Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association award–winning artist Luke Combs keeps a close circle of songwriting collaborators, many of whom were unproven talents when they first crossed paths in Nashville. During this program, Combs is joined by four of those songwriters — Ray Fulcher, James McNair, Drew Parker, and Rob Williford — to share the stories behind and perform some of the songs they have written together. This program, recorded on July 11, 2024, was offered in support of the exhibition Luke Combs: The Man I Am.

During this program, Combs treats fans to acoustic renditions of his hits “Beautiful Crazy” and “When It Rains It Pours.” He also performs an unreleased song, “Pushin’ Up Daisies,” and his hit cover of the Tracy Chapman song “Fast Car.” Fulcher, who has written more than two dozen of Combs’s songs, including six country radio #1s, performs two of those chart-toppers (“Does to Me,” “Even Though I’m Leaving”) and an unreleased single written with Combs, “Halfway Mark.” McNair shares stories about and performs several Combs staples, including “Beer Can,” “Lovin’ on You,” and “Going, Going, Gone,” while Parker plays “Lonely One” and “Forever After All” before showcasing his current single, “Love the Leavin’,” which Combs encouraged him to record. Williford, one of Combs’s earliest collaborator and a former member of Combs’s band, showcases “One Number Away,” “Doin’ This,” and “Hush Puppies,” an unreleased song written with Combs.

Originally from Harlem, Georgia, Fulcher released his first album with Black River Entertainment, “Spray Painted Line,” in 2022 and has also written songs recorded by Tenille Arts, Elvie Shane, Zac Brown Band, and others. In addition to Combs, McNair has written songs recorded by Kane Brown, Florida Georgia Line, Scotty McCreery, and others. With Emily Weisband, he and Combs wrote “Dance Like No One’s Watching,” which Gabby Barrett recorded for her latest album, “Chapter & Verse.” A Stewart, Georgia, native, Parker released his first album with Warner Music Nashville, “Camouflage Cowboy,” in July and was one of Combs’s opening acts for his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour. Williford, originally from North Carolina like Combs, released his first album, “Wildcard,” in 2023.

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