Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs are, inarguably, two of the biggest and most talented artists in country music right now. And they’re bound to rule the charts in 2023 with a plethora of new music either already out or on the way.
Wallen recently dropped his third studio album, One Thing At A Time, which features 36 tracks, while Combs is gearing up to release Gettin’ Old, the companion to his third studio album, Growin’ Up.
Fans who have already gotten a chance to hear Wallen’s latest offering know the project includes duets with Eric Church, HARDY and ERNEST. Ashlyne, Wallen’s sister, also appears on One Thing At A Time, singing harmonies on a song titled “Outlook.”
Combs’ forthcoming release, which will come available on Friday (March 24) features 18 tracks but doesn’t include collaborations with other artists. However, when looking at Combs’ track record, it’s no question he enjoys teaming up with his country cohorts on new releases.
So, would he ever join forces with Wallen on a track?
The reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year recently appeared on the Wayne D Show with Nashville’s radio station, The BIG 98, where he opened up about whether or not he would ever consider getting into the studio to lay down a few tracks with the “You Proof” hitmaker.
“I dunno. I mean, we’ve kicked that can down the road a little bit, and we’ve just never really landed on a song that I think we both love that we wanna do, you know?” Combs said, revealing that he wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to work with Wallen. “I don’t think it’s outta the question at all. I think it would be awesome.”
Combs And Wallen Previously Toured Together
And while collaborating on a song together would be a first for Combs and Wallen, the two have teamed up together, in the past for other reasons. In fact, in 2019, Wallen served as direct support on Combs’ Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour. After that trek, Combs gave Wallen a special gift – a Gibson guitar.
But not just any Gibson.
“I got an old Gibson that’s really nice. One of my buddies, Luke Combs, actually brought it for me at the end of our tour that we did in 2019,” Wallen told comedian Druski during a lengthy discussion on Behind The Vest with Druski. “‘Believe’ by Brooks & Dunn, the guitar parts on that song were recorded on this guitar I have now. There’s still a note in the guitar case that, kind of, lets you know the history behind the guitar. And that it was played in those parts and stuff like that. So, that’s probably one of my favorite ones.”
Since joining Combs’ tour, Wallen has made history, selling out stadiums and large arenas. His record-breaking sophomore project, Dangerous: The Double Album, also spawned three chart-topping hits, including “Wasted On You,” “More Than My Hometown,” and “Sand in My Boots.”
Are Luke Combs And Morgan Wallen The No. 1 Country Stars In The World Right Now?
Combs has taken notice of Wallen’s skyrocketing career. When asked who he considered to be “the number one country music star in the world right now” during an interview on the Full Send podcast, Combs didn’t hesitate to say, “It’s me or Wallen, that’s for sure.”
“Dude, I love Morgan,” he added. “I think he’s a great guy, man. I really do. And we’ve been on tour together, man, you know. I mean, I don’t think there’s any, at least to my knowledge, that it’s like… I don’t know of any country music [feud] like, ‘oh, I hate this guy, I can’t stand this guy.’ Like I don’t know of anything, at least that comes to mind straight away.”
Combs And Wallen Release New Albums In March Of 2023
Wallen’s expansive One Thing At A Time collection, produced by Joey Moi, dropped on March 3 via Big Loud / Mercury / Republic. After only four days of its release, the album broke the record for the largest streaming week ever by a country album, with over 315 million streams. One Thing At A Time features the highs and lows of the past three years of Wallen’s life and combines three of his musical influences – country, rock, and hip-hop. Some songs on the project feature his already chart-topping singles, “You Proof” and “Thought You Should Know,” written with Nicolle Galyon, and Miranda Lambert.
Combs’ upcoming Gettin’ Old release, produced by Combs with Chip Matthews and Jonathan Singleton, will drop via River House Artists/Columbia Nashville. Of the 18 tracks featured on the project, Combs co-wrote 15. The project will also feature a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.”
“This album is about the stage of life I’m in right now. One that I’m sure a lot of us are in have been through or will go through. It’s about coming of age, loving where life is but missing how it used to be, continuing to fall for the one you love and loving them no matter what, living in the moment but still wondering how much time you have left, family, friends, being thankful, and leaving a legacy,” Combs wrote on Instagram, announcing his upcoming release. “Me and so many others have poured their hearts and souls into this record, and I hope you love it as much as we do.”
Massive World Tours
In addition to new albums, Wallen and Combs will be hitting the road on their respective massive world tours.
Wallen’s first-ever stadium tour, dubbed One Night At A Time World Tour officially kicks off on Wednesday, March 15, in Auckland, NZ, at the Spark Arena. The U.S. leg of the tour begins on April 14 with back-to-back nights at Milwaukee’s American Family Field. The 63-show trek will visit 30 stadiums, plus arenas, amphitheaters, and festivals for fans across four countries and two continents. The trek will feature support from ERNEST and Bailey Zimmerman on all dates. HARDY and Parker McCollum will also appear on select dates.
Combs’ tour, meanwhile, begins on March 25 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The trek will feature sixteen North American stadium shows and 39 shows across 3 continents and 16 countries. The forthcoming trek includes shows at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium and Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium, as well as stops in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France, and Belgium. Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Flatland Cavalry, and Brent Cobb will serve as support on the North American leg of the tour. Cody Johnson and Lane Pittman will be featured as special guests on the Australian and New Zealand dates. Combs’ tour runs through October 19.
