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The newseasonofNashville , family, andmore ESTEN CHIP CHIP EXCLUSIVE 8/15/14 11:42AM

LIFESTYLES STAND-UP GUY

AS RETURNS TO ABC THIS MONTH, CHIP ESTEN REFLECTS ON HIS JOURNEY FROM IMPROV STAR TO MUSIC MAN.

BY KRISTIN LUNA PHOTO BY CAMERON POWELL

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09.14 NL 67-80.indd 72 8/13/14 10:50 AM t’s hard to believe teens, all of whom inherited tended a week. I did that for isn’t their father’s musical genes. a long time until I finally just from around here. And, of course, there’s the sold my ticket.” While he had “Chip,” as his friends obvious one: You won’t find some savings, Esten worked and colleagues call him, Esten out on a late-night carpentry and painting gigs by Iis as gracious as they come. bender; rather, when he’s day, and by night, he found a He pauses several times not shooting the show or at- new way to pass the time— throughout our interview to tending one of his children’s and indulge his love for per- proclaim, “I don’t know how sporting events, he’s out on forming. “You can’t just go be I got so lucky to get to do the town with Patty at a new- in TV or go be in a movie, but this,” as if a chance encounter to-him restaurant—Josephine the one thing you can do is go instead of raw talent—not being a recent favorite—or do stand-up at an open-mic to mention nearly 25 years building up his solo career night,” he explains. of acting—were responsible through performances at the As his money slowly started for getting him to where he Station Inn and other iconic to run out, Esten sought new is today. His manners are local haunts. ways to get by. While flipping impeccable: He invites me But while music may have through newspaper ads, he into his Brentwood home in been his beginning—and the spotted one for a trivia-style a quiet, leafy neighborhood thing that ultimately brought game show, Sale of the Cen- and immediately offers up a him to Nashville—it wasn’t al- tury, which “at the time was Family Matters beverage and healthy snack ways Esten’s primary focus. At like Jeopardy, but not as rig- At first glance, you’d never know Charles before suggesting we retreat nine years old, the - orous,” Esten says. He made Esten’s daughter once battled cancer. to the back patio for a chat. born talent moved to Virginia, it onto the show, won for five When she was just two-and-a-half years We settle on the dining where he’d live until his early days straight, and walked old, Addie was diagnosed with acute room instead, as Esten, ever 20s. As a sophomore at Wil- away with $34,000 in cash and lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) but, thanks a considerate host, fears liam & Mary, Esten joined prizes. “What that meant was to treatment, made a solid recovery and the construction next door a fraternity cover band that that I was able to stay,” he is thriving today. A newly minted fresh- might bother me. Much like played “college radio-type says. “I came down to nothing man, Addie, now 14, plays for the varsity every songwriter I know, stuff, like U2 and REM…Tom until I won that. With the year soccer team at her Brentwood high Esten’s living room houses a Petty and Talking Heads” that provided, I was able to school, travels for competitive club ball in hodgepodge of instruments, and stuck around for an extra start getting jobs.” the off-season, and participates in other with worn sheet music and year after graduating because While Esten enjoyed doing extracurriculars, including playing music tattered, earmarked songbooks the band was doing well. “I standup, he says it was too soli- like her father. lying open on the piano. And bet all those guys went on tary for his personality; instead, Due to their personal connection he nails the easy affectation to be doctors, lawyers—you he fell in love with improv and to blood cancer, Esten and his family of a man born and bred know, regular jobs—but me, I sketch comedy, a natural pro- are avid supporters of the Leukemia & in Tennessee in his role as knew I wanted to do some- gression for the admitted funny Lymphoma Society, which aims to find a Deacon Claybourne on ABC’s thing else,” he says. “I was guy. “I was always voted class cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s primetime hit Nashville. certain that I didn’t want the clown or something like that,” disease, and myeloma while also improv- But courteous demeanor, highlight of my life to be [my he recalls from his middle and ing the quality of life for patients and their Southern hospitality, and college years].” high school days. “My mom loved ones. For the second straight year, one impressive set of pipes Esten decided to dive was like, ‘Wittiest? Why not the actor will serve as honorary chair- are where the similarities headfirst into acting, and mu- most successful? Most likely to person for the annual Light the Night between Esten and his TV sic took a backseat. A friend succeed?’ I was the showoff, Walk in Nashville on Oct. 10 beginning likeness end. For one, the had moved to Los Angeles the class clown.” at 5:30 p.m. at LP Field. In 2013, Esten actor has been with the same and was making headway in He landed a job at the represented the organization on Who woman, Patty, since his un- his own career, and Esten legendary Groundlings comedy Wants to Be a Millionaire and made it all dergrad days after meeting as decided to follow him out— club doing everything from the way to the final question—beco - college juniors, while Deacon for just three weeks. “After ticket sales to vacuuming, and ing the first celebrity contestant to do recycles through gal pals as three weeks, I extended my he immersed himself in the so on the daytime version of the show he would pairs of jeans. For ticket a week—you could do world of improv. “I was blown and walking away with $500,000 for his another, he’s an extremely that back then,” he says. “And away; it was like magic to me,” cause. —K.L.

