Before Luke Combs became one of the most dominant forces in modern country music, he wasn’t chasing a record deal or dreaming of headlining stadiums. In fact, while attending Appalachian State University, Combs didn’t even play music. His life changed not through ambition, but through inspiration—sparked by a single song from his hero, Eric Church.
That song was Carolina, a track Combs has repeatedly described as the one he could “never get fed up with.” More than a favorite, it became a turning point. “His music gave me the courage to finally pick up a guitar,” Combs has said, crediting Church’s songwriting with giving him permission to try.
Released in 2009 as the title track of Church’s sophomore album Carolina, the song is a reflective, mid-tempo tribute to home, memory, and identity. For Combs—himself a North Carolina native—the lyrics didn’t just sound good; they felt honest. Church’s unpolished delivery and blue-collar storytelling showed him that country music didn’t need polish or perfection. It needed truth.
That realization pushed Combs into unfamiliar territory. While still a student, he bought a guitar and began teaching himself to play, spending countless hours learning chords and studying Church’s catalog. He wasn’t chasing fame—he was chasing feeling. Soon, he began performing in small bars around Boone, North Carolina, modeling his stage presence after Church’s stripped-down, commanding style. No theatrics. Just songs and sincerity.
As his confidence grew, Combs started writing his own material, using Church’s work as a blueprint. He studied how songs were structured, how stories unfolded, and how emotion was delivered without overstatement. Those lessons eventually shaped Hurricane, the breakout track that introduced him to country radio and launched one of the most successful careers of the past decade.
Years later, the influence came full circle. In 2021, Combs and Church—once idol and admirer—stood as equals on the track Does To Me. The collaboration celebrated everyday values and quiet pride, themes that run through both of their catalogs and define their connection to fans.
Today, Combs has amassed billions of streams and countless hits, including When It Rains It Pours and his chart-topping cover of Fast Car. Yet Carolina remains foundational. It wasn’t just the song he loved most—it was the one that taught him he had a voice worth discovering.
Sometimes, one honest song is all it takes to change the course of country music history.