Yeah, yeah.
07:09Like, listen, if you can listen to Chris Stapleton and tell me you don't like this, like, I would bet
07:13$1,000 or probably my whole bank account.
07:16They'll, like, that's not how you feel after you listen to one of them.
07:18If you don't like Chris Stapleton, you're a robot.
07:19Yeah.
07:20Sorry, you're broken.
07:22Exactly.
07:22But I think it's so cool, like, you know, where your journey has taken you and now exploring this new
07:27form of art.
07:27Something else that I heard on the podcast that you were talking about, like, I didn't realize that playing stagecoach
07:31was the fourth show you ever played.
07:33Yeah.
07:33Like, that's wild, Luke.
07:35Yeah, no, it was crazy.
07:36Were you, like, freaking out before, like, I would have been out of the night.
07:40Oh, yeah, the night before, like, couldn't sleep.
07:43It was, it was, yeah, it was a lot, you know, but I knew it's, like, at some point I
07:47had to rip the Band-Aid.
07:48Yeah.
07:49And I had been, sort of, stalling with my manager for so long about, like, I was, I literally was
07:54just, like, there's so much fear.
07:57And at some point I just had to overcome it.
07:59And I remember he called me one day and was, like, you're probably going to say no, but they want
08:04you to play stagecoach.
08:05And I was, like, what are you talking about?
08:08And this is before I had ever played a show.
08:10A single, I'd never played a show.
08:11Oh, my God.
08:12Like, I've played shows, hundreds of shows as a drummer.
08:14But I've been, like, been that guy in front of the microphone.
08:18So I was, like, you know what, yes.
08:19And I just kind of said yes.
08:21And it felt, you know, and I just was, like, didn't even think about it.
08:24Like, figure this out later.
08:25I'm going to have to figure it out.
08:26I'm just going to have to make myself do this at some point.
08:28And so we knew when that was coming.
08:31We booked, you know, a few warm-up shows.
08:33But, you know, it took a while to get everything moving.
08:35And we played three smaller shows right before Stagecoach, like, the weekends before.
08:41And, yeah, that was probably, like, it's still within the first month of the first show I ever played.
08:46That's so wild.
08:47I feel like by the only other person that could relate to you like that right now in country is,
08:51like, Bailey Zimmerman.
08:52Right?
08:52Like, Bailey just started singing on TikTok.
08:53And then all of a sudden, like, three or four years later, he's, like, selling out arenas.
08:57It's insane.
08:57Yeah.
08:57Crazy.
08:58Such a wild rocket ship to be on.
09:01You guys live in Montana now.
09:03But I know you spend some time in Nashville.
09:04And you were kind of touching on this, like, the differences in being in Nashville versus, like, in L.A.,
09:09especially, like, the music scene and stuff.
09:11But, like, what have you found about Nashville that you really love and appreciate or maybe didn't realize before coming
09:17here?
09:19Yeah, Music Row.
09:20I think that the community of writers, I knew nothing about that.
09:24And I did not know that that was how the town sort of worked.
09:36Right.
09:38And their talent really blew me away.
09:41I was like, and they were so kind to me.
09:43And they shouldn't have been.
09:44Like, I, you know, clearly am coming from this other thing.
09:47And, you know, to me, it felt like if I were them, I would be a waste of time.
09:53Right?
09:53Like, and they were so kind and so, like, helpful, you know, sort of, like, helping me along the path
10:00of learning things and putting tools in my tool belt.
10:03So, that's hands down my favorite thing about Nashville.
10:06That's amazing.
10:07You also are now, I think last night was the fifth episode that aired of Marshall.
10:11So, five episodes into this new venture within the Yellowstone universe.
10:14What are you loving about this new experience?
10:17I got to tell you a funny story about that.
10:19Last night I had a band rehearsal.
10:21You did?
10:21And I forgot that it was Sunday night or that that was even happening.
10:25And we all went out to, like, kind of a sports bar type place to get some food after.
10:29And it was on every single TV.
10:31And we, I walk in with my band in, like, the middle of the restaurant and all of a sudden
10:35realize, like, I'm surrounded by my own face.
10:38Have you, and have, do you watch the episodes?
10:40Like, do you see any of them before they air or, like, a final cut of stuff?
10:44I've seen two of them.
10:45You've seen two.
10:45Okay.
10:46I'm probably good now.
10:47Yeah.
10:47I think I don't need to watch anymore.
10:48It's so funny, like, talking to most actors.
10:50They're like, no, I'm never going to watch it.
10:51Don't need to see it.
10:52So, I'm sure that was weird to be in there.
10:54Yeah.
10:55So, the two that I watched, they sent, and I got to watch at home, like, before they came on.
10:59But I just wanted to make sure I knew what we were making.
11:02Yes.
11:02You know, I wanted to, like, I needed to see the tone.
11:04And I think, you know, at a certain point, I think it's not helpful to see too much or to,
11:08like, get nitpicky about what you're doing.
11:10I think it maybe could make an actor turn very wooden.
