Charles Esten was born in Pennsylvania, but moved to Virginia with his mother and his sister after his parents divorced. After college, he played Buddy Holly in a long-running UK stage production before becoming a member of the casts for both the UK and US versions of Whose Line is it Anyway? Eventually, he landed a role on TV’s Nashville as troubled songwriter Deacon Claybourne, where he got to show off the musical skills he’d been developing since childhood. Charles joins Sid to discuss how his parents – and their divorce – shaped him. Plus he reveals how his recent surge in songwriting, which garnered him a Guinness World Record for the number of singles released in consecutive weeks, has led him to release his first full-length album, Love Ain’t Pretty.

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Biscuits & Jam is produced by:Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern LivingKrissy Tiglias - GM, Southern LivingLottie Leymarie - Executive ProducerMichael Onufrak - Audio Engineer/ProducerJeremiah McVay - ProducerJennifer Del Sole - Director of Audio Growth Strategy & OperationsLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices