BANGOR, Maine — Luke Combs made a stop in Bangor for two sold-out shows at the Maine Savings Amphitheater Friday and Saturday night.
The lesson of Friday night: hard work pays off.
Bo Fenderson and Tanner Hale spent 10 hours stacking five cords of wood to pay for their tickets to see Luke Combs.
Bo, who was celebrating his 12th birthday on Friday, and Tanner were hoping to get the attention of the country music star with signs that read:
“We made 100 bucks stacking 5 cords of wood, bought 2 Luke Combs tickets, man he sounds good," and "Our dads swore it was a waste of time, oh but they were wrong! Today’s my 12th birthday oh Lord when it rains it pours!”
Luke Combs not only noticed the boys but paid for their ticket, pulling $140 out of his pocket mid-show and inviting them backstage.
"I hoped and I prayed that he'd notice us, and he did," Bo said.
Desiree Fenderson, Bo's mom, said she mentioned the concert as part of a birthday celebration for her son.
"It was an immediate 'Yes, I want to pay to go see Luke Combs,'" Desiree said.
While on stage, Combs signed a couple of hats for the boys and gave them more tour merchandise after the show.
"I was surprised that he took the time away from his concert to sign all our stuff," Tanner said.
"For him to take time to acknowledge and truthfully reinforce something we try to instill in our children that hard work pays off is truly amazing," Justine Hale, Tanner's mom, said.
The boys said it was definitely worth the 10 hours of hard work, and it's a lesson they'll take with them for the rest of their lives.
"The two most important things in life are hard work and kindness," Bo said.