Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman delivered an unforgettable duet of “Fast Car” during the 2024 GRAMMY Awards. On Sunday evening (Feb. 4), the country superstar and legendary singer/songwriter had Taylor Swift, Jelly Roll, and more on their feet singing along to every word of the iconic song.
Watch Combs And Chapman’s Unforgettable Duet Below
Throughout their performance, the pair of hitmakers were all smiles as they traded verses. “You got a fast car/ I want a ticket to anywhere/ Maybe we make a deal/ Maybe together we can get somewhere/ Any place is better/ Starting from zero, got nothing to lose/ Maybe we’ll make something/ Me, myself, I got nothing to prove,” Chapman sang on the first verse.
Combs then took on the second verse, “You got a fast car/ I got a plan to get us outta here/ I been working at the convenience store/ Managed to save just a little bit of money/ Won’t have to drive too far/ Just across the border and into the city/ You and I can both get jobs/ Finally see what it means to be living.”
At the conclusion of their performance, Combs turned to Chapman and bowed down, honoring the iconic musician.
Makes History With Their Performance
The performance made history as Chapman reunited with the musicians who played on the song’s original recording, including drummer Denny Fongheiser, bassist Larry Klein, as well as her longtime band members Larry Campbell (fiddle) and Joe Gore (guitar). Chapman and Combs were also joined by Combs’ band member, Kurt Ozan (pedal steel).
In addition to making history, the performance marked a significant intersection, occurring precisely 35 years after Chapman’s initial rendition of “Fast Car” at the GRAMMYs. This moment follows a year of unparalleled success for Combs’ rendition of the track, with the song experiencing a resurgence, captivating a fresh new audience, dominating charts across various genres, and amassing tens of millions of streams. The performance marked Chapman’s first public live appearance in many years, as she previously only offered three taped performances since her 2009 tour.
The song was written by Chapman and released in 1988. Since the tune’s release, it has become one of music’s most influential and beloved songs.
Why Did Luke Combs Cover Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”?
Combs was inspired to record a cover of “Fast Car” as his dad used to play the song while driving around when he was a child, which led to the tune becoming his favorite song.
“[It’s] my first favorite song, probably ever. I remember listening to that song with my dad in his truck when I was probably four years old,” Combs recalled of his connection to the track in a press release. “He had a cassette, a tape of it, and we had this old brown camper top F-150.”
“We rode around that thing, and he had a tape cassette player in there, and I have the original cassette — my dad brought it to me a couple of years ago… I have the one, and I have it in my shop,” he continued. “The only music I have in my shop is a cassette player. I love to go to antique stores, and just you can get a bunch of cassette tapes for 50 cents, and some of the best records of all time are on cassette.”
Earned Awards And Chart-Topping Success
The song was such a hit that it quickly became Combs’ 16th career No. 1 at Country radio. The success of Combs’ cover has also meant success for Tracy Chapman, who is the sole writer of “Fast Car.” With Combs’ rendition of her 1988 hit going No. 1, Tracy Chapman also achieved a historic milestone as the first Black woman to solely write a song that reached the top of the country charts.
Combs’ “Fast Car” cover also won two awards at the 2023 CMA Awards, including Single Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
The country hitmaker has performed the song during his live shows for over a decade before he decided to record his own version of the song last spring, 35 years after the song first debuted.
How To Watch The 2024 GRAMMY Awards
The 2024 GRAMMYs also featured performances from SZA, Billie Eilish, U2, Dua Lipa, Joni Mitchell, Olivia Rodrigo, Burna Boy, Travis Scott, Billy Joel and more.
Christina Aguilera, Samara Joy, Lenny Kravitz, Maluma, Lionel Richie, Mark Ronson, Meryl Streep, Taylor Tomlinson, and Oprah Winfrey were also on hand and served as presenters at the coveted event.
Hosted by comedian and former host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards aired live on CBS Television Network from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, February 4 at 8 PM EST. The show was also available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
