Luke Combs Disavows Past Confederate Flag Use: 'There Is No Excuse' Luke Combs Disavows Past Confederate Flag Use: 'There Is No Excuse' Combs discussed using the imagery early in his career during a CRS panel on accountability with Maren Morris and critic Ann Powers Jon Freeman, provided by FacebookTwitterEmail Luke Combs responded to criticism about his past use of the Confederate flag on Wednesday, saying, “There is no excuse for those images.” Combs made his remarks during a revealing panel discussion with Maren Morris during Country Radio Seminar, with critic Ann Powers moderating. The three touched on accountability and their roles as artists to make country music a more equitable place, with the national discussion around country music having grown louder in the days following Morgan Wallen’s episode using a racial slur on camera.