Luke Combs: From App State To The Grammys
Last week, Luke Combs rolled into the Dog Walk studio with nothing to promote and nothing to prove. Just good vibes, a hat on his head, and his longtime friend Caleb Pressley in the rearview mirror, along with a million fans, two kids at home, and a career full of gold records.
“This was just a fun one,” said host Eddie, who was joined by Combs superfan and App State alum Hannah Matoya. What followed wasn’t your typical artist interview, it was more like sitting in on a late-night beer with the guy who just so happens to be one of the biggest names in country music.
“We were the two guys that for sure weren’t getting in the game… so we just hung out and made jokes the whole time.”
– Luke Combs on high school football with Caleb Pressley
From Sidelines to Stadiums: Luke Combs’ Small-Town Roots and App State Days
What started as a nostalgic dive into Combs’ days at AC Reynolds High School quickly turned into a laugh-filled tour through Appalachian State University memories, the kind that make fans love him even more. While Chase Rice and Ben Johnson were local football legends, Combs confessed he was far more comfortable in the chorus room than under Friday night lights. Still, he and Pressley found their groove, not on the field, but on the sidelines, cracking jokes and being “the class clown guys” during practice.
At App State, Combs’ journey through music took shape, but not without a few detours. He hilariously recalled rushing a fraternity and ultimately quitting because Big Brother Reveal Night clashed with his a cappella group’s concert. The dealbreaker? “They told me I had to carry a bouncy ball around,” he said. “What are we, 10?”
“All I’m doing with you guys is paying to be your friend. I already have friends.”
– Luke Combs on dropping out of frat life
Those small decisions, sticking to his instincts, leaning into music, would set the course for everything to come. Combs told the story not with ego, but with his signature humor and humility. His knack for storytelling, whether in a bar or a ballad, is what keeps fans hanging on every word.
Snake Drafts and Storytelling: The Origins of “When It Rains It Pours”
Later in the episode, Eddie challenged Combs to weigh in on a “Best Country Songs by a Male Artist” snake draft, and the analysis was as sharp as it was funny. “Drive” by Alan Jackson? A reach. “Take Me Home, Country Roads”? Steal of the round. And when his own song “When It Rains It Pours” made an appearance, Combs was flattered but honest. He shared the inside story behind the hit, written in a Nashville living room before he had a deal, when no one was watching and the stakes were low.
That looseness, he explained, was the secret to its magic.
“We just laughed the whole time we wrote it. You can’t fake that kind of fun, and you can’t repeat it either.”
– Luke Combs on writing “When It Rains It Pours”
Originally, Combs wanted One Number Away to be the follow-up to Hurricane, his breakout debut. But a Sony exec convinced him Reigns had more emotional range, a smart move, in hindsight. That song, he said, gave him the freedom to become more than just “the mid-tempo heartbreak guy.” It was a gateway to a broader sound, and a career without creative limits.
The Fast Car Phenomenon: How Luke Combs Reimagined a Classic
Still, nothing in the episode hit quite as hard as the story behind his career-defining cover of “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman.
What started as a last-minute add-on in a Nashville studio became the biggest song of his life. With an hour left in a session and no other tracks lined up, Combs suggested they try something fun, a cover of one of his all-time favorites. There were no plans for it to be a single. There was no marketing push. “It just took off on its own,” he said, still in awe. By the time it reached the top ten on country radio, Sony hadn’t even promoted it yet.
Then, a miracle: Tracy Chapman reached out.
“My publicist texted me and said, ‘Tracy’s going to call you tomorrow at 7.’ I was in the deer stand.”
– Luke Combs on getting the call from Tracy Chapman
The two spoke for 45 minutes. Combs fanboyed, asking every nerdy question he’d harbored for years, mic choices, production techniques, songwriting stories. Chapman, notoriously private, was gracious. A month later, she agreed to perform with him at the Grammys, their duet becoming one of the most celebrated moments in modern country music history.
Combs’ reverence for her was clear. “I just wanted it to be her moment,” he said. “Put me in the back. I don’t care.” It was a full-circle triumph, from a college kid playing Fast Car on a beaten-up guitar to standing beside the legend herself in front of millions.
From Deer Stands to GameDay: Why Luke Combs Still Feels Like One of Us
That ability to balance stardom with sincerity is what makes Luke Combs more than a hitmaker. It’s what makes him a generational artist. Whether he’s dissecting a country draft, reliving App State game day madness, or joking about DNA tests (“I was supposed to be built like a super athlete, missed that one”), Combs never loses sight of who he is: a regular guy who made good.
“I’m married. I wear hats. I’ve got no one to impress.”
– Luke Combs on skipping hair transplants
The podcast wrapped with a look back at his whirlwind College GameDay appearance in Boone, a day that included flying from a gig in Green Bay, police escorts up and down the mountain, and another show that night. He only caught one play of the game, but it was the last one, and it was epic.
For fans, that moment summed it all up. Luke Combs isn’t just a country star, he’s still one of us. He just happens to have the best seat in the house.