Luke Combs

American country singer (born 1990) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Luke Albert Combs (/koʊmz/; born March 2, 1990) is an American country singer. He was born in North Carolina and grew up there, performing as a child. After leaving college to pursue a career in music, he moved to Nashville and released his debut EP, The Way She Rides, in 2014.

Born
Luke Albert Combs[1]

(1990-03-02) March 2, 1990 (age 36)[2]
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Quick facts Background information, Born ...
Luke Combs
Combs in 2019
Combs in 2019
Background information
Born
Luke Albert Combs[1]

(1990-03-02) March 2, 1990 (age 36)[2]
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2014–present
Labels
Spouse
Nicole Hocking
(m. 2020)
Websitelukecombs.com
AwardsFull list
Signature
Close

In 2017, Combs released his debut album, This One's for You, which reached number four on the Billboard 200. His second album, What You See Is What You Get, was released in 2019 and topped the charts in multiple territories, becoming his first to accomplish that. He has received three Grammy Award nominations, two iHeart Radio music awards, four Academy of Country Music Awards, and six Country Music Association Awards including the 2021 and 2022 Entertainer of the Year award, their highest honor.

Early life

Combs was born in Huntersville, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte on March 2, 1990, as the only child of Rhonda (née Frasure)[3] and Chester Combs.[4][5] The family moved to Asheville in western North Carolina.[6][7] As a child he performed in chorus class, multiple school musicals, and joined his church choir, which had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall.[8]

He attended Appalachian State University, where he studied business and later switched to criminal justice intending to be a homicide detective. While in college, he worked as a bouncer at a bar before being on stage in that same bar.[9] Luke taught himself guitar on his mother's advice after dropping out of college.[10]

He played his first country music show at the Parthenon Cafe in Boone, North Carolina. After five years and with 21 hours left on his degree, he dropped out to follow a country music career path. He later moved to Nashville pursuing more opportunities in music.[11]

Career

2014–2019: Beginnings and This One's For You

Combs released his first EP, The Way She Rides, in February 2014. Later that year, he released his second EP, Can I Get an Outlaw.[12][2] In November 2015 he released his third EP, This One's for You. In late 2016, he was named one of Sounds Like Nashville's "Artists to Watch".[13] In 2016, his first single, "Hurricane", sold 15,000 copies in its first week,[14] and debuted at number 46 on Hot Country Songs.[15] He signed a deal with Sony Music Nashville, and the debut single from This One's for You, "Hurricane", was re-released on Columbia Nashville.[14] "Hurricane" reached number one on the country radio airplay chart on May 15, 2017, holding that spot for two weeks.[16]

In June 2017, he released his major label debut album, also titled This One's for You, on Columbia Nashville and River House Artists.[2] It hit number one on Billboard's Top Country Albums[17] and number five on the Billboard 200[18] in its first week. The album's second single, "When It Rains It Pours", was released to country radio on June 19, 2017.[19] It reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in October 2017. The album's third single, "One Number Away", was released to country radio on January 8, 2018. In June 2018, he released a deluxe version titled This One's for You Too, with five bonus tracks, two of which ("She Got the Best of Me" and "Beautiful Crazy") were issued as singles with both reaching number-one. "Beautiful Crazy" reached number one on Country Airplay in February 2019, giving him five number-ones on the Billboard country chart with his first five singles.[20] The song reached number one on three additional country charts Hot Country Songs, Country Streaming Songs, and Country Digital Song Sales.[20]

2019–2021: What You See Is What You Get

Combs in 2020

On June 11, 2019, he was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.[21] In August 2019, This One's for You spent its 44th week at number one on Top Country Albums, setting the record for the longest reign at the top of that chart by a male artist.[22] His second album, What You See Is What You Get, was released on November 8, 2019.[23] The album has charted the singles "Beer Never Broke My Heart", "Even Though I'm Leaving", "Does to Me" (a duet with Eric Church), and "Lovin' on You", all of which have reached number one on the country chart.

In May 2020, he released the single "Six Feet Apart".[24] The single quickly became popular to listeners as it illustrated the challenges of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] In June 2020 he confirmed his next single would be "Lovin' on You", which was released on both his second album and the EP The Prequel, which predated the album. He announced a deluxe version of What You See Is What You Get, titled What You See Ain't Always What You Get, with five new songs; it was released on October 23, 2020.[26] The track "Forever After All" set streaming records in country music on Apple Music and Spotify.[27]

2022–2023: Growin' Up and Gettin' Old

Growin' Up, his third album, was released on June 24, 2022.[28] The album has charted the singles "Doin' This"; "The Kind of Love We Make", which reached number one on the country chart and number eight on the Hot 100; and "Going, Going, Gone". In May 2023 Combs collaborated with English star Ed Sheeran on the single "Life Goes On".[29] Following the release of the single, Sheeran's solo version of the song was released on his fifth studio album - (Subtract).

