You’ve probably heard songs such as “Forever After All,” “Fast Car,” and “Beautiful Crazy,” but how much do you know about the man behind the legend? Since his debut in 2014, the talented country singer Luke Combs has gained fans everywhere, thanks to his unique voice and knack for getting his audiences hooked on the stories he tells through his music.
Among the numerous hits Luke has released, “Where the Wild Things Are” is the one that has his fans questioning many things about his past, especially the existence of an older brother who, according to the song, might have found his demise in an accident.
However, was the song telling the real story of Luke’s brother? If so, what actually happened to the man, and how much has that inspired the singer’s artistry? What else is there to know about Luke Combs’ past? Keep with us to find out!
What Happened To His Brother?
Those who have been hearing Luke Combs’ music for a while have also got caught up in the amazing and compelling stories he tells through his songs. Nonetheless, out of his most famous songs, “Where the Wild Things Are” became widely known because of its focus on the treasure that is brotherhood.
The song ends in a sad tone when Luke reveals to his listeners that the brother he’s referring to died after hitting a guardrail. The heartful theme of the lyrics has inevitably raised questions about Luke’s brother, even though the singer has openly affirmed that he’s an only child.
So what’s the story behind the man mentioned in the song? “Where the Wild Things Are” was written by Dave Turnbull and Randy Montana, though the idea was the latter’s. As Montana affirmed in an interview with Raised Rowdy, the idea came from a book he read which retells the story of an older brother who disappeared for a couple of years, moved to the West, and which prompted him and Turnbull to ‘fabricate a story’.
Despite the purely fictional nature of the tale portrayed in “Where the Wild Things Are”, the song has conquered the hearts of millions who relate to the song’s theme in one way or another.
Who is Luke Combs?
Born on 2 March 1990 in Huntersville, North Carolina, Luke Combs has steadily found massive success as a singer in the past decade. His parents are Rhonda and Chester Combs, who moved the family to Asheville, where Luke joined choruses at school and church. The experience allowed the young Luke to steadily develop his singing abilities, though he’d loved to sing since he was barely able to talk, as he confessed in an interview with Esquire.
However, in the beginning there weren’t many people around the young Luke to give him any advice. Before his chorus escapades, only his parents heard Luke sing, as he was an only child. The positive feedback from his parents was appreciated by Luke even if he considered it normal coming from his parents, but the experience of standing on Carnegie Hall’s stage in New York alongside his chorus peers was quite different from performing in his living room.
That said, Luke didn’t consider music a possible career until he was in his 20s. Before that, he’d enrolled at Appalachian State University, studying for a business degree, but quickly found out that school wasn’t for him, while his long-lasting passion for music remained. Around that time, he remembered he had a guitar sitting in his bedroom back home that he hadn’t learned how to play. That was soon meant to change, as his guitar lessons drove him to a later path of success.
Rise To Fame
Luke Combs’ time to shine came with the extended plays (EPs) “The Way She Rides” and “Can I Get an Outlaw”, released in 2014. Though none of the tracks entered any important charts, the release of his third EP – “This One’s for You” – marked Luke’s debut on Billboard’s Top 200, Top Country Albums, and Independent Music charts, obtaining top 30 positions in the latter two.
One million streams for "Hurricane" on Spotify. Unbelievable. Thank y'all. pic.twitter.com/vCt9bqMFq2
— Luke Combs 🎤 (@lukecombs) March 16, 2016
Luke’s debut single was “Hurricane”, which became his first top-40 spot in Billboard’s 200, and his first number-one hit on the Country Airplay chart. It did well in several charts, selling over 670,000 copies, and was certified double platinum. Later in 2017, Luke’s first album “This One’s for You” marked his first Billboard Country Music top position, as well as entering other important American aand international charts.
Regarding his early success, Luke affirmed that his parents had never turned their backs on him, even when he didn’t have any sort of guarantee of becoming successful. Nonetheless, his fame didn’t come out of nowhere, as by the time his career sped up, he’d been relentlessly performing in bars for years. The first place that gave him a chance to step on a stage was a bar where he worked as a bouncer, finding his first taste of success thanks to that.
While Luke had already left his business degree to pursue a career as a crime detective, he didn’t finish that one either, and instead moved on to become a singer full-time.
Success & Future
Following his early success as a new artist, Luke Combs went on to release more music, and embarked on several successful tours. In 2019, he released his second album “What You See Is What You Get”, which had him topping the Billboard’s 200 chart, and cemented his spot as a rising country artist in the US, and internationally.
Luke’s third album – “Growin’ Up” – came out in 2022, following several successful single releases during the pandemic. The album sequel “Gettin’ Old” was released in 2023, and achievedd smilar success to the original, both certified platinum. The fifth album – “Fathers & Sons” – came out in 2024.
While Luke has held numerous concerts around the US, his headlining tours such as “Don’t Tempt Me with a Good Time” and the “Luke Combs World Tour 2023” have cemented his reputation as a new country legend. That is also evident by seeing the numerous recognitions he’s received, including those awarded by the Country Music Association and Billboard.
All in all, there’s no denying that Luke Combs has taken the music world by storm and will hopefully continue to do so for many years., regardless of the fact that he’s an only child, and so doesn’t have a brother!
