Luke Bryan On ‘Signs,’ Luke Combs Collaboration And The Songs That Feel ‘Tailor-Made’ For Him

Luke Bryan has reached a point in his career where he knows when a song is meant for him. That instinct is on full display throughout his new 12-track album, Signs, which finds the country star giving fans a bit of everything as he delivers a wide range of themes and emotions.

In the months following the album announcement, Bryan has been getting fans excited by slowly releasing tracks like his current single rising up the charts, “Country and She Knows It,” as well as “Word on the Street,” “Fish Golf Hunt Drink” and more.  

More recently, he revealed the full track list, giving fans another reason to look forward to Signs when they discovered that the opening track, “Finder’s Keepers,” features the album’s only collaboration with fellow country star Luke Combs.

The Georgia native recalls being in the studio for his last recording session for the project when his manger played him “Finders Keepers.” It only took a few listens for Bryan to know that he wanted to “roll the dice” and add it to the track list.

“We recorded it, and on the fly, I didn’t even really live with it. Next thing you know, three hours later, after the first time I’m hearing it, we’re recording it. The band loved it in the studio, and then I go do the vocal, and just from day one, felt like this song had all the magic qualities of it. I could go through every little thing and dissect what I love about it, but I love everything about it,” he told Country Now and other outlets.

Then Bryan decided to take another leap of faith and ask his fellow country act, Combs, to lend his vocals to the track. He said he was “honored” when the North Carolina native agreed to join him, adding another layer to a song that Bryan now believes has the potential to become one of the “biggest songs of the year.”

“I did the whole spiel, ‘Hey, Luke, this is Luke. No pressure. I know you’re busy. I know you’re crazy. Your name’s Luke. My name’s Luke. We got to be a duo at some point, and let’s try out on this one.’ And he hit me right back and goes, ‘I love it. I’m in.’ I’m like, ‘Oh my God, it happened.’”

Among the 12 tracks, Luke Bryan is only a co-writer on two: “Fish Hunt Golf Drink” and “Crooked Rows of Corn.” Both songs tap into his life beyond the stage while capturing the kind of humor, authenticity and fun-loving energy that fans have come to expect from him

“Fish Hunt Golf Drink” quickly became a buzzed-about track for its playful take on the things Bryan enjoys when he’s away from the road, while “Crooked Rows of Corn” allowed him to lean even further into his rural roots. The song came together quickly in the writing room, with Bryan, who revealed he immediately connected with the story when Josh Thompson, Chase McGill and Matt Dragstrem played it for him.

“When they played it for me, I jumped up, started hooping and hollering and high-fiving them because they nailed the idea and the thought. And from there, I just started singing the second verse. We’re vibing, like the whole crop duster line, and my dad said, ‘What the hell?’ I mean, that’s straight out of me just knowing that this song is tailor-made to say everything I want… I’ve told people if ‘Good Directions’ and ‘Big Green Tractor’ had a child, it would be ‘Crooked Rows of Corn,’ and I’m proud about that.”

The title track serves as yet another easygoing, groove-filled addition to the album that offers a catchy take on all the “signs” that ultimately point to a breakup. Its pop-country production gives the song a slightly different feel from some of Bryan’s other work, but he notes that element is what drew him in initally.

“I think through my career, when you listen to my albums, there’s always been songs on the album that just go out to a different little island. And I think sonically this does that,” he explained.

Beyond the upbeat production, fans will also hear songs like “Woods,” that caters to “the good, hardworking, rural guys,” more tender sounds on tracks like “Made It a Memory” and a few powerful moments of reflection like the faith-filled “Praying by the Rules.”

“The bottom line is when I’m off the road, I spend a lot of time on my farms, either fishing or hunting or walking, and so many times that’s my chance to kind of connect with the higher power, God. And this song just really defines that,” Bryan explained. “There shouldn’t be a checklist on how you pray, and there shouldn’t be an outfit that you must wear, and there shouldn’t be a this and a that. I mean, that should all happen on your terms, and you should do that based on how your relationship with God is, and I just love how this song does that.”

Signs marks Luke Bryan’s ninth studio album and nearly 19 years since his debut album. Back in 2007, he admits that he loved being onstage and connecting with fans, but he was still figuring out what kind of artist he wanted to be. However, now Bryan has a much better understanding of what works for him as an artist and rather than being confined to one sound or image, he’s learned to embrace songs that take him somewhere unexpected. That’s exactly what he did with Signs.

“When I hear something that I know that is for me, that’s going to speak to my fans…I know it works for me. But then when I hear something that’s a little out of the box for me too, I want to go that route too. I don’t want to have a safety blanket around me where I’m only trying to pick radio songs. I want to pick stuff that talks about me as a kid, this, that…I just want songs that really speak to where I’m at.”

He continued, “I’m not even the same human being. I think vocally, I’m probably twice as more dynamic as I was the guy of the first album because I just was discovering all that…bottom line is I will always try to listen and react to what the fans seem like they want.”

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Luke Bryan will get to celebrate the release with Music City next week when he takes the stage at Nissan Stadium on September 24 for a special album celebration concert, “Luke Bryan & Friends” set to feature a slew of surprise special guests.

The fun doesn’t end there because Bryan’s packed schedule also includes more Farm Tour Dates, Word On The Street Tour shows, and a performance at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium in December as the last stop on his Double Down Tour with Jason Aldean.