- 6 months ago
Country superstar Luke Combs joins Katie Neal this week for the Superstar Power Hour!
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MusicTranscript
00:00Luke Combs, back to Cuba's company.
00:02You got new music coming, which is really exciting.
00:04We're going to talk about that.
00:05How have you been?
00:06I have not seen you in a while.
00:07Gosh, yeah, I've been busy, you know.
00:09I got a two-year-old and a three-year-old, almost two-year-old and a three-year-old.
00:13Yeah, I saw Tex just had a big third birthday party.
00:16He did, yep.
00:17It was very chaotic and very hot, you know, nothing like a birthday in the middle of summer.
00:24Did he have a nice time?
00:25He did.
00:26He had a great time.
00:27He really enjoyed it, you know, stayed up past bedtime.
00:30The whole nine yards, you know.
00:32What are him and Bo into right now?
00:34Like, what are their things?
00:36They're really into this.
00:38So Tex's first thing he was into was a YouTube show called Kid Crew.
00:43He's very, very into that.
00:46It's just, it's these two parents and their kid, and they just, like, do, like, fake construction stuff.
00:55Stop.
00:55Like, he's way into that, but we're, our current favorite is Trash Truck on Netflix.
01:02That's.
01:03You know what?
01:03Russell Dickerson talks about this a lot.
01:05They watch a lot of Trash Truck.
01:06Oh, Trash Truck is, like, he's the king.
01:10Do you feel like your brain is starting to mush watching all these kids shows?
01:12Oh, dude.
01:13Yeah.
01:14It's like, you can't even.
01:15And it's just, like, it's, you know, unless it's bluey, it's, like, almost unwatchable, you know.
01:21I'm sure.
01:22How's Nicole doing?
01:23Good.
01:23She's doing really well.
01:24Doing really well, you know.
01:26We're really, really comfortable in our, you know, situation now.
01:31You know, it's, like, it's a huge adjustment period to go from, you know, no kids to within, you know, a year and a half having two kids is just, you know, wild.
01:43But it's fun.
01:44It's a lot of fun.
01:45It's really getting, we're getting into, like, the fun.
01:47I feel like you've got a handle on everything.
01:49It's very, yeah, it's very, like, it's very manageable now.
01:53It's not super overwhelming anymore.
01:54Like, you just understand what to do, and it's just, you just do it, and it's just part of what happens every day.
02:00That's great.
02:01I have to compliment Nicole, because she's been doing, like, merch collabs with all of your stuff, and it has looked so good.
02:07Yeah, she does a great job.
02:08It's amazing.
02:08She does a great job, yeah.
02:10I was just talking to somebody about this.
02:11I'm, like, good merch is often overlooked.
02:13Like, I feel like people don't spend enough time, but, like.
02:15Very much so.
02:16Yeah.
02:16It all looks good, and I'm sure it's.
02:18I mean, Alabama, I feel like, was the king of merch.
02:21Oh, yeah.
02:22Like, Dale Earnhardt, merch, big merch guy.
02:27I mean, Kiss, big merch guy.
02:30I mean, you'd have to quote me on this, or don't quote me on this, maybe, but you'd have to do some research on if this is really true or not.
02:38But I heard rumor that whenever Kiss was getting into doing merchandising, it was not really a big thing.
02:45It wasn't really, like, people, it wasn't a thing people had really done, like, licensing their name for toys or whatever it may be, any various items.
02:56And so Gene Simmons was really adamant that this would be a big deal.
02:59And all the other guys were like, no, I don't think it's going to be a big deal.
03:03And we think it's a dumb idea, and we shouldn't do it.
03:07And he was like, well, how about you guys just give me all your revenue share of the merch, and I'll do it all, and you guys don't even have to mess with it.
03:16And so he owns all the merchandising rights for Kiss.
03:19Can you imagine?
03:20And so the other guys, because the other guys were like, this is dumb.
03:23No one's ever going to buy, like, a shirt.
03:25The power of a T-shirt.
