Luke Grimes is ticking off another item off his wish list: releasing music.
The actor, 38, best known for his roles as Marc Lee on American Sniper and Kayce Dutton in the popular show Yellowstone, released his debut single "No Horse to Ride" on Friday.
"I think of music as sort of a first love; it was my first creative outlet," Grimes said about the release of his new song. "To be at the start of this journey, putting my own music out into the world, is beyond a dream come true. I'm grateful to the people who helped make this happen and to anyone who connects with these songs, I will do my best to keep them honest."
Grimes is anything but a novice to music. As the son of a Pentecostal pastor, he grew up playing music in church and picked up guitar, drums and the piano. He was also a part of a Los Angeles-based country band where he played the drums and wrote songs while he was building up his acting career, per a release by Universal Music Group Nashville.
The major label — which is the home to country heavyweights like Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Eric Church — announced last week that Grimes signed a record deal in association with Range Music and would become a part of their roster.
"As an actor, Luke Grimes has effortlessly brought the cowboy lifestyle to the forefront of American culture," UMGN president Cindy Mabe said in a press release on the signing.
"As a country music artist, Luke has tapped into that same honesty and authenticity to capture a raw grit and pure depth of artistry that will expand the sound and reach of country music. We are so excited and proud to welcome Luke Grimes to Universal Music Group Nashville," Mabe added.
"Luke is a special spirit who puts honesty above all else in his art," Range Music managing partner Matt Graham added. "We at Range are excited to partner with Brian, Cindy and the rest of the UMG team to help him fulfill his dreams of sharing his songs with country music fans."
Fans won't have to wait that long to hear new music from Grimes, as his debut album is already in the works. He is partnering up with award-winning producer and songwriter Dave Cobb, who has won several Grammy Awards for his work producing tracks for Brandi Carlisle and Chris Stapleton.
He also has stage performances lined up at 2023's Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California and Under the Big Sky Festival in Whitefish, Montana, where he'll be performing as a special guest.
His debut single "No Horse to Ride" will be featured on Yellowstone's mid-season finale on Jan. 1, 2023.
