In a beautifully nostalgic moment, iconic singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman made a dazzling return to the Grammy stage on Sunday night after nearly 15 years out of the spotlight. Joining country star Luke Combs for a spine-tingling duet performance of her 1988 hit “Fast Car,” Ms. Chapman proved she’s still every bit the consummate musician who won our hearts all those years ago.
Clad in an effortlessly chic black blazer and trousers, her signature locs flowing gently, Ms. Chapman opened the soulful rendition alone on her acoustic guitar. The first familiar chord sent a wave of emotion through the star-studded audience, with none other than Taylor Swift caught on camera singing along – a testament to the timeless allure of this working-class anthem. Then Mr. Combs joined in, his sandpaper vocals intertwining sublimely with Ms. Chapman’s honeyed tone. Their voices built to a crescendo on the hook we all know by heart, backed by sparse piano and guitar. It was masterful in its simplicity.
The performance felt like a homecoming – and a long-overdue one at that. Aside from the occasional late night talk show gig, the famously private Ms. Chapman has scarcely been seen or heard from since she faded from the scene after 2008’s “Our Bright Future.” Of course, her music has continued touching fans both old and new. Mr. Combs’s cover of “Fast Car” off his 2023 record “Gettin’ Old” hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts last year, exposing a whole new generation to Ms. Chapman’s heart-wrenching poem of blue-collar struggle. And while it shockingly missed out on a Record of the Year nomination, Ms. Chapman did nab the Song of the Year trophy at November’s Country Music Awards thanks to Mr. Combs’s version – making history as the first Black songwriter to ever win in that category.
In his acceptance speech, an emotional Mr. Combs praised the tune as “one of the best songs of all time,” explaining he “just recorded it because I love this song so much…It’s meant so much to me throughout my entire life.” Clearly that sentiment resonated with Grammy producers, who extended the exceptionally rare invitation for Ms. Chapman to return to their stage. As the stars closed the gorgeous duet to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, Mr. Combs bowed graciously to the songstress – a gesture of deep reverence for her creative genius.
The event marked only the third time “Fast Car” has been performed at the Grammy Awards. Ms. Chapman first lit up the ceremony over three decades ago as a Best New Artist winner in 1989, turning in a now-iconic performance that earned “Fast Car” itself a Song of the Year nod. (It lost out to Bobby McFerrin’s irrepressibly catchy “Don’t Worry Be Happy” – proving some trophies are easier to come by than others).
Regardless, the song has enjoyed wild success in the many years since its release. It sits comfortably on endless “best driving songs” and “best songs of the 80s” lists. A Spotify staple, it boasts over 500 million streams to date. And few can forget Nicki Minaj’s playful 2012 pop-rap makeover which introduced the tune to a new cohort of listeners. (That version received its own Grammy nom for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration).
But no cover has captured the gritty pathos of Ms. Chapman’s ballad quite like Luke Combs’s country take. And their joint performance of this working woman’s longing proved the old adage true – sometimes less really is more. With the barest of accompaniment, these two voices conveyed worlds of meaning.
In the end, though Luke Combs may have ushered Tracy Chapman from the shadows, it was clear on that Cyndi Lauper-pink Grammy stage who the star of the evening was. Welcome back, Ms. Chapman. We’ve missed you desperately.