03:26No one's going to buy a shirt or, like, a cup with our name on it.
03:30And then they've been, like, the biggest merch band maybe ever.
03:34So wild.
03:34Of all time.
03:35Well, good for Nicole.
03:37Taking care of your merch.
03:38Yep, yep.
03:39So you got this new song, Back in the Saddle.
03:41We'll be out when this airs.
03:43Talk about inspiration, story for this song.
03:45This is, like, first of new stuff that we're hearing from you.
03:47Yeah.
03:47It's, you know, I mean, the last, you know, album I did was Fathers and Sons album, which was really, you know, kind of an acoustic, broken down thing.
03:57Really just for me, to be honest, you know, I mean, it's, you know, it's probably my favorite record I've done.
04:04But commercially speaking, it was, you know, it's obviously the least successful because it's kind of a niche thing.
04:11You know, I'm very, very, very proud of it.
04:13But this is kind of just back to, you know, what I started doing, I guess, is the idea.
04:20I mean, that's how Back in the Saddle kind of came about, you know.
04:24We had been throwing around some ideas for – we got asked to do some songs for a movie recently.
04:33This is after the Twisters thing.
04:35Oh, so this is another movie.
04:36Different film.
04:38You asked to do some songs for it.
04:39I mean, it's the F1 movie.
04:41They asked me to do some songs for the F1 movie.
04:42Oh, yeah.
04:42That's amazing.
04:44And we wrote a couple and sent a couple in.
04:47They really liked one and ended up recording it.
04:51And we really, really thought it was great.
04:53And they didn't particularly love the production that we went with.
04:57And they were like, hey, well, we want it to sound – you know, can it sound more like this?
05:02And I was like, it literally can't.
05:04That's – this song would be impossible to sound like this.
05:07So it just didn't work out.
05:09And as we were coming up with some ideas for that, this is one of the ideas that we came up with.
05:15Back in the Saddle was one of the ideas that we had tossed around.
05:19And so just ended up going with it on our own.
05:23It wasn't this particular song that they didn't want.
05:26Yeah, but just in that same –
05:27But just in that kind of same – as we were coming up for, you know, making kind of groups of ideas for that thing, this one kind of came about.
05:34And I was like, well, man, it feels – be a cool song to kind of kick things back off with.
05:39And it worked out.
05:40It turned out really great.
05:41I love it.
05:41Hopefully people love it.
05:43Yeah.
05:43That's all we're going for.
05:45I think everyone's really excited to have a new summer song from you.
05:48Yeah.
05:49So I don't want to skip over fathers and sons because you didn't do press for that and everything.
05:53Sure.
05:53Like you were saying, it wasn't your most successful.
05:55But I – Luke, I can't tell you how many texts I got from my friends who are dads who are like, when you see Luke comes, tell him thank you for this.
06:01Like it was like very emotional responses from the male population.
06:04Yeah, for sure.
06:05I mean, it's definitely, you know, the work that I'm most proud of for sure.
06:10Obviously, you know, it's really special to me and came out on Father's Day.
06:14And my first son was born on Father's Day, you know, which was awesome.
06:19You know, and that record is so good.
06:23I really, really do love it.
06:24I'm just – I love that people connected with it so much.
06:28But it was never going to be, you know, and that was never the goal with it.
06:32You know, it wasn't like, well, let's, you know, how do we make it this?
06:35I mean, we never singled anything off of it and really got through.
06:39So it's been a big gap since we've really had anything of our own, you know, at radio or – I mean, obviously, we got the Bailey song.
06:48It's out right now.
06:49And we had the Twisters thing that, you know, was – you know, gave me some life from the movie and stuff.
06:57But I have yet to have my own project that's, you know, commercial-leaning in some time.
07:03So I'm excited to do that, you know.
07:06What can you say about the next album?
07:08Like, are you done, ready to go?
07:10I probably got one recording session left on it.
07:13But I've already recorded, I don't know, over 30 songs, I would think.
07:18I don't know that there's any plans to do, like, the big album thing.
