The most anticipated performance of the 2024 Grammy Awards will see two icons come together to perform one of the biggest songs of the last 40 years: “Fast Car.”
Tracy Chapman, who wrote the classic track, will join country superstar Luke Combs at the Sunday, February 4, ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for a duet of the song, which Combs covered last year. The new version made the folk staple a modern country classic. In November 2023, Combs’ rendition earned Single of the Year and Song of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards, which made Chapman the first Black woman to win a CMA Award.
“It’s truly an honor for my song to be newly recognized after 35 years of its debut,” Chapman said in a statement read from the CMAs stage. “Thank you to the CMAs and a special thanks to Luke and all of the fans of ‘Fast Car.’”
Ahead of the 2024 Grammys, here’s everything you need to know about “Fast Car,” the Chapman-Combs duet and more:
Tracy Chapman Released ‘Fast Car’ in 1988
Chapman’s “Fast Car” was the lead single from her self-titled debut studio album. Bolstered by Chapman’s appearance at the 70th birthday tribute concert for Nelson Mandela, “Fast Car” reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song tells the story of a working woman trying to escape poverty and a broken home who discovers she can’t drive away from her problems.
The song’s lyrics resonated with many listeners who felt similarly alienated and distraught. As for the inspiration behind the song, Chapman was reticent about the details. “People always want to know about the person that writes, and the easiest thing to do is assume that they write about themselves and that you can gain insight into what the writer thinks and feels,” she told Spin in 1988. “But that’s not necessarily true.
In songs, you take on different personas and different characters and try and put yourself in their place. Plus, I think that if you go about explaining everything about a song, it’s gone.”
Luke Combs Covered ‘Fast Car’ in 2023
Combs often performed a country rendition of “Fast Car” at his concerts before releasing a studio version of his cover on his 2023 album, Gettin’ Old. His version kept most of the lyrics intact; he changed “you” to “we” in the last refrain but left the line about working “in the market as a checkout girl” as is.
Combs’ version reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. “I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there,” Chapman told Billboard after Combs’ success with her song. “I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’”
The success of Combs’ cover made Chapman the first Black woman to top the Country Airplay chart as a song’s solo writer since the chart’s debut in 1990.
Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman’s 2024 Grammys Performance
According to Variety, Chapman will return to the stage for the first time in years at the 2024 Grammys. The outlet reported that Chapman will make a surprise appearance alongside Combs to perform “Fast Car” at the ceremony.
Chapman has largely stayed out of the public eye since she finished her last tour in 2009. She’s only made a handful of television appearances, the most noteworthy one coming in November 2020 on Late Night With Seth Meyers.
Chapman performed her song “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution” on the eve of the 2020 presidential election. It marked her first television performance in five years. “This is the most important election of our lifetime,” she said on the show. “It is imperative that everyone vote to restore our democracy.”
Meyers gushed about his guest in a statement, saying, “I’ve always thought Tracy Chapman’s music skips your ears and goes straight to your heart. I’m so honored and excited to have her on the show. She’s living proof you can be a great artist while also speaking out for what you believe in.”
Tracy Chapman Has Already Won a Grammy for ‘Fast Car’
Combs’ “Fast Car” is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance at the 2024 Grammys, alongside Tyler Childers’ “In Your Love,” Brandy Clark’s “Buried,” Dolly Parton’s “The Last Thing on My Mind” and Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse.”
Even if Combs leaves this year’s ceremony empty-handed, “Fast Car” will still be a Grammy winner. The song won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1989 Grammys. That year, Chapman also won Best Contemporary Folk Album for her self-titled debut and won Best New Artist, beating Vanessa Williams, Take 6, Toni Childs and Rick Astley.
How Much Did Tracy Chapman Make from Luke Combs’ ‘Fast Car’?
Combs’ version did more than reintroduce “Fast Car” to a new generation: It made Chapman a lot of money. In June 2023, Billboard estimated that Combs’ version had generated around $500,000 in global publishing royalties. Since Chapman owns the publishing rights to the song, Billboard reported that she was “pocketing a sizable amount” of those royalties.
Combs’ version also gave Chapman’s original a streaming boost. Billboard noted that Chapman’s “Fast Car” saw a 44 percent increase in “weekly consumption” and an 11 percent increase in radio spins, resulting in an estimated $54,000 in revenue with $13,000 coming from publishing royalties. (Warner Music Group’s Elektra Records owns the recording music rights, while Chapman owns the publishing.)
Who Else Has Covered ‘Fast Car’?
Combs is not the first person to cover “Fast Car,” nor will he be the last. According to Second Hand Songs, over 90 artists have covered the song, including Khalid, David Usher, Tobtok, Jonas Blue and Black Pumas.
