Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
“After leading the Stagecoach lineup, the country singer is set to focus on quality time with his two young sons.”
While Luke Combs is excited about the launch of Category 10, a multi-level entertainment venue inspired by him, he hasn’t introduced the space to his two young sons — and he intends to keep it that way.
“In all honesty, I don’t even think they know what I actually do,” the 35-year-old country star shared with PEOPLE during an April interview, just moments before taking the stage at his sold-out show at the Nashville hotspot that includes a bar, restaurant, and live music venue. “My oldest, Tex, is nearly 3. He recognizes my voice on the radio and says, ‘That’s Dad,’ but he doesn’t grasp the bigger picture.”
Gesturing around the Five Leaf Clover Sports Bar within the Category 10 complex, Combs adds with a laugh, “He probably assumes every kid’s dad has a song on the radio. To him, this is just normal — and honestly, I’d like to keep it that way.”
Maintaining that sense of normalcy for his kids might prove challenging as Luke Combs continues to rise in fame, stacking up chart-topping hits, major award nominations, and acclaimed albums. Still, now that he’s a father of two — with his youngest son Beau, 20 months, and wife Nicole — Combs says his career choices carry more weight than ever before.
“This year, we’re just sticking to festivals,” says Combs, who recently headlined California’s Stagecoach Festival. “I’ve got around 20 shows total for the year — already knocked out 10, and I’ve got 14 to go. The priority is being at home with my boys. I want to watch them grow and make sure they know how much they matter to me.”
Looking back, Combs admits that making a decision like this would’ve been far more difficult earlier in his career.
“For the longest time, country music has been all about grinding — tour non-stop while you’re hot,” he explains. “But now I think, why not pour your energy into touring hard, building a loyal fanbase, showing them you care, and offering something special? Then, when you need time for yourself or your family, you can say, ‘I’m not touring this year,’ and it doesn’t have to mean the end of your career. That’s the point I’ve been working toward.”
Combs says choices like these are ones he expects to keep making in the future. “I want my kids to grow up knowing that my career will never come before them,” he explains. His latest chart-topping hit, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” — featured on the hit Twisters soundtrack — is just one example of how his success keeps growing, even as he pulls back from the spotlight.
His words hang in the air with quiet conviction before he shifts gears to discuss his 2024 release, Fathers & Sons — an album that dives deep into his personal experiences and emotions.
“In a lot of ways, it was more for me than for anyone else,” Combs says of the project, which received strong critical praise. “It was something I needed to express — something I felt compelled to put out into the world. It’s my most meaningful work to date, but at the same time, it’s been my least successful in terms of commercial performance. And that’s okay with me, because the purpose behind it mattered more than the numbers.”