Luke Combs Previews New Album with 'I Ain't No Cowboy'

The country star releases a new single ahead of his upcoming album 'The Way I Am'.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:40pm

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Luke Combs has released a new single called "I Ain't No Cowboy" as he builds anticipation for his forthcoming album "The Way I Am", set for release on March 20th. The heartfelt track was co-written by Combs, Cody Johnson, and Jake Mears, and centers on a man wishing he could be the kind of cowboy hero who sweeps a woman off her feet. Combs also shared a studio performance video of the song to accompany the release.

Why it matters

Combs is one of the biggest stars in country music, and the release of new music from him is always highly anticipated by his devoted fanbase. "I Ain't No Cowboy" provides a preview of the sound and themes of his upcoming album, which is expected to build on his previous commercial and critical successes.

The details

"I Ain't No Cowboy" was written by Combs, Johnson, and Mears. The idea for the song came together unexpectedly while Combs and Johnson were touring in Australia. Combs said, "I had this cowboy idea for a song, and ironically, he'd started writing something really similar that same day. We ended up finding time to write and finished 'I Ain't No Cowboy' with his guitar player Jake Mears, and I even got to play it at one of the shows Down Under." The new single is the latest preview of Combs' upcoming album "The Way I Am", which includes previous releases like "My Kinda Saturday Night" and "Days Like These". The album also features a collaboration with bluegrass icon Alison Krauss on the song "Ever Mine".

  • Luke Combs' new album "The Way I Am" is set for release on March 20, 2026.
  • Combs released the single "I Ain't No Cowboy" on March 17, 2026 to preview the new album.

The players

Luke Combs

A popular country music singer-songwriter known for hits like "Hurricane" and "Beautiful Crazy".

Cody Johnson

A fellow country music artist who co-wrote "I Ain't No Cowboy" with Combs.

Jake Mears

A songwriter who co-wrote "I Ain't No Cowboy" with Combs and Johnson.

Alison Krauss

A bluegrass icon who is featured on a collaboration with Combs on the new album.

Hailey Whitters

A singer-songwriter who co-wrote the song "Ever Mine" with Combs and Charlie Worsham.

Charlie Worsham

A singer-songwriter who co-wrote the song "Ever Mine" with Combs and Hailey Whitters.

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What they’re saying

“We were on tour in Australia with Cody Johnson and had planned to get together while we were there. I had this cowboy idea for a song, and ironically, he'd started writing something really similar that same day. We ended up finding time to write and finished 'I Ain't No Cowboy' with his guitar player Jake Mears, and I even got to play it at one of the shows Down Under. The fans really seemed to love it, so I'm excited they get to hear it a week before the full album comes out.”

— Luke Combs (kxgn.com)

What’s next

Combs will kick off his massive "My Kinda Saturday Night Tour" this spring with sold-out stadium shows across the U.S., U.K. and Europe to support the new album.

The takeaway

Luke Combs continues to solidify his status as one of the top country music stars with the release of new music that showcases his ability to craft relatable and heartfelt songs that resonate with his devoted fanbase.