07:22I just don't know if I'd love that idea.
07:28You know, there's nothing against it.
07:29I mean, obviously, it works really well.
07:32But I just don't – I don't know what it's called yet.
07:35I don't have a – I don't have, like, a – it's hard to know without having everything recorded.
07:40Yeah, so you're kind of like it's taking shape right now.
07:43Yeah, it's like right now we're just – we have the songs we need.
07:46Do you feel like there's a theme or a vibe to everything you have so far?
07:49Not particularly, honestly, yeah.
07:51That's really presented itself.
07:53But all my records have kind of been that way.
07:56I guess this one's for you, maybe not as much.
07:58I knew that that was going to be the title of that record.
08:02That was the easiest one.
08:03Obviously, your first album's the easiest to make for sure.
08:06But I think, you know, it's yet to be figured out.
08:11I'm really stoked about everything that we've recorded.
08:14I think it's some really, really strong stuff.
08:16Obviously, everyone says that about every album they've ever done.
08:19So take that with a grain of salt.
08:22But it's really just up to – you know, it's up to people how good it is.
08:27But I'm really excited about it.
08:28I'm really stoked to be getting back into it and, you know, being able to – you know,
08:33I took – I've taken, you know, so much time away from touring.
08:37I'm not really touring this year outside of festivals and stuff.
08:40So just having time at home and just being able to get a routine going and be back in the studio
08:46and focus on writing and focus on recording and focus on family and, you know,
08:51then next year, you know, just jump back on the road and just kind of go full on back into it.
08:58It's exciting.
08:59You know, it's exciting.
09:00You and I have talked about this a lot, about like trying to find the balance of being Luke Combs
09:04and also being dad.
09:05Right.
09:05What I'm hearing from you is I feel like you've kind of found that right now.
09:08Oh, definitely.
09:09Yeah, definitely.
09:10I definitely have.
09:12Yeah, I don't operate really ever, I feel like, as, you know, the – whatever the public version of me is
09:20because it's not like a – it's not really any different than who I just am anyways.
09:26Like, you know, the – whatever the persona is, is just who I am, you know.
09:33So it's easy to just be myself, you know, and that's what I always wanted.
09:37I didn't want to have to, you know, pretend to be anything and that I'm not.
09:40No, exactly.
09:40When I'm, you know, doing interviews or at home or, you know, around people I don't know
09:46or at the grocery store or whatever, you know what I mean?
09:48I live a – I live an oddly normal life, to be honest, I feel like, and that's the way I want it to be.
09:57Which is, yeah.
09:58Yeah.
09:58But it's the easiest way, I feel like, to do what you're doing.
10:01When you posted that you were back in the studio, you posted this video that caused quite a stir
10:06because of the many, many garage door openers.
10:09Yes, yes.
10:10I think everyone is wondering where – what are all of those for?
10:13Yeah, there's been a lot of speculation on the garage door front.
10:17So there's a gate clicker.
10:20So there's two clickers in there that have one button on them, okay?
10:22Okay.
10:22My house has one garage, so I have one clicker that's for my house garage.
10:27I have one gate, so I have one clicker that's for my gate.
10:31I have a third clicker that's for – I have like a detached garage that was like there when we bought our house.
10:37And so that one does that.
10:39One clicker is for my old gate that we don't even have anymore.
10:42So I just left it on there.
10:44You've got a good collection going.
10:45I've got a good collection.
10:46It's really like – I could really probably have two clickers, but I have like six.
10:52I just thought that was so funny because the whole time you were talking, I was just like,
10:55gosh, there's so many garage door openers.
10:57The comment section on that video was hilarious.
10:59When we bought our place, it was just – those were just the clickers that they had from like them in the houses from like the 50s or something.
11:09So that was just all the clickers they had, and I was just too lazy to like reprogram them or –
11:15It's so funny.
11:16Yeah, but it is funny.
11:17It is funny.
11:18You did say that there was an Easter egg in that video or there might be.
