JRE 2468 · March 13, 2026

Luke Grimes

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Who is Luke Grimes?

Luke Grimes is an actor and musician who stars as Kayce Dutton in the “Yellowstone” spin-off series “Marshals,” airing Sundays at 8 PM Pacific / 7 PM Central on CBS and available to stream on Paramount+. His new album, “Red Bird,” will be released on April 3.

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Topics and Timestamps

01Luke Grimes stars in Yellowstone spin-off Marshals and released new album Red Bird on April 3rd
02Discussed Taylor Sheridan's impossible work ethic and how he writes multiple TV shows while maintaining a full life
03Luke started performing music live at age 39 after his father passed away and encouraged him to pursue his passions
04First show was in Billings Montana with 1,200 people where he blacked out from nerves, fourth show was Stagecoach festival
05Compared Oliver Anthony's overnight success from one song to Luke's slower music journey as a successful actor branching into music
06Joe shared stories about discovering UFC in 1997 when it was banned from cable and how following unconventional paths led to his success
▶Luke's first music performance at age 39 where he blacked out from nerves0:27:00
▶Discussion of Taylor Sheridan's impossible work ethic and productivity0:05:00
▶Joe's story about discovering UFC in 1997 when it was banned from cable0:48:00
▶Luke's father's passing and the pivotal moment that encouraged him to pursue music0:22:00
▶Comparison of Luke's path versus Oliver Anthony's overnight viral success0:31:00

The Show

JRE 2468 features Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton in the Yellowstone spin-off Marshals and is releasing his debut album Red Bird. The conversation kicks off with mutual respect between Joe and Luke, who's been listening to the podcast for years while Joe has been watching Yellowstone. They dive into how massive Yellowstone became and whether anyone predicted it would blow up like that.

The bulk of the early conversation centers on Taylor Sheridan, the creator, and just how insanely productive he is. Joe and Luke marvel at how the guy manages to write, direct, and produce multiple major television shows simultaneously while still having time for family and friends. Luke describes Sheridan's output as literally impossible, while Joe jokes about how he must not sleep and wonders if the guy's going to have a heart attack from overwork. They discuss how Sheridan's background story is like a real-life Rocky tale, struggling until his late 30s before breaking through with massive success.

The conversation shifts to Luke's music journey, which is fascinating because he didn't start performing live until age 39. A music manager essentially cold-called him on set and pitched him a record deal, which Luke initially rejected. But after his father passed away and imparted the wisdom to pursue anything you want while you're here, Luke decided to go for it. His first show was in Billings, Montana with 1,200 people, and he literally blacked out from nerves, not drinking. He had no idea how it went until people told him it was good. His fourth show ever was Stagecoach, which is a massive festival stage.

Joe brings up Oliver Anthony as a comparison point, the guy who blew up overnight with Richmond North of Richmond and had his first live show in front of 20,000 people. Joe explains how he advised Oliver not to sign with any record labels because they're all vampires trying to exploit him. Luke acknowledges his own path is way different and less cool than the Oliver Anthony story, but Joe argues that sometimes that pressure works in your favor because you have to prove you're legit and not just a pretty TV actor trying to cash in on his fame.

They also discuss LA culture and how the entertainment industry molds people into the same type of person. Joe talks about how his unconventional choices early in his career, like announcing UFC events in 1997 when it was banned from cable and barely anyone watched, got him weird looks from TV actors who thought he was ruining his career. But those decisions to follow his actual interests over career advice ended up being exactly right. Luke reflects on how desperately people cling to their dreams in LA because they've given up everything to pursue them, which makes them vulnerable to getting molded into whatever mold the industry wants them to fit. Joe mentions how successful comedians often tone down their material once they get TV deals, locking themselves into a velvet prison of safety and mediocrity.