Charles Esten is lending his talents to a few Nashville events, all benefiting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The actor and singer will headline Light the Late Night, at 3rd and Lindsley on October 28 from 9:30 to 11, followed by hosting a Light the Morning brunch at the 404 Kitchen on October 29 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Light the Late Night will include performances by Esten, along with Sixwire, Brandon Robert Young and his former Nashville TV show co-stars, Jonathan Jackson and Clare Bowen. Tickets for the Light the Morning brunch include both an exclusive brunch spread, created by 404 Kitchen’s chef Matt Bolus and his team, plus the opportunity to meet Esten.
Partnering to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a cause that is personal for Esten, whose daughter, Addie, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was just two years old. Fortunately, she survived, but the terrifying health scare left a permanent mark on Esten and his family.
“People ask, ‘How do you get through that?’” Esten previously reflected to The Tennessean. “And I say, ‘What’s the alternative?’ We were not without our share of bad days.”
Prior to Light the Late Night, Esten will walk as part of Team Addie for Light the Night, an annual walk that also benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Nashville celebrated the tenth anniversary of its premiere this week, a show that starred Esten, Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Sam Palladio and more. The show aired on ABC for four seasons before it was canceled, and later picked up by CMT, where it ran for two more seasons, before concluding in 2018. Esten played the role of Deacon Claybourne, a successful singer, allowing him to combine two of his greatest passions, singing and acting.
“Early on, I felt like I knew who this guy was,” Esten told The Boot, speaking of the character he portrayed. “I thought there for the grace of God go I. I was able to empathize and feel those things. I’ve lived long enough and been doing it long enough. I have a Rayna in my life, but we didn’t have to spend all those years apart. You think, “Man, what would that be like?” I felt like I understood him rather quickly, even in terms of the audition. From there on out, I would think about it a lot.”
Esten continues to write and release music, as well as perform, and is a regular on the Grand Ole Opry. He also stars in the Netflix drama, Outer Banks. Find his music and performance dates at CharlesEsten.com. More information on the Leukemia & Lymphoma events can be found here.