Luke Combs Gets Choked Up During Newport Folk Festival Set While Singing About His Sons
Luke Combs presented an emotional performance at the Newport Folk Festival, where he performed the song “Whoever You Turn Out To Be” from his 2024 album Fathers & Sons for the very first…
Luke Combs presented an emotional performance at the Newport Folk Festival, where he performed the song "Whoever You Turn Out To Be" from his 2024 album Fathers & Sons for the very first time. While performing the song, Combs sang the line "But you ain't gotta change the world to make your daddy proud," and in the middle of the lyric, he broke down and stopped to collect himself. He addressed the crowd, saying, "Sorry. That got me a little bit."
Combs continued the performance but struggled to hold back tears, drawing support and applause from the audience. After the song, he remarked, "I remember why we don't play that one very much… I apologize. I don't apologize, because I was in the moment there…"
"Whoever You Turn Out To Be" reflects Combs' deep feelings about fatherhood and his relationship with his two sons, Tex and Beau. The core theme of the song, expressing unconditional love and acceptance, has undoubtedly connected with fans, but the album Fathers & Sons has not been nearly as commercially successful as his previous efforts.
In an interview with PEOPLE in April 2024, Combs got very transparent about his family life. "I don't even think they know what I do," Combs, 35, said just before taking the stage at a sold-out show in Nashville. "My son Tex is almost 3 now. He'll recognize my voice on the radio, and he will know 'That's Dad,' but he doesn't understand all of this."
This year, Combs is stepping back from a traditional tour schedule to focus on his family, choosing instead to make select festival appearances. Despite early speculation about his fit at a folk music event, Combs' genuine and vulnerable performance at Newport won over the crowd.
That moment certainly highlighted the intensely personal quality of his most recent music and the difficulty of performing material that is both emotionally packed. As he apologized and collected himself on stage, Combs reminded his audience that authenticity is still at the center of his artistry.
