Do You Really Have One Shot to Make It?

Something you need to know about me is that I’ve been obsessed with country music since 1993, when my dad built a house and moved us out into the country in Northern Wisconsin. I had to ride a bus for 30 minutes both ways to school and as it turns out, the ’90s were a phenomenal time in country music. Think Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, George Strait.

And though it’s terribly uncool to be a huge country fan in New York (and book publishing), it’s something I’ve proudly kept in my life for 25+ years. I’m telling you about this because I want to bring someone to your attention that I think is relevant to getting your ideas out in the world.

Luke Combs is a songwriter and performer from North Carolina. What struck me about Luke’s music is how simple the lyrics are. His songs are beautiful, but the message is always clear. Whether it’s a song about love lasting forever or a (very funny) song about life going your way when you don’t expect it to, his words reflect universal experiences and emotions.

But in order for Luke to get heard he had to put in a ton of work. While he was in college, he worked as a bouncer at a bar. He asked the bar owner if he could play there and when the owner said no, he walked down the street and asked a different bar owner if he could play. Luke used that first show to…