Luke Combs wants to leave country music better than how he found it. And he wants to be one of the people remembered when it comes to the history of the genre.
Combs, who leans on the modern and traditional sides of country music without bending the genre too far, opened up about his wishes when the day comes that he is no longer recording music or performing in a live setting.
“I Would Love To Be The Best To Ever Do It”
When asked the question: “Who’s on your Mt. Rushmore of country music,” the country superstar tells The Tennessean, “I would love to be the best to ever do it, that would be great — But how do you even categorize that? To me, the most realistic thing is: How do I end up in someone’s couch conversation 30 years from now? And some guy whose seven beers deep is coming to blow with his best friend, saying ‘Luke Combs, he’s the guy. How dare you leave him off?’”
“That, to me, is the ultimate ‘you’ve left your mark’ thing,” he shared.
Combs’ dreams of being inserted into strangers’ conversations years down the road, though, isn’t too far-fetched as he has already created quite a legacy since launching his career in 2014 with his debut EP, The Way She Rides.
The three-time Grammy nominee and two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year titleholder has achieved plenty of success, racking up 15 consecutive No. 1 hits, becoming one of the fastest country artists to do so, releasing four albums via River House/Columbia Nashville and earning countless other awards and accolades.
Combs’ latest album, released in March, is titled Gettin’ Old and acts as the companion project to 2022s Growin’ Up. The 18-track collection includes singles: “Five Leaf Clover,” “Joe,” “Love You Anyway,” and “Fast Car,” which is the only cover song on the record.
Opening Nashville Bar Inspired By “Hurricane”
The 33-year-old chart-topper is also leaving his mark in Nashville, Tenn., with the 2024 grand opening of a bar and entertainment venue, in partnership with the Grand Ole Opry.
Luke Combs announced his upcoming business venture in April on Twitter, writing, “Excited to announce I’m partnering with Opry Entertainment to open a massive venue experience in downtown Nashville, TN next year! Looking forward to sharing more with y’all soon!”
Luke Combs 2023 World Tour
Combs is in the middle of his massive 2023 World Tour, which launched on Mar. 25 with a sold-out show at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The tour will stop at 16 stadiums across North America before it hits the U.K., Ireland, Germany, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Combs world tour, which features supporting acts Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Flatland Cavalry, Brent Cobb, Cody Johnson, and Lane Pittman, will wrap up on Oct. 19 at the O2 Arena in London.
Additionally, Combs is vying for the Entertainer of the Year trophy at the upcoming 58th Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards. The “5 Leaf Clover” crooner, who will also perform at the awards ceremony, is up for the coveted award alongside fellow heavyweights Morgan Wallen, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Kane Brown, and Miranda Lambert.
The Grand Ole Opry member is also in the running for two additional awards, including Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for Growin’ Up, which he co-produced with Chip Matthews and Jonathan Singleton.
The 2023 ACM Awards, hosted by country music icons Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton, will stream live via Amazon Prime Video from Frisco, Texas, on Thursday (May 11).
