According to Luke Grimes—current star of Yellowstone—pursuing music full-time initially felt like he “stepped into somebody else’s job for a minute.” Speaking with Billboard last October following his set at the Tennessee Pilgrimage Festival, Grimes discussed his “imposter syndrome” and how seeing Lainey Wilson on the Yellowstone set inspired him.
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Grimes first admitted that releasing an album was a “terrifying” concept, before his debut EP, Pain Pills or Pews, released on October 20. He then explained that the Yellowstone cast’s reaction to Lainey Wilson taking up acting gave him the push he needed.
“It was inspiring to watch Lainey step into those [acting] shoes,” he said. “As much as I was afraid that people would naturally be like, ‘What is this guy doing here?’ I realized that no one on our set was like, ‘What is she doing here?’ Everyone was like, ‘She’s awesome and we’re glad she wants to do this.’ That took some of the fear away for me.”
Luke Grimes on Pursuing Music Full-Time, Plus Lainey Wilson on Getting Back to the Yellowstone Set
Grimes’ debut single, “No Horse to Ride,” was even featured in the mid-season finale of Yellowstone season five last year. As for Lainey Wilson, she’s ready to get back to the Dutton Ranch whenever Taylor Sheridan gives her the green light. Speaking with Audacy in December, Wilson revealed that she’s spoken with Sheridan about her character’s arc.
“I talked to Taylor Sheridan the other day and there’s a plan,” she said. “Now we just gotta see if that plan happens. They didn’t take me to the train station, so, we’ll see what happens on that end,” she added, referencing the Dutton family’s habit of disposing of their enemies at the “train station,” AKA a roadside cliff.
Apparently, Wilson will be “smack dab in the middle of touring” when filming begins for the last half of season five. However, she’s ready to rearrange her schedule if it means completing her character’s story.
“We’ll figure it out,” she said. Allegedly, she had to figure out a lot with her character, Abby. Taylor Sheridan wrote the part specifically for Wilson, leaving Abby as an intentional blank slate. “[He] said he wanted me to pretty much be myself, which is a dream come true, especially when you’re trying to introduce yourself to people,” said Wilson. However, “All I got from him at that time was that I would play a musician who would fall in love with one of the boys. He didn’t even tell me which one.”
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival
