Charles Wesley Godwin Announces Luke Combs Duet Coming May 15

West Virginia alt-country artist Charles Wesley Godwin announced from the Stagecoach stage Saturday night that a new studio album is on the way, with the lead single, "Better That Way," featuring Luke Combs, due out May 15.

The announcement came mid-set, drawing a huge roar from the Stagecoach crowd. "We have the first single on that album coming out on May 15th. It's called 'Better That Way.' I got my buddy Luke Combs on it," he shared on Instagram.

Godwin's last full-length album, Family Ties, was released in September 2023 via Big Loud Records. The critically acclaimed 19-track album was his major-label debut and his most commercially successful release to date, with the standout single "All Again" going gold. In February 2025, Godwin released the seven-song EP Lonely Mountain Town, which did not constitute a formal studio album.

"Better That Way" was one of the first songs Godwin teased for the new album, originally posted on Instagram last August. He co-wrote the song with Scooter Carusoe and Al Torrence. An acoustic version of the track is currently available ahead of the official release. Godwin also told the audience that the studio version may be audible around the festival grounds during the weekend.

No official album title or release date beyond the May 15 single has been announced. Teaming up with Combs, one of country music's most prominent names, is expected to broaden Godwin's national visibility and mark a significant step in his rising prominence in the alt-country scene.