Hailed by GRAMMY.com as delivering a debut album, Love Ain’t Pretty, that’s “the purest representation of his artistry possible,” multi-talented entertainer Charles Esten took the stage for Spotlight: Charles Esten at the Clive Davis Theater inside the GRAMMY Museum® in Los Angeles, CA, on Wednesday night (3/6).
Offering an evening of conversation about his storied career and the creative process behind his independent full-length project, Esten’s friend and the former Music Supervisor of Nashville, Dawn Solér, moderated the ticketed program, plus a lively audience Q&A from the packed house. Deep-diving into the poignant lyrics and revealing personal stories behind the Marshall Altman-produced songs on the 14-track collection (co-writing all with acoustic guitar credits), Esten then displayed his one-man-band showmanship, playing acoustic guitar, piano, percussion stomp box, and harmonica across his standing ovation-worthy set that spanned album cuts such as “One Good Move,” “Make You Happy,” and “Down The Road” (his collaboration with Eric Paslay). With Love Ain’t Pretty largely inspired by his nearly 40-year romance with his college sweetheart Patty, he dedicated a section of the show to his “Candlelight” as well – including a surprise birthday cake ahead of her special day.
Recently inviting the Country Music Association behind-the-scenes of his highly anticipated album release and SOLD-OUT headlining concert (1/26) at Exit/In in Nashville, TN, watch the “In Their Boots” segment here. In addition, Esten’s made major television appearances coast-to-coast including NBC’s The Kelly Clarkson Show, NBC’s Access Daily with Mario & Kit – hosted by Mario Lopez and Kit Hoover, and CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown, with top-tier features stacking by Southern Living, Parade, Cowboys & Indians, CMT, and more.
