Ashley McBryde earned a standing ovation from Luke Combs after covering his fourth consecutive No. 1 single.
The country singer and Arkansas native performed a cover of Combs’ chart-topping hit “She Got The Best Of Me” on Wednesday (Aug. 25) during the ACM Honors award ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee at The Ryman Auditorium. Ahead of McBryde’s stunning performance of the Combs’ hit, she honored the country superstar with a heartfelt speech before he received the ACM Gene Weed Milestone award.
“Like his debut single, this honoree came into country music like a hurricane and he hasn’t slowed down since. He’s the first artist in history whose first eleven singles went No. 1,” McBryde told the cheering crowd ahead of her performance of Combs’ popular hit.
“And his album ‘What You See Is What You Get’ was certified double Platinum this year and even with all of his success, I can say personally, that he is as humble and as grounded as he was on the day I met him. Luke, you are truly one of the best dudes I know. I can’t think of anyone more deserving to receive the ACM Gene Weed Milestone Award.”
McBryde’s performance of Combs’ song came after clips of Combs’ success thus far and commentary from representatives at his label were displayed. McBryde then stunned with a cover of the popular hit song as Combs and his wife Nicole Hocking Combs watched from the front row.
Watch the impressive performance at the 2:34:17 minute mark below.
“She Got The Best Of Me” was co-written by Combs alongside Rob Snyder and Channing Wilson. The song is Combs’ fourth consecutive single from his debut album, This One’s for You.
“To accept the Gene Weed Milestone award… Luke Combs,” McBryde said before Combs entered the stage to accept his coveted award.
As Combs’ wife Nicole looked on from the crowd, Combs took to The Ryman Auditorium stage to accept the award.
“Goodness, well man, here I am… I cannot believe this, honestly,” Combs said as he accepted the award. “I think every time I come up here my wife [Nicole] gets nervous about what I’m going to say. I’m more nervous than she is, which she’ll tell you that I’m pretty nervous tonight man. Hearing Ashley McBryde sing that song… how about Ashley McBryde by the way man, come on!”
The “Cold As You” singer continued, “I’m 31-years-old, I just had my eleventh No. 1 song thanks to everybody sitting in this audience. Thanks to country music fans, is the reason that I get to do what I love to do, why Ashley gets to do what she loves to do. What all of us get to do that we love to do is because of people like you listening to our music, lovin’ what we do and that is not lost on me, a boy from North Carolina who moved here in 2014. Standing in the Ryman freakin’ Auditorium holding a milestone award. Thank you to the ACMs, my beautiful wife, my team, Kappy and everybody in this room, I love you. There’s a whole hell of a lot more country music in this boy and I can’t wait for y’all to hear it. Thank you very much.”
According to the Academy Of Country Music, the “Gene Weed Milestone Award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader for a specific, unprecedented or outstanding achievement in the field of Country Music during the preceding calendar year.”
.@AshleyMcBryde paid tribute to our Milestone Award winner, @lukecombs, with a rendition of his hit "She Got The Best Of Me" ✨ pic.twitter.com/kPvo2A19xe
— ACM Awards (@ACMawards) August 26, 2021
Hosted by Carly Pearce, the 2021 ACM Honors also featured performances by Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Janson and many others.
Additionally, Combs is set to unleash his rowdy new song “South On Ya” on Thursday, August 26.