11:21Can you like give any hint?
11:22I said back in the saddle in the video.
11:25You did.
11:26I did.
11:26I didn't even catch that when I went back and watched it.
11:28I did say that in the video.
11:29Look at you.
11:30Taylor Swift and that's what he's on.
11:31Yeah, man.
11:32T. Swift and yeah.
11:34For sure.
11:34You mentioned the new song that you got out with Bailey Zimmerman, Backup Plan.
11:37Talk about working with Bailey.
11:39Oh, man.
11:39He's infectious.
11:40He's an infectious guy, man.
11:42He really is.
11:42He's so excited about his career and music, and it was awesome.
11:50It really did, and he texted me that song.
11:53I was in Australia touring in January, and he texted me that song, and I remember listening to it.
11:59We rented a house there for a month, and we would just almost operate like we do here, just live at home.
12:08And then when we got a show that weekend, we'd just go to the show and play the show and then come home.
12:12So that's what we did in Australia instead of like staying in hotel rooms.
12:16Yes.
12:16And like –
12:17I'm sure with the kids, like that makes life a lot easier.
12:19Yeah.
12:19It's just kind of – the hotel thing is just kind of a drag.
12:22Yeah.
12:22You know, for any – like beyond like two, three days, you know, can just be kind of like – you know, just kind of sterile.
12:29Yes.
12:30So, yeah, we rented that house.
12:31He texted me.
12:32I remember getting the text.
12:33It was up in the bedroom of the house, and I listened to it, and I was like, man, this is really good.
12:38But I did – I wanted to like talk to my team about it, but my – you know, we're at this house in the middle of nowhere in Australia.
12:46You know, my team was all – they were all doing the hotel thing, and they all love to, you know, go out on days off and go to the, you know, bar and drink.
12:55And I just don't really do any of that stuff.
12:56I just can't really do any of that stuff.
12:58Well, not when you have the kids too.
12:59Like I'm sure, yeah.
13:00Yeah, it's just kind of like avoid putting myself in situations that would, you know, make me – I don't know, like the whole famous – the famous thing.
13:12Like I just don't love doing that too much, you know, like going out and like being seen and being around.
13:17Is it hard – like can you go to the grocery store anymore?
13:19Yeah.
13:20Oh, I go all the time.
13:21Okay.
13:22Yeah.
13:22No.
13:23I'm like way less famous than people think that I am for sure.
13:28Which is nice.
13:29Yeah, truly.
13:30Like I always say to people, I'm like you don't want to be famous.
13:32You want to be rich.
13:33You don't want to be famous.
13:34Yeah, for sure.
13:35It's like I think – I mean there's times, you know, there's times when I go to the – you know, I go to the same two grocery stores all the time.
13:42And it's like there's times I go in there and nobody says anything to me and there's times I take seven or eight pictures in there.
13:48Yeah.
13:48It just depends who's in there.
13:50But in Australia, in a place where like people might not expect you, I'm sure they're a lot more likely to stop you.
13:55Oh, definitely.
13:57Especially when you're in – that's why we kind of stayed out of where we're playing.
14:01And so like we just stayed out in the country.
14:04We just rented a house out in the country.
14:05That would be awesome.
14:06So nobody knew where we were staying obviously.
14:08And so, yeah, like when you're in – you know, if you're playing in Sydney and you're in Sydney, I mean you're doing two nights at the stadium.
14:15Like everybody's there, you know.
14:18Everybody that's – anywhere that I want to go is where anybody that's in town for the show wants to go.
14:22So, you know, they want to go eat at the nice restaurants or go walk around the shopping district or whatever and see the opera house or whatever it is, you know.
14:32So, yeah, you just kind of avoid those situations to not be in them.
14:37How was the bug situation out in the country?
14:39Because I feel like you see these videos of like insane spiders and stuff.
14:42We ran across a couple uber venomous snakes but, you know, no bites.
14:49So that was good.
14:51It's just not as bad.
14:52I don't know.
14:52It's like – we have that stuff here, you know.
