The pair performed the emotional track for the first time together at the 66th GRAMMY Awards.
Tracy Chapman made a rare onstage performance for music's biggest night, and it was a moment to remember. Thirty-five years after the original release of her biggest hit, "Fast Car," Chapman joined country singer Luke Combs to duet the single on the 2024 GRAMMYs stage.
The performance kicked off with Chapman becoming visibly emotional as she strummed the opening cords, before starting the performance. Combs soon appeared, trading in his signature hat and flannel for an all-black suit.
As the duo performed the chart-topping hit, the camera panned to audience members including Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep and Jelly Roll, who stood on their feet and sang word-for-word. Chapman and Combs stood proud at the end, as the star-studded auditorium gave them a standing ovation.
The performance is a result of Combs' country rendition of the emotional track on his 2023 album, Gettin' Old, which catapulted the 1988 track to a whole new audience, quickly becoming the most-streamed song of the album.
It's a particularly significant performance since the duet is Chapman's first appearance in several years. The reclusive musician has only performed for the cameras three times since she wrapped her last tour in 2009, and kept relatively silent in the face of popular demand for her to reemerge as "Fast Car" became an international phenomenon.
Chapman has stayed a private figure throughout her career, and rarely gives interviews. She opened up about the continued love for "Fast Car" and some of her other famous tracks -- "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" and "Give Me One Reason" as a few examples -- in a 2015 interview with The Daily Telegraph.
"All I can say is that there are some themes that are timeless," she shared. "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."
Combs' cover was an undeniable hit, topping Billboard’s Radio Songs chart for four weeks, making it to No. 1 on the adult pop and country formats for two weeks each, and topping out at an impressive No. 6 at Top 40 radio and No. 2 on the Hot 100.
It also earned Chapman some historical recognition: she became the first Black woman with a No. 1 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.
Chapman wasn't present for her CMA honor, but presenter Sara Evans shared a statement from the groundbreaking artist onstage.
"I regret not being able to join you all tonight," Chapman conveyed in her message. "It's a genuine honor for my song to receive recognition anew after 35 years since its debut. Gratitude to the CMAs, and a special thank you to Luke and all the 'Fast Car' fans."
"Fast Car" was a GRAMMY nominee during its original run, earning nods for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year following its release. Ultimately, the song itself didn't win any Big Four categories, but Chapman won Best New Artist and her self-titled debut won Best Contemporary Folk Album, while the lead single won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
It became a Top 10 hit in the United States, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Combs has frequently spoken about how "Fast Car" was one of the first songs he ever loved, and how his desire to cover the song for his album came from a place of deep reverence. While he never spoke with Chapman directly before the release of his rendition, the singer-songwriter's approval to release his cover was a huge stamp of approval.
"This song has been a constant throughout my entire life, reminding me of moments with my dad. It's the song I'll play for my son, and it will undoubtedly be part of my own history. To think that it will now be synonymous with me is just insane, considering how much it has meant to me. So, I just want to say thank you and congratulations to her," Combs said while accepting his CMA honors, hailing "Fast Car" as "one of the best songs of all time."
The 2024 GRAMMY Awards is on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET and being broadcast and streamed live on CBS and Paramount+ from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Follow along at ETonline.com for full coverage from music's biggest night, including performances, GRAMMY winners, red carpet arrivals, hottest couples and more.