Luke Combs is spending his third week at number one with his latest single “Even Though I’m Leaving.” His relationship with his late grandfather is reflected in the lyrics.

“Even Though I’m Leaving” extended Luke’s historic run of number one singles to seven chart toppers out of seven released. It holds the #1 spot on the Billboard Country Airplay singles chart for the third week in a row according to the advance release of this week’s chart.

The third verse of the song relates to a boy saying goodbye to his father as he is about to pass away. Throughout the song the boy received encouragement from his father through his entire life. You could relate that sentiment to Luke’s relationship with his grandfather.

“When I picked the guitar up, I would go down and see my grandpa and he would always tell me, “This is the thing.” And at the time, it’s just like, ‘Oh, your grandpa, he loves you,’ but he had this demeanor when he said it. He was like, ‘No, if you stick with this thing you’re gonna be really great at this, if you keep doing it’,” Luke explains.

Luke’s grandfather did not get to see his grandson’s huge success, but he did get to hear his first album before he passed away.

“He did get to hear my first album, which is something that I’m very thankful for. It hadn’t been released yet at the time he passed away, so he never got to see what came of that. But, he did get to see the culmination of all the work I put into making it,” Luke shares.

Well Luke, like in the lyrics of your three-week number one song, “Just ’cause I’m leavin’ … It don’t mean that I won’t be right by your side,” I am quite sure that your grandfather has been by your side every step of the way on this amazing journey you have been on.

Congratulations to Luke Combs for a third consecutive week at #1 with “Even Though I’m Leaving.”

By: Buck Stevens