COURTESY OF CHIP ESTEN involved father to his trio of then after another one, I ex- he says. >>>

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09.14 NL 67-80.indd 73 8/13/14 10:50 AM After a year, just as his Groundlings career began his failed attempts at a Music City sojourn, he performing. “But what I figured was I’d just have a to gain traction, he nabbed a role playing Buddy was called in to read for the role of a lifetime: room where the instruments were always out, the Holly in a stage production in London and relocated the smooth-talking, guitar-toting Deacon Clay- piano was always open, the guitar was always sitting to England. While there, in 1992, the producers of bourne. “It was only because [music and acting] there ready to be played, [I] bought a bass and a the U.K.’s Whose Line Is It Anyway? (the original both were required for the role that I even had a bass amp that I just left out—and they were all version) asked Esten to audition and promptly hired shot at it,” he says. slowly enticed by the fun of it.” him. For years—and nearly 200 episodes in both the The rest is (fairly recent) history. Esten got the The family of five frequently sees live music U.S. and U.K. versions—the show’s flexible filming job and moved to Nashville, where he lived solo together, with Elvis Costello and Weezer shows schedule and steady paycheck allowed Esten to for the first season; his family, including their dog, at the Ryman being two of Esten’s favorite spend ample time with his family, which was always Blue—who played Deacon’s pup, Sue, on the recent acts. “It’s amazing to me how everybody his top priority, while also appearing in arcs on hit show—followed a year later. And while he initially comes through here, but even when there’s not a TV series like Party of Five, ER, The Office, and Big may have been nervous about uprooting his kids tour, going to the Opry or even 3rd and Lindsley Love. “I had always passed on roles that would take from the stable life they knew, Esten says they is just incredible,” he says. “Every single night me out of town,” he says. “We always said maybe acclimated quickly. “For the most part, they grew here, what I’ve noticed is that it doesn’t mat- it will happen when we are older and the kids are up in one house, one school system, one group ter how good the show you went to was—you older, maybe there will be a show when it’s right to of friends,” he says. “But they didn’t make [the missed two amazing shows.” And Esten takes on move on, when it’s worth it.” move] hard on me at all. Family comes first for his fair share of side gigs, as well, having spent Meanwhile, after the turn of the millennium, all of us…and our family bond is unbreakable. All much of his summer break touring with costar Esten began dabbling in music again—this time, I had in my hip pocket to offer was what a great and opening for Jennifer Nettles his primary focus was country. “I started thinking town I knew this was and how great the people and Alan Jackson. if I got a show on the air, I’d be so happy, it would were, how great a place it was to grow up as a kid, The beauty of a show like Nashville—which feel really great,” he says. “But if I got a cut as a all the opportunities we have here. There was a premieres at 9 p.m. on Sept. 24—is that while it songwriter, on country radio, just having the type part of me that was glad to disabuse the notion allows budding, unknown musicians a start, it also of song that everybody knew—I thought I’d pull that there’s only one place to be happy.” provides a stage for seasoned artists like Esten over and cry.” Esten took this realization as a sign While his middle child, Chase, 16, plays bass in to flourish and achieve widespread recognition that he should immerse himself in his passion once a band, it’s the oldest, Taylor, who could be the next among a whole new demographic—likely the more. He started writing with the likes of Jane Bach family member to see her name up in lights. The ones who were too young to ever have heard (among her credits is Reba McEntire’s “The Last 18-year-old singer-songwriter is a skilled pianist of Whose Line Is It Anyway? And while the One to Know”), who asked Esten on more than who frequently accompanies her dad at gigs—from newfound fame may mean the TV star can no one occasion to join her in Nashville for a writers’ Graceland to CMA Music Fest to the Opry at longer hit up Robert’s Western World (his favorite round at the Bluebird Café. “Twice I had a ticket, the Ryman, where she played on her most recent spot on Lower Broad) without a dozen eager fans and twice I had to cancel because I got work back in birthday—and recently enrolled as a freshman in waiting to snap a photo with him, this gracious L.A.,” he says. “I said, ‘When am I ever going to get Belmont University’s music business program. Southern man—who may not originally be from to Nashville? It’s never going to happen.’” “I always knew you couldn’t force music with around here, but has quickly made Nashville his Esten learned to never say never; soon after kids,” Esten says of his children’s shared love of home—is taking it all in stride.

Behind the Scenes As season two of Nashville wrapped in May, many Deacon will continue to grow his relationship fans were left with unanswered questions: Will with daughter Maddie, learning the boundaries Layla and Will’s personal life be aired for the world between father and friend by trial-and-error; to see? Will he finally be f ee to be himself (and in turn, she and sister Daphne will see more pursue his dreamy trainer)? Is Zoey going to fly th screen—and stage—time (unconfirmed, but coop and head out on tour, leaving beau Gunnar that’s what we’re hoping). Juliette will find out behind? Which proposal will Rayna accept: that of she’s pregnant—but by whom? Guess you’ll just the smooth-talking, headlining megastar Luke or have to wait and see… the rough-and-tumble, backup singer and guitarist And the will feature not one but two Deacon, with whom she already has a child? What’s live performances. That’s right: to become of Juliette and Avery’s relationship? (Will) is set to tackle The ’ “If It’s And how exactly will the producers hide Hayden Love” and Chip Esten (Deacon) will perform an Panettiere’s real life pregnancy? original, “I Know How to Love You Now,” that he While the fate of so many characters is co-wrote with , live from the Bluebird still unknown, here’s what we have gathered Café set stage—once for the East Coast airing about the new season, premiering on Sept. 24: and once for the West Coast. Fans will be able to Rayna will befriend an up-and-coming country purchase the live recording or studio rendition on artist, Sadie Stone (played by Laura Benanti). iTunes immediately following the episode. COURTESY OF CHIP ESTEN

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