Multi-GRAMMY winner Tracy Chapman and country superstar Luke Combs collaborated for an unforgettable duet of “Fast Car” during tonight’s 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards.
Tonight’s performance represents a moment of confluence as it comes 35 years to the month since Chapman first performed “Fast Car” at the GRAMMYs and follows a year of unprecedented success for Combs with the song as it’s been introduced to a new audience, topped charts across genres, garnered millions of streams, won two awards at the 2023 CMA Awards (“Song of the Year” for Chapman and “Single of the Year” for Combs) and was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance at this year’s GRAMMY Awards.
A historic moment, the performance found Chapman reuniting with musicians from the song’s original recording—Denny Fongheiser (drums) and Larry Klein (bass)—as well as her longtime band members Larry Campbell (fiddle) and Joe Gore (guitar). The group was also joined by Combs’ band member Kurt Ozan (pedal steel).
Written by Chapman and first released in 1988, “Fast Car” is one of music’s most influential and beloved songs. A genre-spanning hit, Combs first heard “Fast Car” as a child while listening with his father, and it has since become one of his favorite songs. A constant and meaningful presence in his life, Combs performed “Fast Car” during his live shows over the past decade before releasing his own version last spring, 35 years after the song first debuted.
