Luke Combs Thanks His Wife And Son After Dale Earnhardt Jr. Presents Him With CMT Artists Of The Year Trophy
Luke Combs was unable to attend the 2022 CMT Artists of the Year celebration, however, he was able to accept…
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Luke Combs; Photos via CMT
Luke Combs was unable to attend the 2022 CMT Artists of the Year celebration, however, he was able to accept the honor from a distance alongside his friend, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Jr. appeared from his home in North Carolina to present the country superstar with the award.
“It’s great to be a part of the CMT Artists Of The Year show. I wish my buddy Luke Combs and I could be there tonight, but he’s here at my house helping the Dale Jr. Foundation raise money to support children and families in need,” Dale Jr. said via video.
He went on to praise Combs’ success throughout the past year as he listed out his various accomplishments.
“We love Luke and we love his music and boy, what a year he’s had. He landed his record-breaking, 14th consecutive No. 1 and he just finished headlining his first headlining stadium tour, selling out shows all over the country. Now, he’s going to take that live show all over the world, but his biggest success this year wasn’t the No. 1 hits. It was his child. Congratulations on being a new dad, Luke. Please welcome one of the 2022 CMT Artists Of The Year, Luke Combs.”
Combs appeared in the video clip and delivered a short, but sweet, acceptance speech.
“Dang, what’s up guys? Nashville I see you and CMT thank you so much for this. I love you guys,” he shared. “All the country music fans, my wife, my son, all my songwriting buddies, all the people on my team. I love you guys. Thank you so much!”
Following the award presentation, Combs’ future tour mate, Riley Green, performed “The Kind Of Love We Make” in his honor.
With his guitar in hand, Green took to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center stage and belted out the lyrics of the sultry country song.
“Let’s get some candles burnin’/ And some records turnin’/ All the lights down low/ Take it nice and slow/ The way your body’s movin’/ Keep doin’ what you’re doin’/ To me all night long/ Writin’ our love song/ Girl, I want it, gotta have it/ Let the passion take us to a higher place/ Makin’ the kind of love we make,” he sang.
“I get to sing in Luke Combs’ place tonight, so, no big deal,” Green shared ahead of the show. “I don’t have any big shoes to fill tonight. I hope I can do it justice, it’s awesome that he asked me to do it. Obviously, I’m a big fan of Luke. Excited about the opportunity and hope I can do it justice we’ll see.”
Riley Green will soon join Combs on the road for his 2023 World Tour.
The 2022 CMT Artists Of The Year celebrated the success Carly Pearce, Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Luke Combs and Walker Hayes have seen throughout the past year.
Alan Jackson was honored as the CMT Artist Of A Lifetime. The prestigious honor, presented by Ram Trucks, was previously awarded to Randy Travis (2021), Reba McEntire (2019), Loretta Lynn (2018), Shania Twain (2016), Kenny Rogers (2015) and Merle Haggard (2014).
Lainey Wilson was named the 2022 CMT Breakout Artist Of The Year. Wilson is the fifth recipient of the award, following Mickey Guyton (2021), Ashley McBryde (2019), Kelsea Ballerini (2016), and Chris Stapleton (2015).
The 90-minute concert event featured performances from Jackson, Pearce, Johnson, Brown and Wilson. Hayes joined forces with Ciara for a never-before-seen performance of their “Y’all Life” remix. Riley Green also took the stage to honor Luke Combs.
A heartwarming tribute to the late Loretta Lynn, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 90, also took place during the star-studded event when her sisters, Crystal Gayle and Peggy Sue Wright, performed in her honor.
In addition to a star-studded list of performances, the show also included presenters: Chris Stapleton, Dan + Shay, Dustin Lynch, Rascal Flatts’ frontman Gary LeVox, Kelsea Ballerini, Yellowstone’s Kelsey Asbille, and Shane McAnally.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. appeared remotely from his annual Dale Jr. Foundation charity event in North Carolina to present Combs with his 2022 CMT Artists Of The Year award.
The 2022 CMT Artists Of The Year premiered on Friday, October 14 at 9/8c on CMT.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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