Luke Combs is a singer and songwriter, but his favorite role right now is being a dad. The North Carolina native and his wife, Nicole, welcomed their first child, son Tex Lawrence, into the world in June, and everything has changed for Combs in the months since then, in the best way possible.
“It’s amazing,” Combs gushes to CMT. “It really is. It’s totally different. Your life just completely changes. People say that all the time, and it probably sounds like the most cliche thing in the entire world, but it’s really true. It’s just really like, instantly. Everything’s completely different.”
The “Outrunnin’ Your Memory” singer even changes a fair share of diapers — something he thought would bother him but, perhaps surprisingly, does not.
“I’m just not bothered about being covered in someone else’s bodily fluids,” Combs conceded. “Like, I was really worried about that. It’s kind of one of these things where there’s no easing into this … It’s not like you leave the doctor or before you go have the kid, there’s not someone calls and goes, ‘Okay, you’re having this kid (this) month. So every day for the next three days, you got to change a diaper a day, and then it’s going to go up to two.’ It just immediately goes to like eight or nine.”
Combs says that it would be “gross” if it was anyone’s child but his own, but since it’s his son, he happily takes on diaper duty.
While he is adjusting to being a dad, Combs is also at the helm of one of the biggest careers in country music right now, which includes his 2023 World Tour next year, with Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Flatland Cavalry, Brent Cobb, Cody Johnson and Lane Pittman as part of a rotating list of opening acts. Combs will be honored for his success at this year’s CMT Artists of the Year ceremony, an accolade he says will always be a career highlight for him.
“It’s awesome,” Combs saiys. “You know, always fun and always amazing. I mean, I don’t think anybody would say anything other than that. I think being one Artist of the Year is pretty damn cool.”
In addition to being named a CMT Artist of the Year, Combs is also nominated for four CMA Awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year and the night’s highest honor, Entertainer of the Year. It’s all part of a whirlwind year that Combs is still trying to absorb.
“[It’s] a good year for sure,” Combs said. “I just had a kid this year. That was awesome.”
The CMT Artists of the Year ceremony will premiere on Friday, October 14, at 9:00 PM ET on CMT. Tickets for Combs’ World Tour are on sale now. Find music and tour dates at LukeCombs.com.