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Openly gay country music star Steve Grand’s debut has been a constant on my playlist this week and as I was listening to it for probably the tenth time, I realized that his title track “All American Boy” should be the genesis for a tv series in which he would star. The song paints such a vivid picture of unrequited love that anyone, gay or straight, can relate.
Here’s how I see the origin story of show unfolding:
Steve is an aspiring musician living in the midwest playing whatever gigs he can get. He lives in a converted apartment above his parents garage which leaves him very little privacy. Although Steve has come out to his ultra conservative parents it remains a mostly unspoken topic. His parents love him, but struggle to understand this part of his life. Steve has dated a couple of guys, but he’s never brought anyone home to meet his parents in part because he knew none of those guys were “the one.”
Steve’s best friend Jake is a strapping farm boy. He’s never been outside of their small town and he’s quite content to spend his days at the lake drinking whiskey by a fire while Steve plays the guitar and previews his music. While Jake sees this as just another good time with his best friend, Steve finds it to be the most intimate times he’s had. Unfortunately for him, Jake’s girlfriend Laurie always finds a way to join in the festivities. Every time Steve has to watch Jake and Laurie hold hands, embrace and kiss, his heart breaks a little bit more. Jake is cool with Steve’s sexuality and has no idea his best friend is in love with him, although Laurie has noticed the way Steve looks at Jake and takes every opportunity she can to make sure Steve witnesses their affection for one another.
When Steve plays a gig at a small bar in Chicago, he meets Marcus a handsome medical intern who is immediately taken with Steve. Marcus persuades Steve to have coffee with him before he has to catch his train back home. They hit it off and Marcus suggests they see each other again. Steve is hesitant but exchanges numbers with him and heads back home. Marcus is persistent and even though Steve tries to put him off, Marcus eventually wears him down and Steve agrees to see him again the next time he can book a job in Chicago.
When Steve and Marcus do start officially dating, it’s only in Chicago, when Marcus has time off from the hospital and Steve can get into the city. Steve doesn’t tell Jake about Marcus, although Marcus suspects something is going on because Steve and his music have taken on a more upbeat tone. Unfortunately for Marcus, he feels there’s a distance between him and Steve. He suspects Steve has a boyfriend back home, but Steve assures him that’s not the case.
When Steve finally introduces Marcus to Jake, Marcus suspects that there’s more between the two of them than friendship. As he witnesses how close Steve and Jake are, he suspects Jake is using Laurie as a cover. Marcus becomes incredibly insecure in his relationship with Steve and Steve’s inability to shake his feelings for Jake won’t let him fully commit to Marcus emotionally.
The series would follow Steve as he struggles to find success in his music, build a relationship with Marcus and fight every instinct he has to tell Jake how he feels about him, in fear of not only being rejected but also possibly losing his best friend.
Steve Grand is a handsome, sexy and charming all American boy and has all the makings of a leading man. His music can serve as inspiration for a variety of storylines. ALL AMERICAN BOY would showcase the struggles not only of Steve’s love life, but also the struggles of an openly gay musician.
Check out Steve Grand’s videos for “All American Boy” and “Time”.
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