Kick Back with 'Yellowstone' Star Luke Grimes

They say the stars shine brighter in Montana, and that rings particularly true for actor Luke Grimes. The Dayton, Ohio, native has been performing since his earliest days in his hometown church and has since logged film credits in American Sniper and Fifty Shades of Grey, but it wasn’t until the neo-Western television drama Yellowstone took the world by dust storm that Luke’s star went megawatt. Like his can’t-help-but-root-for character Kayce Dutton, there’s an authenticity to Luke—one that is reinforced by his newly chosen home.

After living in L.A. for 16 years, Luke and his wife, Bianca, moved to Austin for a bit during the pandemic before taking off on a two-month adventure in a 2013 Airstream to assorted national parks. “I told my wife, ‘If you see a place you like, we can think about moving there,’ ” says Luke. “As soon as we parked in Montana, she said, ‘This place, obviously.’ ”

In between working on season five of Yellowstone (“It’s as different as every other season.”), filming a romantic comedy (Happiness for Beginners with Ellie Kemper, out the first half of 2023 on Netflix), and recording a country album (really!), Luke can likely be found strumming his guitar around a campfire and enjoying the jaw-dropping scenery. Still, there’s one thing the actor does miss about city-living: “You can’t get anything delivered. There’s no Postmates out here.”

Luke's Western Wisdom

The actor/musician, supremely capable campfire builder on how to create your best life out West

Find Your Wheels.

“I wanted my specific Airstream because the newer ones can look a little slick inside. In 2013 they made one that was meant to look sort of retro, so it has 1970s-looking upholstery and wood grain. It had that older look, but with the luxury of having the newer bells and whistles.”

Hit the Road.

“The best part of Airstream-ing is waking up in the morning somewhere completely different than where you woke up the day before. It’s always exciting starting the day from a neutral place.”

Crank Up the Tunes.

“Church music was the first music in my life. My dad was a pastor, and I was at church three days a week. I was the church drummer starting at age 9. From there, my dad listened to Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard—all of those old-school outlaw country guys. We would always play that on boys’ trips. It’s what got me into country music.”

Put it in Park.

“All of our national parks are special in their own way. As far as favorites, some of the coolest hikes I’ve done have been in Zion. It’s like you took Yosemite and put it on Mars. Everything’s red.”

Pick at Some Strings.

“The first place I moved after Ohio was New York City. Having a drum set in New York is impossible—your neighbors would kill you—so I got a guitar and started teaching myself chords. It’s been a part of my life ever since. If I have an acting gig, I always have a guitar. And not just because I’m working on an album. It’s always been a little buddy that I can take around anywhere. It’s somewhere to put some of that energy when you’re in a new place and don’t know what else to do.”

Fire up the Ambiance.

“The first order of business [at a campsite] is always to get a fire going. I’ll build a fire even if it’s warm outside. I’m a little bit of a pyro.”

Earn Your Dinner.

“Being able to harvest animals in my own backyard is a dream come true. I’ve been deer hunting since I was tiny, and there’s a ton of deer on my property. We eat a lot of venison, which ends up being Bolognese, chili, or steak. If you’re vegan, I totally understand, but I do eat meat and I think this is probably the most ethical way.”

Prop styling by Natalie Warady; wardrobe styling by Evan Simonitsch; grooming by Tim Muir; location, Dunrovin Ranch.

Katie Bowlby

Katie Bowlby is Digital Director at Country Living, where she covers gift guides, product reviews, crafts, and TV shows like Yellowstone. She’s currently stitching up a cross-stitch pattern for the magazine’s next issue