Kevin Costner has been entertaining audiences for more than 25 years on the silver screen.

Costner’s first acting role came in the little known 1982 film “Chasing Dreams.” However, it wasn’t until his role as Jake in Lawrence Kasdan’s 1986 Western “Silverado” that Costner became a film star. He then became a big name in the late ‘80s with his roles in such films as “The Untouchables,” “Bull Durham” and “Field of Dreams.”

The highlight of Costner’s movie career was undoubtedly when his 1990 film “Dances with Wolves,” which he directed, won seven Academy Awards, including best picture and best director.

Costner continued his prosperous acting career throughout the ‘90s and this decade. However, Costner has found a new way to entertain audiences across the country.

Costner and his band Modern West released their first album, “Untold Truths,” on Nov. 11.

The album was released on the Universal South label and consists of good ole fashioned Americana and hard-charging country music.

Kevin Costner has been playing music for a few decades with friends John Coinman and Blair Forward. Costner said in an interview with CMT’s Lance Smith that his wife, Christine, is the one who inspired him to start a band.

Costner, Coinman and Forward added Park Chisholm, guitarist Teddy Morgan and drummer Larry Cobb to the group and formed the band Modern West in 2005.

Costner and Modern West started a worldwide tour in October of 2007 that sent them to many countries including Italy and Turkey.

A lot of actors attempt singing careers these days, just as many musicians attempt acting careers. Many of these actors to put it rather bluntly have no business in the music business. However, Costner is a surprisingly good singer and he and his band prove in “Untold Truths” that they are more than welcome in the world of Americana and country music. 

Kevin Costner and Modern West have already released two singles off of their debut album “Superman 14” and “Long Hot Night.” Both songs are well written and performed and like all of the songs on the album really make the listener long for the Middle America life that might have passed us by.

A line in “Superman 14” that says, “Baseball, Buddy Holly, black tennis shows, dirty old T-shirt” is one of the best lines in any song that I’ve ever heard in summing up the spirit of America and how Middle America feels.

Kevin Costner and Modern West’s “Untold Truths” album is one that would probably be enjoyed most by fans of Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams. If you love America, you would love “Untold Truths.”

The band’s song “Five Minutes from America” does a good job painting a picture on the troubles and down-trodden times that many hard working, Blue Collar Americans must go through to survive. The song was inspired by the displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The group’s song “Backyard,” which appeared in Costner’s most recent film “Swing Vote” is an ode to one of Middle America’s favorite pastimes of auto racing. The song includes a verse paying tribute to Richard Petty, oftentimes hailed as the greatest driver in NASCAR’s storied history. Petty made a cameo appearance in “Swing Vote.”

Kevin Costner and Modern West’s “Untold Truths” is honestly one of the best albums of the year; kind of a surprise coming from one of cinema’s last cowboys, Kevin Costner.