14:55Yes, it's true.
14:56We got rattlesnakes and copperheads and water moccasins and, I mean, I live on a big piece of land and I'm out there at some point every day and I haven't seen one in five years.
15:08Well, that's good to know.
15:09You know what I'm saying?
15:10I mean, they're there but it's like it's the same in Australia.
15:12It's like – I mean, it's the land mass wise it's the same size as the U.S. almost.
15:16It's so crazy.
15:17So you mentioned like Bailey sends a song, your team is out, so you don't get the chance to talk to them.
15:20So I don't get the chance to talk to them because I'm just kind of – you know, we're doing our thing at the house and getting ready for shows and we're in the middle of this tour.
15:28You know, we're 24 hours on the other side of the world from home.
15:32And so when we got back to the States, I just remembered liking it and be like, yeah, I would like to do this.
15:39And it just becomes, you know, as you're living the rest of your life, it's just kind of like, man, I should have at least – I should have texted him back and been like, hey, man, I like this.
15:48I'll get back to you.
15:49And I just – I didn't do that.
15:51I was going to say, it's funny to hear your side of the story because he was like, I sent it and it was like a month and I was just sweating it.
15:56It was.
15:56It was like – I can imagine.
15:58I do really feel bad.
16:00I should have just said, hey, I really like this.
16:02I just want to talk to my team about it because it just comes down to like – it's really timing stuff.
16:07You know, I guess the story I hadn't told is there's a Carly Pierce, Lee Bryce song that I wrote with my buddy Jonathan and Carly asked – had asked me to sing on it when – originally when I sent it.
16:23We wrote it with her and she was like, would you want to do the song with me?
16:27And I said, I said, I really love the song.
16:30I'd love to do it.
16:31I said, but I'm worried that – I have a single out right now and I'm worried that they would be going at the same time kind of.
16:41Yeah.
16:42And I don't want to be the reason that it wouldn't go necessarily or – I said, also, I'm insanely busy and I don't want to not do any – like I can't go play Jimmy Kimmel or –
16:57Yeah, I want to show up for you basically.
16:58Like I want to show up for you and I don't – I can't say for sure that I'm going to be able to do that.
17:03And that song ended up going number one the week after my song went number one.
17:07That's so crazy.
17:08So it ended up being like the exact time and it would have been super weird if I was on that song and not.
17:15So it worked out perfect.
17:17But those are the things I'm thinking of when people ask me to do stuff and I'm hesitant or say no.
17:23I mean 99% of the stuff people send me is great.
17:26You know what I mean?
17:27It's not like I don't want to do this.
17:28It's like, hey, if I'm going to do this, I want to do it the right way.
17:31I want to be available to help it do what it needs to do.
17:34I don't want to just – I don't want to not do anything.
17:38Yeah, exactly.
17:39The timing of it has just got to be right.
17:40It has to be right.
17:41Like I talked to Keith Urban about the latest song that he did with Laney and like I mean he sat on that for years waiting for the timing to be right for both of them.
17:48And it's just – it's a lot in the timing.
17:50Yeah, it really is.
17:52And I mean just to – you know, because you want to do right by them.
17:55Yeah.
17:55Because it's – you know, that's – it's a big song for me.
17:58It's a big song for them.
17:58So I want to do everything I can to make sure it's done right.
18:03I want to also tell you congratulations on adding two more Diamond songs.
18:07I saw that and I was like, oh my god.
18:08That's crazy.
18:09Gosh, yeah, it really is.
18:10I can't believe it.
18:11You know, it's just been insane.
18:14You know, the fans have been there for me for sure.
18:18They have definitely, definitely been there for me.
18:21So that's real awesome.
18:22I feel like every other week I'm getting an email or a press release from your team of like this next accolade or thing that you've done and it's incredible.
18:29Well, I'm wondering though for you like – because I feel like a lot of these you probably don't even know that they're coming.
18:34Like it's like, oh my god, we broke that record.
18:35You don't really.
