“Just Unmatched”: Luke Combs Names the State With the Best Country Music—and It’s Not Nashville (or His Home State)

While best known as the voice behind songs like “When It Rains It Pours” and “One Number Away,” Luke Combs was once nothing more than a fan. Growing up in North Carolina, the singer explored the world of music at a young age. He participated in several school musicals and even joined the church choir. Before gaining his footing in country music, he even had the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall. Destined to find his way to the stage, Combs recently discussed his love for North Carolina and even named the one state that produced the best country music. 

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No matter where a singer comes from, in country music, they all find their way to Nashville. The heart of the genre, the city embraced its contributions to country music and even played home to the famed Grand Ole Opry. If that wasn’t enough, the city also promoted numerous restaurants and bars owned by country stars. Yet, when speaking with Mostly Sports with Mark Titus and Brandon Walker about country music, Combs named another state. 

When asked about the one state that produced the best country music, Combs obviously named North Carolina – but that wasn’t his answer. “I would biased-ly say Carolina, but truthfully, it’s Kentucky. You’ve got Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, Keith Whitley. There’s just… to me the talent in Kentucky is just unmatched. North Carolina is great… Kentucky is a stacked state, in my opinion.”

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Luke Combs Didn’t Forget About Texas

For those who might disagree with Combs, he only named a few artists from the state. Other stars to come from Kentucky included Naomi Judd, Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Billy Ray Cyrus, and even Loretta Lynn. 

Combs didn’t forget about the Lone Star State either, adding, “Texas is stacked. Obviously (they’ve got) George Strait. There’s a lot of guys from Tennessee: Kenny Chesney, Morgan Wallen. Quite a few guys are from Tennessee. At most, everyone comes there.”

Although Combs named a few states that played a crucial role in the legacy of country music, the singer happened to forget about Oklahoma. The state left its mark in the genre thanks to Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, and Blake Shelton. But again, with country music shared all over the world, each state played a part.

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