Luke Combs Celebrates Hall of Fame Exhibit with Back-to-Back Events

Luke Combs’ journey from performing at venues like Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, and Nissan Stadium to being honored in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum took just five years.

To mark the opening of his new Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition, “Luke Combs: The Man I Am,” Combs celebrated on two consecutive nights. The exhibition, which is part of the museum’s admission, will be available until June 2025.

The exhibit features various items from Combs’ career, including his stage wear, tour memorabilia, manuscripts, set lists, instruments, photographs, posters, and childhood memorabilia. Highlights include a Playbill from Combs’ role as Nathan Detroit in the musical “Guys and Dolls” during his senior year in high school, and a dollar bill from his first paid gig at Boone’s Parthenon Café. Also on display is the cassette of Tracy Chapman’s self-titled 1988 debut album, which includes “Fast Car,” a favorite of Combs’s father.

The “Beer Never Broke My Heart” singer was amazed at the thought of his personal items being displayed alongside iconic artifacts from legends like Merle Haggard and Keith Whitley in the Hall of Fame Museum.

“The man I’ve become is due to not just the people in this room, but people who aren’t in this room, including the people I write songs with, my parents, friends, and family,” said Combs, visibly moved by the honor. “Being surrounded by wonderful people who care about me as a person has allowed us to achieve so many things together that I never thought were possible.”

According to Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, “Few artists have experienced the kind of meteoric rise and sustained success Luke Combs has since signing his first recording contract just two years after moving to Nashville. He has earned a career-defining string of #1 singles, set new benchmarks on the music charts, won more than a dozen major country music industry awards since 2016, and sold out stadiums around the world.”

The following day, Combs joined his songwriting collaborators Ray Fulcher, James McNair, Drew Parker, and Rob Williford at the Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater. Together, they shared stories behind their songs and performed them live.

Fulcher delivered a touching acoustic rendition of “What You See Is What You Get,” which topped country radio charts. The song captures the evolving relationship between a father and son, from childhood fears of monsters to the emotional impact of a father’s death. This track serves as a precursor to Combs’ recently released album, “Fathers & Sons.”

Combs also performed his Grammy-winning cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” He humbly introduced the song by saying, “I think it’s taboo to play a song you didn’t write at a songwriters’ round. But here I am, just being the ultimate sellout right now. But this is my favorite song ever.”

Combs later expressed his gratitude on Instagram, saying, “I want to send my sincerest thanks to you for allowing me to be a part of your moment. Thank you for the impact you have had on my musical journey and the musical journeys of countless other singers, songwriters, musicians, and fans alike,” referring to sharing the stage with Chapman at the 2024’s 66th Grammy Awards.

“Once I decided I wanted to do music as a career, it didn’t matter if it was for 100 people or 1,000 people, I just wanted to be playing country music for anyone who would listen,” added Combs. “At my core, I love Country Music, and this exhibit is as prestigious an honor as it gets.”

Source: Nashville Tennessean