Chapman and Combs performed the emotional track together at the 66th GRAMMY Awards.
Tracy Chapman is finally getting a new moment in the awards spotlight, 35 years after the release of her biggest hit, "Fast Car." The two gave an emotional performance at the GRAMMYs on Sunday, receiving a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd.
Country singer Luke Combs covered the emotional track on his 2023 album, Gettin' Old, and the country rendition catapulted the 1988 track to a whole new audience, quickly becoming the most-streamed song off the album.
Combs' cover also earned Chapman some historical awards. 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.
Although the notoriously reclusive Chapman wasn't present for her CMA honor, presenter Sara Evans shared a statement from the groundbreaking artist.
"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."
Now, ET can confirm that Chapman and Combs are set to perform the song together at the upcoming 66th GRAMMY Awards, where "Fast Car" is also nominated for Best Country Solo Performance.
"Fast Car" was a GRAMMY nominee in its time, 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.
Chapman's surprise performance of the song at Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in July 1988 -- taking the place of Stevie Wonder, who suffered an equipment malfunction -- helped the song become a Top 10 hit in the United States, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Combs' cover came from a place of deep respect. He's frequently spoken about how "Fast Car" was one of the first songs he ever loved, and 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."
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."
While the lyrics of "Fast Car" feel incredibly personal -- and have inspired universal emotional reactions from its listeners -- Chapman admitted in a 1988 interview with Rolling Stone, shortly after the song's release, that not all of her songs are explicitly autobiographical.
"They're not, and they are," she cryptically shared. "They're emotions I've felt but not always things I've been through."
As for the titular "Fast Car" itself, Chapman joked at the time that she had a Ferrari on hold, thanks to all the questions she got about her automotive preferences.
"I think it was an Aries K car at first. And then it was a Toyota Corolla," she said with a laugh. "No, no fast cars. I'll just fix up my old car. It's a 1980 Tercel with, like, 99,000 miles on it."
The 2024 GRAMMY Awards are being held on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET and 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 and more.
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