Luke Combs Is ‘Living the Redneck Dream’ While Social Distancing

Luke Combs is doing his best to make the most of his time in self-quarantine. The superstar, who was on…

By

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

April 20, 2020

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2:27 pm

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Luke Combs; Photo by Jim Wright

Luke Combs is doing his best to make the most of his time in self-quarantine. The superstar, who was on tour in Europe when governments around the world began to cancel large gatherings and enforce social distancing guidelines, is riding out the COVID-19 pandemic at his Tennesee home with his fiancée, Nicole Hocking. On top of sharing music with fans via livestream performances from his home, Combs is laying low and even admits to “kinda enjoying” his time off.

“I haven’t had any time at home for three or four years now,” he reasoned in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss the road life.

“I definitely wish we were out doing shows, but it’s like hitting the reset button for me,” he explained. “It’s been great to get in a normal-life routine: doing shit around the house, writing some songs, hanging out with my fiancée.”

The couple has spent a great deal of time outside, too.

“We got chickens now, so we go out every morning and let them out and put them up at night. We planted a garden. We make coffee in the morning and cook every meal. A simple existence is something I enjoy — and just finding joy in the quiet. I don’t have any neighbors here that I can even see from my house, so I can hunt right here, ride ATVs, go look for morel mushrooms in the woods. I’m just living the redneck dream out here right now,” the reigning CMA Male Vocalist of the Year told the publication.

Being at home doesn’t come without its challenges though. Like many Americans, Combs admitted he feels a bit uneasy when he thinks about the future. With the coronavirus putting a halt on live music for the foreseeable future, that means Combs and countless others will be out of work.

“I’m just as anxious as they (the fans) are. I want to get back out and do what I love doing, and I worry all the time that what I do is literally going to be the last thing in the world that starts happening again,” he confessed. “That and sports. Playing in front of 20,000 people? When is that going to happen again? It’s a very uneasy time for me, but I’m making do with what I have. I enjoy doing the livestreams and am going to continue to do those and work on my music and try to come back stronger than I was before.”

During his most recent livestream, Combs shared a poignant new song called “Six Feet Apart” that details life amid the current health crisis. He is currently making his way back up the charts at country radio with “Does To Me,” is the latest single from his 17-track sophomore album, What You See Is What You GetThe song features fellow superstar Eric Church.

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.