Black Country ex-pats fly the flag at Luke Combs UK's gig across the pond
It seems wherever you go in the world the Black Country flag is represented, as members of Luke Combs UK have found out on the American leg of their tour this week.
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With members from Wolverhampton and Telford, the region is already being well represented by the band, who replicate the music of the Country superstar from which they take their name.
But they were surprised to meet a couple from Canada at the second gig of their tour near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when the first they knew of them was when they saw a Black Country flag flying from the audience in the middle of their set.
Ruth and Chris Smith-Moorhouse moved from Darlaston to live in Canada in August last year and had already seen Luke Combs UK playing locally in Walsall when they lived in the UK.
After they emigrated, they followed the band and when they announced an American tour, they booked tickets for the nearest venue to London, Ontario where they now live, which was Warrendale - the small distance of around 350 miles.
The couple, who got married in Shrewsbury, flew the flag throughout the gig and hung out with the band afterwards, talking about shared experiences in the Black Country and Shropshire.
Ruth said: "Chris introduced me to country music which we both now enjoy, but we really like Luke Combs in particular and we discovered them in the UK. But to have a band with members from Wolverhampton and Shropshire playing his music and dates in the USA is amazing so we felt we had to go to the nearest one which over here, is not that far.
"We took the Black Country flag with us when we emigrated so it was natural to take it to the concert and it was brilliant to meet them afterwards. We would have loved to stay and hang out longer with the lads but they had lots of fans to speak to."
The couple now plan to catch Luke Combs UK later in the year when they return to North America for Canadian dates.
Lead singer Liam Price from Wolverhampton said: " It was the most awesome feeling to see the flag whilst we were on stage and something we will never ever forget.
"It is something we will never forget and made this show extra special though the whole tour so far has been that and we have been so well received less than a week in - it is like living the American dream.
"We are looking forward to Nashville but also Canada later in the year when hopefully we will meet Ruth and Chris again and possibly others from the Black Country and Shropshire."
