When working on his second studio album, Different Night Same Rodeo, Bailey Zimmerman found himself looking at the lyrics to the song “Backup Plan.” Written by Jon Sherwood, Tucker Beathard, and Jimi Bell, Zimmerman quickly knew he had a hit song on his hands. But there was only one problem – the singer wanted Luke Combs to help him record it. With the two eventually joining forces on the hit, Zimmerman recently celebrated “Backup Plan” going No. 1 with an unusual dinner.
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Posting a picture online, Zimmerman sat at the dinner table with a delicious steak in front of him. To make it even better, it appeared the steak was cooked to a perfect medium rare. And with more than a few sides to pick from, the dinner seemed like the perfect way to celebrate the success of “Backup Plan.” But fans quickly noticed that instead of a nice wine or beer, Zimmerman decided to go with some classic chocolate milk.
Although an unusual decision, Zimmerman loved the combination, writing in the caption, “Steak and chocolate milk to celebrate ‘Backup Plan’ being my 5th #1 at country radio.”
How Fate Helped Bailey Zimmerman Get Luke Combs In The Studio
Looking back on how his collaboration with Combs became a reality, Zimmerman knew he needed the singer when he first heard the song. “The first time I heard it, I thought, ‘Man, Luke Combs would freaking crush this, dude.’ Then I thought, ‘But man, how am I going to get Luke Combs on a song? Luke would be freaking crazy on a song, and I know he’d love it, but how do I even get it to him? Who do I text?”
With Zimmerman not knowing how to get in touch with Combs, it appeared that fate helped him out. “Randomly, one day, Luke hits me up to do Concert for Carolina … hung out with him, and we just kicked it off right off the bat, just right away … It just felt like we had been buds for a while. Fast forward, play the show that night, slips me a little note card that’s just a, “Thank you for playing the show.”
Grateful for the opportunity, Zimmerman noticed at the bottom of the card, Combs left his number with the simple line, “text me anytime.”
Now having his number, Zimmerman took Combs up on the offer. And as they say – the rest was history. With “Backup Plan” now sitting at No. 1, Zimmerman not only walked away with another career milestone but also a reminder that sometimes the best successes come from unexpected friendships.
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
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