Luke Grimes From ‘Yellowstone’ Makes Country Music Debut With ‘No Horse to Ride’ [Listen]

Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton on the Western drama Yellowstone, is officially launching his country music career with his debut song, "No Horse to Ride," which he released on Friday (Dec. 16).

Grimes co-wrote the song with Jonathan Singleton and Tony Lane, and he also provides percussion and acoustic guitar on the track. Dave Cobb serves as producer. The release comes days after news of Grimes' new record deal with Mercury Nashville/Range Music.

Beginning with laid-back acoustic guitar instrumentation, the song encapsulates the feeling of the American West, which is prevalent in Yellowstone but also in Grimes' own life, as he relocated to Montana after he began acting on the show.

The track is essentially a love song, as Grimes visualizes a world without his love interest. He uses various comparisons to communicate how he would feel if he were ever left alone, with the main example being "a cowboy with no horse to ride."

"I’d be a drunk without a drink to drink / A guitar with a broken string / Without you, I’d be a falling star without a midnight sky / A cowboy with no horse to ride," he sings in the chorus.

The track features rich country instrumentation, with steel guitar alongside percussion and acoustic guitar, which only adds to the yearning feeling of the tune.

"I think of music as sort of a first love; it was my first creative outlet," Grimes says in a press release. “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 also announced the release on social media, writing that music has always helped him "find meaning" and that more releases are on the way soon. The singer has been working with Nashville songwriters including Singleton, Lane, Brent Cobb, Jon Randall, Jessi Alexander and more.

"No Horse to Ride," serves as the lead release from an upcoming, Dave Cobb-produced project. The song will also appear on Yellowstone's mid-season finale, airing on Jan. 1 on Paramount Network.

Growing up the son of a Pentecostal preacher in Dayton, Ohio, Grimes began playing music in church and listening to classic country artists including Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson at a young age. He played in a band in L.A. prior to his acting career, and he hinted at launching his solo country music career in January.

Yellowstone continues every Sunday evening at 8PM ET on Paramount Network. Season 5 is an extra-long season consisting of 14 episodes that are airing in two arcs of seven episodes each.

As part of Taste of Country's comprehensive coverage of all things Yellowstone, check out our Dutton Rules podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.