While watching the Grammys last Sunday, I was delighted by a duet performed by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs. They sang “Fast Car,” a hit for Chapman in 1988. I was not the only one so moved. As I have discovered, it was one of the most popular performances of the night. I am an old-school country music fan, so I was not aware of Combs’ cover of Chapman’s hit. It certainly is a reason to smile.
One of my Team Steady colleagues is a big fan of both Chapman and the song and told me all about another live performance nearly 36 years ago.
In June 1988, dozens of musicians gathered at London’s Wembley Stadium to stage a tribute concert to Nelson Mandela on his 70th birthday and to push for his release from prison. As Stevie Wonder was about to go on stage, he was informed of a technical problem with his musical equipment. He left in tears, unable to perform. The concert’s producers needed to fill time before the next act and asked a little-known American folk singer, who had performed a song earlier in the day, to go back on stage. Tracy Chapman obliged and sang “Fast Car” to 70,000 concertgoers and 600 million people watching worldwide.
It was a life-changing performance for Chapman. After the Wembley concert, her record sales soared, and she went on to win three Grammys, including Best Female Pop Performance for “Fast Car” and Best New Artist.
It seems fitting that the song has gotten a second life with Combs’ version. It hit number one on the country charts, won Song of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards, and has been introduced to a whole new generation of fans.
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I've listened to this at least 25 times since the Grammys. I love to just watch the expression on her face, like light radiating out. Simply lovely. And Luke, the way he looks at her...priceless.
I couldn’t agree more. I’m one of those Tracy Chapman fans who posted about the joy I felt in seeing and hearing her Live after so many years. I moved to Boston in August of 1988, the city where Tracy attended college and sang in the subway stations. As she has struggled with her mental wellbeing over the decades, how delightful it is to see her again--a shining example of resilience. Music heals us from the inside out.