Luke Combs Reflects On Meeting Nicole Hocking: ‘I Met My Wife Before I Had Anything Going On’
Combs recently opened up about how he stays grounded as his fame continues to grow.
Luke Combs, Nicole Hocking Combs; Photo via Instagram
Over the course of his career, Luke Combs has stood out among the country music community with his two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year wins, 14 consecutive No. 1 hits, and countless accolades. Underneath all the success though, Combs has withheld the biggest accomplishment of them all, staying true to himself.
His wife, Nicole, is one person who is certainly qualified to vouch for the fact that not much has changed about Combs from the start of his career to now.
“That was definitely, like, a concerted effort on my part, you know, between me and the people that I’ve chosen to surround myself with … people that I met when I first got to town and didn’t have anything going on,” he recently shared with ABC Audio. “And, you know, I met my wife before I had anything going on. I was driving the same car I drove in high school and [had] no shows.”
The couple was first introduced by mutual friends in May of 2016 at the Key West Songwriters Festival. Luckily, Combs and Nicole both lived in Nashville, so it wasn’t too hard to reconnect over dinner when they got back home. By September of that year, the couple had made their relationship official.
They tied the knot on August 1, 2020, during an intimate ceremony in Southern Florida. Months later, they welcomed their first child, a son named Tex Lawrence, into the world on Father’s Day in 2021.
Whether it’s driving the same car, wearing the same brands, or creating the type of music that drives his passion, Combs has remained humble despite having the chance to give in to the pressures of fame. He credited Nicole along with the rest of his core group that have stayed by his side for keeping him in check throughout all the highs and lows.
“I think just keeping those people close and surrounding yourself with people that don’t let you buy into your ego or yourself as an artist,” Luke Combs continued. “Like, I don’t put a lot of stock in my self-worth being in the position that I’m in, as far as a human being goes. And I think that’s where it starts at.”
The singer/songwriter’s loyal fanbase proved his increasing popularity when they immediately sold out almost every show on his upcoming massive world tour.
The trek has already broken multiple records across the world, including having the fastest sell-outs ever at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium and St. Louis’ Busch Stadium in addition to the fastest sell-out by a first-time Gillette Stadium performer in any genre.
Within hours, the “Forever After All” singer became the first international artist to sell out an Australian and New Zealand tour. This stint of shows also ranks as one of the fastest-selling arena tours ever by a country artist in the UK.
The 36-date trek is set to kick off March 25 in Arlington, TX, and continue through October where he will wrap things up in London, UK.
Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Flatland Cavalry and Brent Cobb will serve as support on the North American tour dates, while special guests on the Australian and New Zealand dates include Cody Johnson and Lane Pittman.
New Album
Just one day before he hits the road, Luke Combs will also unveil his new album. He shocked fans on Wednesday evening (Jan. 4) when he announced plans to release the brand-new project later this year.
“New album. 18 songs. March 24,” Combs captioned the graphic.
His next album is expected to include several tunes that Combs previously teased on social media, including “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old,” “Tattoo On A Sunburn,” “Five Leaf Clover,” and more.
Ticketing information and additional tour details can be found at www.lukecombs.com.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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