Luke Combs Shares Why A Recent Concert Was 'A Long Time In The Making'

Luke Combs reeled over a full-circle moment while playing a show in North Carolina.

The Appalachian State University alum recalled teaching himself to play guitar in Boone, North Carolina, and now the award-winning country artist made a tour stop in the same city — his first stadium show there.

Combs, 31, shared an appreciation post:

“This show was a long time in the making for me. I attended college at Appalachian State University. I taught myself to play guitar 10 years ago in Boone, NC. I wrote the first song that I ever wrote here. And on September 4, 2021, I played my first stadium show in that same town. It’s hard to believe. Thank you, Boone, NC! I will never forget this day as long as I live.”

Last month, Combs was recognized with the the ACM Gene Weed Milestone Award at the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. “Thanks to everybody sitting in this audience. Thanks to country music fans is the reason why I get to do what I love to do… (It) is because of people like you,” he said at the awards show. That same night, Combs shared the story behind his new song “South On Ya,” a track inspired by football season that he wrote in a parking lot in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Combs is up for a CMA Award this year, nominated in the Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Song of the Year (“Forever After All”) categories. See the full list of nominations here.

Watch Combs’ “long time in the making” moment here.