The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will feature a special performance by two artists from different genres: Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs. The legendary singer-songwriter and the country superstar will join forces to sing Chapman’s iconic hit “Fast Car” on the Grammy stage.
“Fast Car” is a song about a young woman’s desire to escape from poverty and start a new life. It was released in 1988 as the lead single from Chapman’s self-titled debut album, which won three Grammys, including Best Pop Vocal Performance and Best New Artist. The song reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been covered by many artists over the years.
Combs is one of the most successful country artists of his generation, with nine consecutive No. 1 singles on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. His cover of “Fast Car” was included on his fourth studio album, “Gettin’ Old”, which was released in March 2023. The cover became a huge hit, reaching No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart and No. 2 on the Hot 100, making Chapman the first black woman and the sole writer to top the Country Airplay chart since its debut in 1990.
Chapman, who has not performed publicly in years, expressed her gratitude and honour for Combs’ rendition of her song. “I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car’,” she said in a statement to Billboard. Combs, who said he learned the song on guitar after hearing it on the radio with his father, also praised Chapman for writing “one of the best songs of all time” and said he was excited to share the stage with her.
The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy, will air live on CBS on Feb. 18, 2024, from the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. Comedian and actor Kevin Hart will host the show, which will feature performances by other nominees and winners, such as Adele, Bruno Mars, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and more.
