HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: Musician Charles Esten to perform at The Coves Amphitheater

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) -When singer-songwriter Charles Esten isn’t on stage entertaining audiences, he’s playing evil father Ward Cameron on the Netflix hit, “Outer Banks.”

“We are nearly done with season three and it has been a wild, wild ride. It has been so much fun. This show is such a blessing,” says Esten.

A blessing, and a big change from his previous starring role as country singer Deacon Claybourne on TV’s “Nashville.”

Esten did get a good chuckle when WDBJ7 asked if the villainous Ward Cameron would ever break out into a country tune on “Outer Banks.”

“I have a fairly vivid imagination. I can think of a whole lot of things, and how they would work. I cannot for the life of me think of how Ward would sit down and get on the guitar and play a soft, sentimental tune about how much he despises the Pogues. That would be a tricky one,” he says.

Ward won’t be singing, but Esten will be.

He’s excited about going back on tour, with a return to The Coves Amphitheater in Union Hall on Saturday, September 10.

“I’m the lucky guy who gets to go play my music, when we do get a minute. It won’t be long after we get back. I will be heading to Smith Mountain Lake and I’m so happy,” says Esten.

Virginia has a special place in his heart, since he moved to Alexandria as a child, and spent time with his grandfather in Buchanan.

His love for his grandfather is evident in his music, especially in songs like “Do You Good”.

“So, that’s why I do love getting to play in sort of the mountain area of Virginia. He was born near Roanoke in Buchanan. He wasn’t born there. He was raised in Buchanan when he was older and there’s still a family home there up on the hill. So, that all means a lot to me and inspired me a whole lot over the years,” says Esten.

Speaking of family, his wife, Patty works right alongside him.

“She’s become a fan favorite for sure. People see her on the side of the stage or walking around and know her from our live streams and social media and that makes me real happy, too. I’m her biggest fan,” says Esten.

The couple also shares a labor of love, supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“We have a daughter who when she was two and half was diagnosed with leukemia, so together we have dedicated ourselves to the leukemia and lymphoma society and their Light the Night campaign, and we’re coming up on 10 years I think with that,” says Esten.

Whether it’s his philanthropy, his TV show, or his music, Esten is a busy guy.

One of his newer songs is “Worst Day,” is a duet with singer Julia Cole.

When it comes to his live shows, Esten likes to keep it off the cuff and in the moment.

“If I’m in a moment and there’s a vibe, because I don’t know what the audience is going to bring at any particular moment and they bring - it’s a partnership. It’s a team going back and forth between us. That’s the beauty of this particular venue. Believe me, it’ll be professional. It won’t just be like sitting around a campfire. But it’ll be a little like sitting around a campfire” he says.

Again, Esten’s show will be at The Coves Amphitheater in Union Hall near Smith Mountain Lake on September 10 at 7 pm.

Click here for a link to buy tickets.

Fans will also be excited to hear that Esten has a new album coming soon.

He says he’s going into pre-production for it in September.

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