Charles Esten

Actor and singer Charles "Chip" Esten balances a career between on-screen performances and spontaneous comedy, earning recognition in both arenas. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, marks his birthplace, though he spent his childhood years after age nine in Alexandria, Virginia. His academic path took him through the College of William and Mary, after which he secured his breakthrough by headlining the stage musical Buddy in England. That prominent part drew widespread notice, opening doors to repeated guest spots on the British original of the improv series Whose Line Is It Anyway? He later joined the American edition fronted by Drew Carey. Additional television credits encompass Star Trek: Next Generation, Cheers, Party of Five, and The Office. On the big screen he has taken parts in Billy Crystal’s 2001 Roger Maris HBO biopic 61* as well as 2008’s Swing Vote with Kevin Costner, among other projects. Esten stepped into the role of singer Deacon Clayborne on the ABC drama Nashville when the series launched in 2012. The show unfolds inside the country music business and routinely places its principal cast members behind the microphone to perform the tracks their characters cut, with Esten appearing on multiple singles issued from the program.