Tracy Chapman surprised guests and viewers of the 2024 Grammy Awards when she appeared on stage for a performance of her biggest hit, “Fast Car,” 35 years after its original release. The beloved singer joined country singer Luke Combs to duet the song and received a standing ovation.
The performance began with a visibly emotional Chapman as she played the opening cords before starting the performance. Combs emerged in an all-black suit, not his typical flannel look. The audience, which included big names like Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey and Meryl Streep, stood on their feet and sang along.
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The performance marked one of just a few Chapman has done since finishing her 2009 tour. Despite her popularity, she’s remained quite the recluse, preferring a private life outside of the spotlight.
Chapman made history with her release when she became the first Black woman with a No. 1 single on the country charts for a solo composition, and also the first Black woman to win the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year at the 2023 awards ceremony. Combs recorded his own country rendition of the emotional single on his 2023 album, Gettin’ Old, giving the original 1988 single a new audience. The remake became the most-streamed song off Combs’ album.
Chapman spoke about the success of “Fast Car” and some of her other famous songs, including “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” and “Give Me One Reason” in a 2015 interview with The Daily Telegraph.
“All I can say is that there are some themes that are timeless,” she said at the time. “There are some concerns that are universal. Everyone wants to be loved and everyone wants to feel like they belong somewhere in the world. Everyone wants to do something and feel like they have a sense of purpose. These are just the things that I think about and the things that make their way into my songwriting.”
Chapman was a GRAMMY nominee for “Fast Car” during its original run, being nominated for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year following its release. She didn’t win in the big categories, but she took home awards for Best New Artist, and her self-titled debut won Best Contemporary Folk Album, while the lead single won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
