The curtains ascended, the audience cheered in excitement and the words, "On Air" lit up at the Grand Ole' Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. This wasn't just any usual night, though. It was the celebration of country superstar Luke Combs' induction as the newest member of the Opry.
How well deserved is this? Well, let me tell you why this came as no surprise. Along with a list of impressive awards, Luke's album This One's For You, released in June 2017, had five singles that hit #1. This made Combs the first artist ever to score five consecutive career-opening #1’s on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. It's almost impossible to snag a ticket to any of his tour dates as they sell out insanely fast. I have been fortunate enough to see Luke a handful of times and it never gets old.
Kicking of his three-song set, Luke performed "When It Rains It Pours" as fans rose to their feet to sing and dance along. Next, Luke sang his current smash single, "Beer Never Broke My Heart", the name of his upcoming sold-out tour. Everyone loves Luke Combs. I have to say, he is my absolute favorite vocalist in country music. As Vince Gill said, "He opens his mouth and his singing is undeniable."
Two of Luke's biggest musical heroes, Joe Diffie and Vince Gill, officially welcomed Luke into the Opry family in front of a sold-out crowd. Also, joining Vince and Joe on stage were fellow Opry members The Gatlin Brothers, Chris Janson, Dustin Lynch, Craig Morgan, and Mark Wills. After receiving his award Luke said, “Here I am on stage with people I grew up listening to and people who have shaped me as an artist. I just want to say thank you to you guys, thank you to the Grand Ole Opry, and thank you to the fans—without you all there is no country music, there is no Grand Ole Opry. Thank you so much for everything you guys do for making this possible for guys like us on this stage. I will never forget tonight!”
Photo Credit: Chris Hollo
After Luke closed out his Opry induction set with his first song as an Opry member, “This One’s For You,” he was sent off stage with a standing ovation as the curtains closed on a night he and I will never forget.