His fourth album, Gettin' Old, was released on March 24, 2023.[30] A promotional single, "Growin' Up and Gettin' Old", and a single, "Love You Anyway", were released ahead of the album. His cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" was streamed more than 65 million times on Spotify in less than two months after the album was released, making it the most popular song from the album on that platform.[31] Combs's version of "Fast Car" reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, higher than Chapman's original 1988 version, and No. 1 on the US Adult Top 40, US Country Airplay and US Hot Country Songs charts, as well as No. 1 on the Canada Country charts. The song garnered Combs the Single of the Year at the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 8, 2023.[32] At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards on February 4, 2024, Combs performed a duet of the song with Chapman.[33] He counts the song as his first favorite song and having an impact on him since he was a child.[34]

2024–present: Fathers & Sons

In May 2024, Combs released "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma", the lead single from the Twisters soundtrack.[35] Combs released "The Man He Sees in Me" on June 6, 2024, along with the announcement of his fifth studio album titled Fathers & Sons, which was released on June 14, 2024.[36]

Combs and Eric Church put together the "Concert for Carolina" on October 26, 2024, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, which raised over $24 million for Hurricane Helene relief.[37]

Luke co-owns a polarized sunglasses and hat company called Blue Otter Polarized.[38]

Combs released a new song "Giving Her Away" which was released in late 2025.[39]

Personal life

Combs began dating Nicole Hocking in early 2016, and the couple became engaged in November 2018.[40][41] They married in Florida on August 1, 2020.[42] Their first son was born on June 19, 2022.[43] Their second son arrived on August 15, 2023.[44][45] [46] On February 19, 2026, the pair announced the birth of their third son.[47][48]

Combs began to struggle with anxiety and primarily obsessional obsessive–compulsive disorder in adolescence through his college years; he has said that while it is something he has learned to control better, he still struggles with obsessive thoughts from time to time.[49]

In 2023, Combs obtained a $250,000 SAD scheme default judgment against Nicol Harness inadvertently, who was a fan who had sold $380 worth of tumblers featuring a likeness of Combs.[50][51][52] Combs subsequently issued an apology, sent Harness $11,000, and offered to sell the tumblers through his official merchandise store to assist with Harness's medical bills.[50][51][52]

Discography

Tours

Headlining

Supporting

Awards and nominations

More information Year, Awards ...
Year Awards Category Recipient/Work Result Ref
2017 CMT Music Awards Breakthrough Video of the Year "Hurricane" Nominated [53]
Country Music Association Awards New Artist of the Year Luke Combs Nominated [54]
2018 Academy of Country Music Awards New Male Vocalist of the Year Luke Combs Nominated
iHeartRadio Music Awards Country Song of the Year "Hurricane" Nominated [55]
New Country Artist of the Year Luke Combs Won
Billboard Music Awards Top Country Artist Luke Combs Nominated [56]
Top Country Album This One's for You Nominated
CMT Music Awards Video of the Year "When It Rains It Pours" Nominated [57]
Country Music Association Awards New Artist of the Year Luke Combs Won
Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
American Music Awards Favorite Album - Country This One's for You Nominated [58]
2019 Grammy Awards Best New Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Academy of Country Music Awards New Male Artist of the Year Luke Combs Won
Male Artist of the Year Nominated
CMT Music Awards CMT Performance of the Year Luke Combs and Leon Bridges Won [59]
Video of the Year "She Got the Best of Me" Nominated
iHeartRadio Music Awards Country Artist of the Year Luke Combs Won [60]
Billboard Music Awards Top Country Artist Luke Combs Won [61]
Top Country Male Artist Luke Combs Won
Top Country Album This One's For You Won
Top Country Song "She Got the Best of Me" Nominated
Country Music Association Awards Male Vocalist of the Year Luke Combs Won
Song of the Year "Beautiful Crazy" Won
Musical Event of the Year "Brand New Man" (w/ Brooks & Dunn) Nominated
2020 Grammy Awards Best Country Duo/Group Performance Nominated
Academy of Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Nominated
Male Artist of the Year Won
Album of the Year What You See Is What You Get Won
Country Music Association Awards Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Nominated
Male Vocalist of the Year Won
Album of the Year What You See Is What You Get Won
Single of the Year "Beer Never Broke My Heart" Nominated
Song of the Year "Even Though I'm Leaving" Nominated
"I Hope You're Happy Now" Nominated
Billboard Music Awards Top Country Artist Luke Combs Won [62]
Top Country Male Won
Top Country Album What You See Is What You Get Won
People's Choice Awards The Country Artist of 2020 Luke Combs Nominated
2021 Nashville Songwriter Awards Songwriter-Artist of the Year Luke Combs Won [63]
ARIA Music Awards ARIA Award for Best International Artist Luke Combs - What You See Ain't Always What You Get Nominated [64]
Academy of Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Nominated
Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
Music Event of the Year "Does to Me" (with Eric Church) Nominated
Billboard Music Awards Top Country Artist Luke Combs Nominated [65]
Top Country Male Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Country Music Association Awards Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Won
Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
Song of the Year "Forever After All" Nominated
2022 Academy of Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Nominated
Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
Billboard Music Awards Top Country Artist Luke Combs Nominated [66]
Top Country Male Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Top Country Song "Forever After All" Nominated
Country Music Association Awards Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Won
Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
Album of the Year Growin' Up Won
2023 Grammy Awards Best Country Album Nominated
ARIA Music Awards Best International Artist Himself Nominated
Broadcast Music, Inc. Country Writer of the Year Luke Combs Won
Country Music Association Awards Single of the Year "Fast Car" Won
Entertainer of the Year Luke Combs Nominated
Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
Album of the Year Gettin' Old Nominated
Billboard Music Awards Top Artist Luke Combs Nominated [67]
Top Male Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Top Billboard 200 Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Top Hot 100 Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Top Country Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Top Country Male Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Top Country Touring Artist Luke Combs Nominated
Top Country Album Gettin' Old Nominated
Growin' Up Nominated
Top Country Song "Fast Car" Nominated
2024 Grammy Awards Best Country Solo Performance "Fast Car" Nominated
People's Choice Awards The Male Artist Himself Nominated [68]
The Male Country Artist Nominated
The Song "Fast Car" Nominated
The Album Gettin' Old Nominated
The Concert Tour Luke Combs World Tour Nominated
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References

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