Luke Combs drops bluegrass collaboration with Billy Strings

Luke Combs has released his latest single, The Great Divide – a bluegrass collaboration with musician and guitarist, Billy Strings. The Great Divide was written by Combs and Strings with Wyatt Durrette in June of last year, and was recorded in Nashville with producer Chip Matthews and musicians Charlie Worsham (acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo), Royal Masat (bass) and Eric Darken (percussion).

The timely song about the need for unity was intended to feature on a bluegrass album Combs’ was said to be working on, however this has since been put on hold while he finishes his third solo album.

Combs said, “Something I’ve always wanted to do is write and put out a bluegrass album. It’s not a lead single or a lead-in to that project yet, because that is not done. But it felt like the right time to put this song out.

When we wrote it, there was a lot of crazy things going on in the world. There’s still a lot of crazy things going on in the world. And I just felt like I had some stuff to say. It’s not meant to be political. It’s not meant to try and tell you what to think or tell you how to believe. That’s not my job. It’s just a guy kinda saying the way he was feeling when he wrote it.”

Strings added, “This song is our interpretation of the conflicts and tension we had been witnessing/experiencing around the time we wrote it. We wanted to shine a little light on the situation and offer a bit of hope during what has been a tough time for many.”

The Great Divide is the first new music from Combs since the release of his deluxe album, What You See Ain’t Always What You Get. The album was certified Gold, topped the list of the 2020 ARIA Country Albums Chart and became Combs’ first number one record in Australia. The album also features collaborations with Brooks & Dunn and Eric Church.

Meanwhile, Strings released his second solo album, Home in September 2019. It became his most successful release yet, reaching number one on the Bluegrass Albums chart and positioning on the country, folk and bluegrass charts. It was later nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

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