HomeEF CountryCurtis Grimes reflects on the Texas music scene as he premieres 'Ain't...

Curtis Grimes reflects on the Texas music scene as he premieres ‘Ain’t Worth the Heartache’ video

Curtis Grimes is premiering the video for his acoustic version of new song ‘Ain’t Worth the Heartache’ across the Destination Country network.

The song is one of three originals from his ‘Acoustic Collection’, which is released on Friday 11th December 2020. The EP also features two fan favourites from Curtis’ ever-growing back catalogue.

Talking about why he’s decided to put out an acoustic EP now, Curtis shares:

“I’ve noticed a lot of acts were resorting to that, just for content, over the shutdown. We had plans to do a full-length record next year. In the meantime, we’re pumping out singles. We’ll send them to Texas radio, that’s what we’re gearing our marketing towards. I wanted to do the acoustic thing because I know if you’re going into Spotify, and other outlets, they actually appreciate and use the acoustic tracks as well. It’s kind of a double whammy. We get content and I get to put out a couple of new songs.”

Opening up about the inspiration behind ‘Ain’t Worth the Heartache’, which we’re premiering today, Curtis explains:

“I really wanted to write a song that I feel like Keith Whitley would have cut. That was the plain and simple approach. I had the idea on my phone. I just recorded a voice memo so I had the first the first verse and a good chunk of it going before I went into our co-write for the day. I wrote with a guy named Ronny Vines, just super traditional. I know if I go write with Ronny, he’s not gonna pull me too commercial. He likes that traditional vein too. This was my idea, my direction and I got in with Ronny and we knocked this one out pretty quick.ā€

Curtis Grimes - Acoustic Collection EP
Credit: Curtis Grimes

Over the last decade, Curtis has had incredible success on the Texas music scene. It’s a circuit he cut his teeth on and it’s one that embraces his music all these years later. Sharing his experiences of the scene, he enthuses:

“ā€œI think we’re very unique in the aspect of there is a scene down here that lets someone (be part of it) who didn’t grow up playing guitar or singing, I was just a huge fan of that kind of music. When I was in high school, there was this underground Texas Red Dirt scene developing and there would be concerts you could go to. There would be burnt CDs from friends, this was when you could download Napster and Limewire songs too, and that was this cool thing that attracted me to what I felt like were regular artists that didn’t have the label and weren’t having to go to Nashville and go through mainstream radio to make it. That’s the direction I went in.”

Reflecting on his musical beginnings, Curtis took me back to his college days where his passion for music began to take him on the path of becoming an artist:

“My roommate, when I was a freshman in college, had a guitar so I started messing around with the guitar, when I got in college. He was just playing those Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen and those kind of guys – the songs I was listening to at the time. When I started writing, that’s the kind and the style of songs that I was writing. I played fraternity or sorority parties, or little private things and open mic nights. I was on the first season of ‘The Voice’ over here so that gave me another platform to get outside of the Texas region we were at, at the time. That opened the door for me to make contacts in Nashville and get out there and start writing and get into the publishing world, and really took everything to another level. If it wasn’t for that Texas scene, then I wouldn’t have been where I was when the time came for an introduction in Nashville.ā€

Curtis Grimes releases his ‘Acoustic Collection’ EP on Friday 11th December 2020.

Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip is the owner and Editor of Entertainment Focus, and the Managing Director of PiƱata Media. With over 19 years of journalism experience, Pip has interviewed some of the biggest stars in the entertainment world. He is also a qualified digital marketing expert with over 20 years of experience.

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