We take you behind the scenes and explore the making of one of our favorite tunes with The Song Remembers When…
Song: “Love You Anyway”
Songwriters: Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher, and Dan Isbell
Album: Gettin’ Old
Last September, Luke Combs scored his 17th number one with “Love You Anyway.” The song had quite a history prior to its release.
In 2020, Luke was playing a show in Kentucky on Valentine’s Day. His wife, Nicole, wasn’t feeling great, so Luke dedicated a song to her from the stage, saying she may or may not be in the audience and then said, “Love you anyway.” One of Luke’s frequent writing partners was there and wrote that down to use as a song title.
Later, during a writing session at Luke’s house, that buddy of his – Dan Isbell – brought the title to the table. So, Dan, Luke, and songwriter Ray Fulcher got to work. As he often does with new songs, Luke put it out on his social media platforms, but the reaction was a bit lackluster, so he put the song on the back burner.
When Luke’s producer Chip Matthews heard it, he realized something was there but suggested they strip back the production, slow down the tempo, and bring in some fiddle. After those tweaks, the song felt just right.
“Love You Anyway” became the first single released from Luke’s Gettin’ Old album. When it reached number one in September 2023, Luke made some history by claiming the top two spots on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart, something that had never happened dating back to the chart’s beginning in 1990.