11:13You know, they kind of lose some of their, lose some of the stuff that makes them them because they
11:19don't like it when they see it kind of thing.
11:21Yeah.
11:21They're more careful.
11:22If you're, yeah, if you're probably running through your head, like, this is how they're going to edit that.
11:25And I won't like that.
11:26So, we'll do it like this.
11:27You probably aren't staying true to the character.
11:29I had a really good acting teacher that used to say this thing, leave yourself alone.
11:33I thought that was really good.
11:35And I think my way of, the only way that I know how to do that is to just not
11:38watch it.
11:38Because if I watch it, inevitably, I'm going to try to change stuff.
11:42That's so interesting.
11:44And whether, you know, for better or for worse, I just, the process is easier and better for me if
11:48I don't watch it.
11:49Yeah.
11:49So, Riley Green will be a character on this season of the show.
11:53What was it like getting to work with him?
11:56Awesome.
11:56He's a buddy.
11:57You know, we, we'd met before a few times and we were actually trying to write a song together.
12:03Um, and he brought up the one to act and I was like, dude, I'm, I'm, I'm actually, I got
12:07this show coming together, uh, Marshall's like, maybe you could come on and didn't do something on that.
12:13So it was the kind of the birth of the idea was in a right.
12:15That's so wild.
12:16And then, you know, probably six, seven months later, he was on set.
12:20That's crazy.
12:22Was there any advice that you gave to him about acting and then vice versa?
12:25Anything he's helped you with, with music?
12:28Um, I think, yeah, I think just being around Riley has taught me a lot about, um, you know, how,
12:36how, how you can handle this music thing in a really classy way.
12:40He just, the way that guy carries himself and the way he handles being sort of famous and the way
12:45he, you know, he can tour nonstop and not let that get to him and stay healthy and grounded.
12:50Um, I can learn a lot just by sort of watching that.
12:53Yeah.
12:53The touring lifestyle is wild.
12:54It's wild.
12:55And if you can like, literally like stay clear headed and healthy while doing that, it's, it's impressive.
13:01I really don't know how a lot of people do it.
13:03And I feel like the longer I've been sitting here in this chair talking to people, I'm like, now you
13:07understand where people start to like lose their mind a little bit.
13:10At a certain point, because it is such a grueling lifestyle.
13:13And I feel like artists are always like, I don't want to complain because I'm living my dream.
13:15And I'm like, yeah, but still it's crazy.
13:17Yeah.
13:17You can talk about it.
13:18It's a lot to ask of a person.
13:20Um, has there been anybody else like in the country music realm that you feel like you've gotten close to
13:24since like starting this venture into music and this new journey for you?
13:28That's been a like good confidant or just a friend even to me.
13:31Um, Dave Cobb, we've gotten very close and I, you know, he's sort of a music making wizard.
13:39Um, so there's no one better to have as like sort of a mentor and a friend, I think in
13:43this business.
13:44And, and someone like Dave, he's definitely up there for me as far as, uh, someone I wanted to meet
13:51and then got to meet and now get to work with and call a friend.
13:54It's a very cool thing.
13:55That's amazing.
13:56Is there anybody else that you've had your eye on?
13:57Like, I know you mentioned you were sitting trying to write with Riley, but is there anybody else that you've
14:00like talked to about writing that you're excited about?
14:03There's a ton that I'd want to.
14:04Yeah.
14:05Anyone from like Sierra Farrell to Post Malone to Ella, you know, there's a ton of people I'd love to
14:13work with and think it would be awesome.
14:14I could say her name all day.
14:16Yeah, exactly.
14:17I think there's such an interesting thing happening right now.
14:19And I'm curious if you think this, like with all of, there's like more and more TV film coming to
14:24Nashville, like Nicole Kidman's show just shot here.
14:26We've got like Nashville 9-1-1 now and all this stuff.
14:28And every time I have an artist in here talking to them, like all of them are so much more
14:33open, I feel like, to dipping a toe into acting.
14:36And I just feel like with the moment that like country is having, the moment that like Western is having,
14:42which really started with like, you know, this explosion of Yellowstone.
14:45Like, I feel like it's such a cool time for like music, movies, television to all be kind of converging.
14:52Yeah.
14:52I know.
14:53And I feel really lucky to be like, to sort of having been a part of this moment, you know.
14:57And I think Yellowstone did have like a sort of a cultural impact.
15:01For sure.
15:02And to be like in the seat that I was in watching that happen was really, really special.
15:08And, you know, I don't think I would have gotten a record deal or been able to do the things
15:13that I've been able to do if I wasn't a part of Yellowstone.
15:16And so like, I just thank my lucky stars every day.
15:21Absolutely.
15:21Well, listen, the record's amazing.
15:23I'm so excited for you.
15:24And really, thank you so much for coming and taking the time.
15:26And like, obviously I've been a fan of the shows and stuff, but getting to hear the music was really
15:29special and excited to hear what everybody thinks about it.
15:31Thank you so much.
15:32Thank you, Luke.
15:33Yeah.
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