Luke Combs Isn’t Suing A Fan, He’s Helping To Make Things Right

Luke Combs woke us early this morning (12/13) in his Nashville area home and heard that he was suing a fan for a quarter of a million dollars, and he freaked out, calling the woman and making things right.

Luke passionately took to his Instagram this morning (12/13) in a video clip explaining the situation to his fan base. With a background of the woman in a news report and the words "Lawsuit Response," Luke said in the video, "What's up, you guys? It's 7:27 am here in Tennessee. I woke up at five am to use the restroom, and the first thing I saw was this. A woman that's being sued by me for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I spent the last two hours trying to make this right and trying to figure out what's going on cause I was completely and utterly unaware of this."

Combs continued emotionally, "First, my manager reached out to this news station that ran this piece to try to get some info. So, we do have a company that goes after folks, only supposedly large corporations operating internationally that make millions and millions of dollars making counterfeit t-shirts and things of that nature, running legal businesses. And apparently, this woman Nicole has somehow gotten wrapped into that, and that makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. So, I was able to get Nicole's phone number, and I spoke to her this morning. She told me that she was absolutely shocked by this. I am so apologetic talking to her; it makes me sick, honestly, that this would happen, especially during the holidays. I can't imagine being in her shoes."

He noted of their phone conversation, "She told me there is fifty-five hundred dollars locked up in her Amazon account. I am gonna double that and send her eleven thousand dollars today just so she doesn't have anything to worry about. She was never supposed to be involved in anything like this. No fan should ever have to be involved in anything like this. She got in trouble apparently for making tumblers so I'm gonna make my own tumbler today, it's gonna go up today. I'll keep you posted on that, but all that money is gonna go to Nicole and her family to try to help with her medical bills. Hopefully, that can help her out."

Luke added, "Again, this is unbelievable. I was completely shocked when I saw this this morning, and it makes me sick. This is not something that I would ever do. It's not the kind of person I am. I'm not greedy in any way, shape or form. Money is the last thing on my mind, and I promise you guys that. I invited Nicole and her family out to a show this year so I could give her a hug and say sorry in person."

Combs concluded the message, saying, "I love you guys. I just wanted to clear that up because it makes me sick for anybody to be thinking I am kind of person because I'm the farthest thing from it. Okay, guys, I'll keep you posted."

See that post here.

According to the original TV news story, Nicole Harness suffers from congestive heart failure, and her only job is selling homemade tumblers and T-shirts through Amazon.

She learned Luke Combs sued her in federal court in Illinois, along with various others, for selling counterfeit merchandise. The judge ordered each defendant, including Harness, to pay $250,000 to Combs.

Today is World Teachers Day, an international day held annually on 5 October to celebrate the work of teachers. Established in 1994, it commemorates the signing of recommendations by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Country music and teaching come together when CMA Fest plays out every year in Nashville, and millions of people come from all over the world to see their favorite country stars perform. Some may not know that the performers at CMA Fest do not get paid; much of the money raised by CMA Fest goes back to music education. The CMA Foundation focuses on improving and sustaining music education programs everywhere while supporting worthwhile causes important to the Country Music Association.

Ashley McBryde served as the CMA's inaugural Artist Ambassador, meeting virtually with music teachers last year (2022) to discuss the obstacles faced while teaching amid the pandemic and sharing how music education led to her career in Country Music. She created a music lesson for teachers and students to use in both their in-person and virtual classrooms.

McBryde participated in the high school marching band before attending Arkansas State University, where she studied French horn.

Last year (8/2022), Gabby Barrett returned to her roots during her last weekend of shows on Jason Aldean's "Rock 'n Roll Cowboy Tour" playing in Pittsburgh. While on stage, Gabby invited her former high school teacher, Casey Stapleton, as a special guest and gifted him with a platinum plaque for her breakout debut album, Goldmine.

Barrett later said, "In my community, Mr. Stapleton was one of the only people – and teacher in my high school – who encouraged me to pursue music when I needed it most. I was balancing school while performing in malls, grocery stores, Chick-fil-A, really anywhere I could, and he continued to uplift and inspire me to keep going."

She added, "I don't know if he had any idea how much of a positive impact he has made on my life and career. So, to be able to honor him near my hometown and have him see how I have grown as an artist while I'm now living my dreams is a moment I'll never forget."

As we celebrate teacher's hard work today (10/5), we take a look at the relationship between country music stars of today and teachers.

Carrie's mother, Carol, and her two sisters are teachers. Carrie said in a 2020 CMT special honoring teachers, "I have a special place in my heart for this particular group as my sisters are both teachers, and my mom is a retired teacher. Now more than ever, we recognize what an important and difficult job they have."

Carrie posted to Twitter about her family of teachers in 2020, "My mom was a teacher, and my 2 sisters are also teachers. It's so great to see a teacher and her students making a difference in the world! Of course, I'm happy to help!"

Thomas told Good Morning America in 2019 that even though his dad, Rhett Akins, is a successful singer/songwriter, he owes his career to music education at school. He said that he formed a band in sixth grade because of his band teacher. He said that playing the drums was his first instrument. He noted, "I did one football game as a pit band drummer, and that really encouraged me to start this terrible band called the High-Heeled Flip Flops. That really sparked my fire for being in front of people and writing songs."

Rhett has played the stage at CMA Fest many times in his career helping the Fest raise money for music education.

Kane and fellow country star Lauen Alaina not only went to the same middle school in Georgia, they actually sat next to each other in choir class. Alaina said of first meeting Kane at Lakeview Middle School, "I was in choir class one day, and there was a guy sitting next to me. I sat with him every day, but that day, I heard him singing, and he was very shy." Brown and Alaina credit a music teacher for sparking their love of country music.

Luke was another country superstar inspired to sing by his choir teacher. Luke attended A. C. Reynolds High School in Ashville, North Carolina. That teacher helped him perform with multiple vocal groups, including performing a solo at a performance at Carnegie Hall. Every year, as school starts in the fall, Luke and his wife Nicole pay off Amazon wish lists for teachers as a surprise, spending thousands of dollars of their own money.

Reba enrolled at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and studied to become a public school teacher before being discovered singing at an Oklahoma rodeo and changing her career choice to country singer in the late 1970s. While she never taught her own class, she did complete student teaching and later graduated with a Bachelor's degree.