OK! OKMAGAZINE.COM 31L
uke Bryan is one of the
biggest stars in country
music, but also one of
the most down-to-
earth. “When it comes
to Luke, what you see is
what you get,” a friend
says of the American Idol judge, who’s
become known for his catchy,
lighthearted tunes about life in the
South. “He’s got one of the biggest
hearts in the music biz and can make
just about anyone crack up with his
goofy sense of humor. It’s impossible
not to smile when you’re around him.”
But Luke’s past is filled with plenty
of tears. “You’d never know it, but his
life has been incredibly difficult,” the
friend tells OK!, explaining that the
43-year-old king of country has
experienced unimaginable pain.
“Luke’s told friends that after losing
his brother and sister, there were
times he almost didn’t make it.” But he
stayed strong — and positive — and
made it through. “That’s the thing
about life — it has its ups and downs,
and things sometimes catch you off
guard,” noted Luke. “We have to just
keep plugging along, keep a positive
outlook and enjoy all the great things
about life.”music was the last thing on Luke’s
mind. “I was a little ol’ Southern kid
playing baseball or hunting or fishing,”
he said. But at 14, Luke started playing
the guitar, and by his senior year of
high school he’d completely fallen in
love with singing and songwriting.
After graduation he planned to move
to Nashville to make something of
himself. But tragedy struck: Just days
before Luke was set to leave, his older
brother Chris, 26, was killed in a car
accident, leaving the “Do I” singer no
choice but to put his dreams on hold.
“[My parents] just lost a child,” he
explained. “[I] was not going to leave
the house.”
Instead, Luke got a business
administration degree from Georgia
Southern University. And after that
graduation — with a gentle nudge
from his father — Luke finally made
the move to Music City. In 2007, he
released his hit debut single, “All My
Friends Say.” But the celebration was
short-lived. Four months later, Luke’s
sister Kelly, a 39-year-old mom of
three, died suddenly at her home in
Georgia. “Losing Kelly just knocked
Luke sideways,” says the friend. “He
had many nights lying in bed, just
thinking, ‘Lord, why did you take her
from me?’” Making things evenno one could figure it out,” said Luke,
who’s said to still struggle daily. “You
question [the losses] every day.”ANOTHER BLOW
Unfortunately, Luke’s pain was far
from over. In 2014, Kelly’s husband,
Ben Lee Cheshire, unexpectedly
passed away. Without any hesitation,
Luke and his wife, Caroline, 39, took in
their teenage nephew, Til, and
college-age nieces, Jordan and Kris.
“We never thought twice about it,” said
Caroline. “We just did it.”
And they’ve never regretted it. “We’re
honored to be doing what we feel was
the right thing,” said Luke, adding that
he’s loved watching his and Caroline’s
own boys, Bo, 11, and Ta t e, 8, grow up on
their family farm in Tennessee with
their cousins — especially Til. “[Bo and
Tate] treat Til like their brother, and Til
does the same.”
Though he’s endured serious tragedy,
Luke isn’t looking for pity. In fact, he and
Caroline hope that their story can help
others. “We feel like if we just stay
positive through this, maybe we’ll be a
positive inspiration for people that had
these things happen to ’em,” said the
“Move” singer, urging others to keep an
upbeat attitude in hard times. “You just
have to plow on, play the hand that’s
dealt [and remember that eventually]
life’s going to get you a little bit.” OK!L
appily married to his college sweetheart
lmost 13 years. But it turns out they almost
r happy ending. A year and half into their
line dumped him! “I got freaked out,
ng about marriage,” recalled Caroline,
ting that she was just a sophomore and not
ady for such a serious commitment. They
ent their separate ways, but reunited in
004 at one of his shows. “I saw him playing,
nd something was different... we were
she explained. “After that we startedINS
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