Luke Combs has apologized for using the Confederate flag in his performances in the past.

The country music star issued a lengthy apology in response to a fan pointing out on social media a music video showing him performing with images of confederate flags in the background and on his guitar.

“As I’ve grown in my time as an artist and the world has changed drastically in the last five to seven years, I’m now aware how painful that image can be to someone else and no matter what I thought at the time that that word meant or what it could have been interpreted as for myself, I would never want to be associated with something that brings so much hurt to someone else,” Combs said in a statement explaining the context of his appearance in Upchurch‘s video for “Can I Get An Outlaw” in 2015.

Speaking with singer Maren Morris and moderator Ann Powers on “Accountability and the future of country music” for the annual Country Radio Seminar Wednesday, Combs added, “I apologize for being associated with that. Hate is not a part of my core values. It’s not something I consider part of myself at all so I’m just looking to be here not to just say, ‘I’m so sorry, please forgive me.’ I’m trying to learn, trying to get better.”

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