Another country singer is facing the music regarding their previous racist actions. On Wednesday, country music star Luke Combs apologized for using the Confederate flag and footage in the music video for Ryan Upchurch’s “Can I Get a Outlaw” in 2015. Images from the video began circulating online, featuring Combs’ performance depicted. in front of a Confederate flag that accompanies itself on an acoustic guitar with a sticker with the flag’s image on it, but now the singer “Cold As You” says that there is no excuse to use such images. “As I have grown in my time as an artist and the world has changed drastically over the past five to seven years, I am now aware of how painful the image can be,” Combs said in conversation with Maren Morris and moderator. Ann gives ‘responsibility and the future of country music’ for the annual Country Radio Seminar. “I never want to be associated with something that hurts someone else so much.”
The conversation between Combs, Morris and Powers comes in response to video recordings of emerging country music star Morgan Wallen using the N-word. The video sent shock waves through the country music community, prompting musicians like Morris to speak out about racism in the industry. Morris, who dedicated her 2020 CMA Award for Female Artist of the Year to the often underlying contributions of black women to country music, was one of the few stars in the field to directly condemn and tweet Wallen’s actions: “We all know it was not the first time he used the word.” Combs said he preferred to participate in the conversation in an effort to ‘learn’ and ‘get better’. “I know I’m currently a very visible member of the country music community,” Combs said. “And I want to make good use of the position and say that people can change and that people want to change, and I’m one of those people who tries.”