Luke Combs says his sobriety song "Joe" was inspired by family and friends, but written for fans who interpret his drinking songs differently.

It may be a small percentage of his audience that chooses sobriety after refusing it for far too long, but that's who the singer had in mind as he finished "Joe" with Erik Dylan and James Slater.

"I can’t help but think about — because I have a couple of close friends who live that way and it's like if I write a 'Beer Never Broke My Heart' kind of thing, a partying song, and there's 9,990 people that that song, they love that song, right?" he says, talking to Taste of Country.

"But if there's 10 people that hear this song and it means the world to them, that may be worth it on a one-off song to me."

  • Combs' current radio single "Going, Going, Gone" is a Top 5 hit on Billboard's Country Airplay Chart.
  • Gettin' Old (March 24) is a companion album to Growin' Up, released last June.
  • On March 25, Combs will begin his 2023 world tour.

"Joe" is Combs' mostly recent release from his upcoming Gettin' Old album. It's new territory for the two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, but it comes after considerable thought. On Instagram, he shares that Dylan first presented the idea several years ago.

"A lot of folks in my family, that’s kind of been a theme in some way, shape or form," he tells Taste of Country Nights' Evan Paul, later adding he has friends who've been forced to live the sober life. "Kinda have a family history of that. I’m thankful to not deal with that as much, because I have seen it firsthand."

In addition to "Beer Never Broke My Heart," "1,2 Many" is another drinking song Combs is known to play during live shows.

"I just think sometimes, we’re out and all our songs are about drinking and going out and partying," he says. "Not all of them but, you know, that’s a common theme throughout our genre at the current time and it kinda always has been, looking back."

"Joe" is his attempt to include everyone at his shows.

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