Luke Combs Recalls “Ruining Vince Gill’s Day” Before Making It Big

The potential to bump elbows with bona fide superstars is one of the most exciting and terrifying aspects of being an aspiring artist in Nashville—something country star Luke Combs learned in real-time when he “ruined” Vince Gill’s day at a 3rd & Lindsley show.

To be fair, it was mostly a one-sided interaction, but it was enough to rattle a pre-fame Combs. Luckily, we’re talking about the “nicest guy in Nashville” here, so Combs didn’t have to worry too much about Gill holding a grudge.

How Luke Combs “Ruined” Vince Gill’s Day

During a December 2019 interview on Taste of Country Nights, Luke Combs revealed his most embarrassing celebrity encounter, which took place when he first moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Combs had accompanied Rhett Akins to a Warren Haynes show at 3rd & Lindsley. The venue was full of people, so Combs squeezed into a tiny spot on the staircase.

As Combs stood there, a man in a white tee bumped into him, trying to climb the stairs. When Combs turned to apologize, he realized he bumped into country music legend Vince Gill. Gill, who earned the nickname the “nicest guy in Nashville” due to his overwhelmingly pleasant demeanor, exchanged polite “oh, sorry’s” with Combs before continuing on his way.

But for Combs, he couldn’t have felt more awkward literally bumping into one of his biggest musical inspirations within two months of moving to Music City. Joking around with the radio show hosts, Combs said, “It was super awkward because it was just like, sorry that I was born to be here for you to run into. It wasn’t that bad, but I was still like, ‘I just ruined Vince Gill’s day.’”

The Two Artists Would Later Swap Stories at CMA Fest 2023

Luke Combs’ hilariously self-conscious reaction to bumping into Vince Gill makes his rise to fame and subsequent friendship with Gill all the more heartwarming. While Combs might have been a green country-star-hopeful when he first ran into Gill, it wouldn’t take long before Combs was a star in his own right performing alongside his musical heroes.

Combs and Gill performed together at CMA Fest 2023, and the “She’s Got the Best of Me” singer spoke to Taste of Country about his backstage conversations with the “Key to Life” artist. “We talked about any and everything,” Combs said, “careers, guitars, golf, songs, and philosophy of a career.”

Combs continued, “He’s an awesome guy, man. He’s a giant for sure and one of the greats; he’s my hero. He was my favorite country singer growing up. I think he’s the best country voice we’ve ever had. He’s just amazing, man.”

We’re not sure if Combs ever told Gill about bumping into him at 3rd & Lindsley, but the story certainly illustrates Nashville’s ability to bring multiple generations of artists together in one space—even if that space is a packed venue with no room to stand except for the staircase.

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