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Joe Rogan Experience #2468 - 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. https://www.cbs.com/shows/marshals https://www.youtube.com/@LukeGrimes https://www.lukegrimesmusic.com

Joe RoganhostLuke Grimesguest
Mar 12, 20262h 40mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Luke Grimes on Yellowstone fame, music nerves, and Montana life

  1. Luke Grimes reflects on Yellowstone’s unexpected success, Taylor Sheridan’s seemingly impossible workload, and the career shift of releasing country music and touring for the first time at 39–40 while managing family life.
  2. A major thread is performance psychology: both men compare stage fright, imposter syndrome, and the role of pressure, losses, and repetition in building confidence across music, comedy, and fighting.
  3. The conversation expands into lifestyle and values—leaving (or disliking) LA culture, finding peace in Montana, skepticism about gambling/Vegas, and why challenging pursuits like jiu-jitsu and elk hunting “re-center” people.
  4. They end with wide-ranging riffs on substances, risk (motorcycles/horseback riding), AI’s effects on culture, and conspiracy folklore (Bigfoot/flat earth), while returning to the idea that nature and real community are antidotes to modern “phone-driven” anxiety.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Yellowstone’s breakout felt unforeseeable—even to the cast.

Grimes says he expected an audience but not the phenomenon it became; both credit Taylor Sheridan’s writing engine and ambition rooted in his late-blooming career and “foot on the gas” mentality.

Touring is a financial logistics problem as much as an art form.

Grimes explains why musicians often run Thu–Sat runs: the bus, crew, and gear rentals make one-off shows hard to justify, especially for a newer touring act.

Stage fright can intensify when you’re “front of mic” for the first time.

Grimes played his first real show at 39, blacked out from nerves, and only gradually acclimated; he’s comfortable in the studio but feels pressure when people buy tickets and expect a “real” artist.

Imposter syndrome is a sign of sanity, not incompetence.

Rogan argues most grounded high performers feel it; Grimes notes it’s stronger in music than acting because he has 20+ years of acting reps but far fewer live music reps.

LA incentives can mold personalities and dilute creative edge.

Both describe LA as a place where people chase being “picked,” adapt to casting/producer preferences, and self-censor—Rogan calls it a ‘velvet prison’ that can soften comics and performers.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

His is impossible… could you write 10 television shows single-handedly? No way.

Luke Grimes

I blacked out, man… not drinking—just blacked out on nerves.

Luke Grimes

Everybody who's sane gets imposter syndrome.

Joe Rogan

LA felt like everybody was trying to become the same person—but they don’t know who that person is.

Luke Grimes

If you can choose what’s hard in your life, you’ll be way better off.

Joe Rogan

Yellowstone and Taylor Sheridan’s productivityLaunching a music career late; touring economicsStage fright, imposter syndrome, performance pressureLA culture, fame, and self-censorshipMontana living, migration backlash, small-town dynamicsCombat sports: jiu-jitsu learning curve; street-fight realitiesVegas gambling culture; Dana White stories; slap-fight critiqueHunting and elk fitness; gear and mountain realitiesCreativity process: jokes vs songwriting; muse/disciplineSubstances, addiction pathways, quitting smoking/drinkingAI-generated music and cultural “derivativeness”Bigfoot, fossils, Younger Dryas, and distrust in institutions

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