18:35Yeah, they try to surprise you with that stuff.
18:38Is there anything that you – like another milestone that you've got your sights on that you're like, oh, I can't wait until we hit that or until we do this or –
18:44Gosh, I've never been a super milestone guy.
18:48I guess I just never expected to get this far to be honest.
18:51So there was never like, man, I'm going to have this and this and this.
18:54You know, being the biggest guy or the biggest selling thing has like never been something I worry about.
19:02You know, I just feel like all you can do is kind of like lose mentally if you're doing that because that stuff doesn't last forever, right?
19:10There's always going to be the next guy that sells more, the next guy that does bigger shows or more shows or whatever it is.
19:17So I just try to – I really try to just be happy with, you know, everything that we've done.
19:22And, I mean, obviously those things are really cool for me, for my team, for the guys that I write with.
19:29You know, and again, no one but the fans to thank for those.
19:32So I'm very, very appreciative of them without a doubt.
19:35I mean, it's definitely a huge deal.
19:37But it's never been something I've like locked in on and say, hey, I'd love to do this or really want to do that, you know.
19:45So, I mean, I love – you know, when an entertainer was awesome.
19:49Yeah.
19:49And that's – you know, there's no line that that's sweet, you know.
19:53Would love to be able to do that again one day.
19:55But if not, that'd be fine too.
19:57Yeah.
19:58Totally.
19:59Yeah.
19:59Before we wrap up, when I was driving over here, I was thinking about something I hadn't thought about a long time.
20:03When I was working at the radio station in New York – I'll never forget this.
20:06You had landed.
20:07We were giving away tickets to like a Jason Aldean concert or meet and greets that night.
20:10And you were calling the radio station and I kept hanging up on you trying to get to call our 94.
20:15And I remember eventually like getting a hold of you and I was just thinking about like I think Hurricane was like just out, like probably cracking like top 25.
20:24Things were getting ready to take off for you.
20:25And it's just so wild to think like what has happened in that short amount of time.
20:28Yeah.
20:29Yeah, it really is.
20:29I mean you really do go from like – you can go from just a fan yourself to like in the business so quickly.
20:38Yeah.
20:38It really is crazy, you know.
20:40And I mean at the end of the day, we're all fans, you know.
20:42And I think, you know, sometimes as artists, you know, we can have a tendency to forget that and lose sight of that or go, well, I'm too important to do this thing or I'm not going to do that thing.
20:54And, you know, I try to remind myself as much as possible, you know, what would my answer to this question have been 10 years ago?
21:02Yeah.
21:03You know.
21:04And obviously circumstances change and things are different than they were 10 years ago.
21:08But still sometimes I'm like, gosh, you know, if I roll my eyes at something, I'm like, wait a second.
21:13What are we talking about here?
21:14Like this is insane.
21:15It would be insane to say no to this thing, you know.
21:20But it's crazy.
21:21It really is.
21:22And I think, you know, I think any new artists or any artists that do it, you know, I just encourage them to think about, you know, yourself when you started.
21:33Keeping two feet on the ground.
21:35Yeah.
21:35And just be grateful for where you are and everything you've accomplished and, you know, people that have helped you along the way.
21:41I mean there's so many people that, you know, took chances on me when they didn't have to.
21:45And, I mean, there's plenty of people that didn't too, you know.
21:48So you just – all you can do is be thankful and just – I don't know.
21:55Just trying to remain grounded I think is real important, you know.
21:58And that's what I've tried to do.
22:01Yeah.
22:01And I think you've been really successful at it.
22:03And I just – I know we have to wrap up, but I just want to say thank you for the time today.
22:07Oh, absolutely.
22:07New song sounds great from everything I've heard so far.
22:10It's so good to see you.
22:10I'm still like so excited about hearing this.
22:12Yeah, I'm excited.
22:13I'm excited about it.
22:14Well, thank you.
22:14Thanks for having me.
22:15Thank you for the time today.
22:16Yeah, of course.
22:17Thank you for the time today.
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