Luke Combs Tearfully Recalls Missing the Birth of His Second Son: ‘It Sucked’

In a heart-wrenching revelation, country music star Luke Combs shared an intensely personal moment during a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. The 32-year-old artist, known for hits like “Fast Car” and “Beautiful Crazy,” opened up about the emotional turmoil of missing the birth of his second son, Beau, due to his touring schedule.

Reflecting on the experience, Combs described the day as one of the “craziest” in his life, marked by a profound mix of joy and sorrow. “I’ll never forget the craziest day, probably, in my life, close to it,” he began, his voice laden with emotion. “One of the best and one of the worst days in my life at the same time was, interestingly enough, and it’s so hard to wrap my mind around it. I wake up in the morning, I’m in Sydney, Australia, in a hotel room, and we’re on tour in Australia.”

The day took a significant turn when Combs received a text from his wife, Nicole Hocking, who was back in the States. “I got a text from my wife, which read, ‘I’m so sorry, I really tried to not have the baby while you’re gone,’” Combs recounted, his voice breaking as he fought back tears. The message marked the beginning of a deeply challenging experience for the singer, who was thousands of miles away when his son was born.

Beau was born on August 15th, and despite the distance, Combs was able to witness the birth via FaceTime. “It sucked because he was born on August 15th in the States. I got to see him be born, which was awesome,” he shared. “He wasn’t born yet, but my wife went, she texted me on the way to the hospital, and he was two and a half weeks early and I was supposed to be home and I wasn’t. … That was real hard to do and I haven’t really told anybody that.”

The strain of balancing his career and family life is a familiar struggle for Combs, who also shares an older son, Tex, with Nicole. The country star expressed his gratitude for Nicole’s mother, who was there to support her during the birth. “Fortunately, Nicole’s mother was around to help her, which I was very thankful for,” he noted. Despite the support, the memory remains a “defining moment” for Combs, encapsulating the harsh realities of life in the music industry.

“It sums up, in a lot of ways, some of the bad parts of the music business — the leaving and your schedule’s crazy and you’re traveling all over the place,” he explained. The difficulty of the experience is such that Combs chose not to delve deeply into it in his latest album. “Since the memory is difficult, I didn’t cover it too much in this album because it’s really hard for me to deal with.”

Luke Combs’ tearful recollection highlights the often unseen sacrifices artists make for their careers. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of family and the profound impact of being present for life’s most significant moments. As Combs continues to navigate the demands of his career and personal life, his story resonates deeply with fans and fellow artists alike, illustrating the human side of stardom.