The Newport Folk Festival threw fans a curveball on Monday when it announced its latest performer at this summer’s folk gathering: Country superstar Luke Combs.
Known for country radio hits like “Hurricane,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” and “Beautiful Crazy” — along with a crossover cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 ballad “Fast Car” — Combs will make his Newport Folk debut on Saturday, July 26.
Country artists performing at the 66-year-old festival held every summer at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island, is nothing new. Dolly Parton, Kacey Musgraves, the Highwomen, and Maren Morris have all taken the stage, along with scores of Americana-leaning acts such as Tyler Childers, Sierra Ferrell, and perennial Newport performer Margo Price. But Combs is the most mainstream country artist to appear on the lineup.
It’s a fair bet his set won’t be a typical Combs arena show: A loud band wouldn’t translate during the typically hushed listening-room environment of Newport, nor would Combs’ onstage ritual of shot-gunning beers. But the North Carolina native has always been hard to pin down. For every radio hit he’s scored, he’s collaborated with left-field artists like Newport alumni Billy Strings and Amanda Shires, and the bluegrass-leaning group the Wilder Blue. Combs has spoken about releasing his own bluegrass album too and told Rolling Stone last year that he’d been writing with Strings, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor, and Molly Tuttle.
“It was one of my favorite weeks of writing, and we got at least five songs. I will definitely finish that project, without a doubt,” said Combs, who in addition to the Newport booking is expanding his audience this summer with headlining sets at Lollapalooza, Boston Calling, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
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The announcement of Combs’ performance at Newport had some fans questioning the booking online, while others got their hopes up for a Chapman cameo, re-creating their “Fast Car” duet from the 2024 Grammy Awards. We’ll find out this summer.
The 2025 Newport Folk Festival lineup currently includes Price, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, MJ Lenderman, I’m With Her, Waxahatchee, and Stephen Wilson Jr. More artists will continue to be announced.