Watch Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs perform 'Fast Car' at The Grammys

It was met with a standing ovation

Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs at The Grammys
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 5th Feb 2024
Last updated 8th Feb 2024

Reclusive music icon Tracy Chapman treated The Grammys 2024 viewers to a rare live performance of her seminal anthem ‘Fast Car’ with country star Luke Combs last night (4th February).

Originally released in 1988, Tracy Chapman first performed ‘Fast Car’ at The Grammys almost exactly 35 years ago, and the version at the Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday saw her share vocals with Luke Combs.

Unsurprisingly, the spine-tingling rare rendition of ‘Fast Car’ was met with a rapturous standing ovation from the audience.

Chapman and Combs’ version of ‘Fast Car’ also featured two of the musicians that played on the original studio recording — drummer Denny Fongheiser and bassist Larry Klein.

Watch Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs perform ‘Fast Car’ at The Grammys:

Luke Combs released his rousing cover of ‘Fast Car’ last year and it was a No.2 smash hit in the States and dented the UK Singles Chart Top 40 too. It was also one of Absolute Radio Country's Biggest Songs of 2023.

Tracy Chapman last performed ‘Fast Car’ in public almost 15 years ago at The Fillmore in San Francisco in August 2009.

Since then Chapman performed at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony in 2012, and she’s made two rare appearances in TV shows The Late Show with David Letterman in 2015 and Late Night with Seth Myers in 2020.

Tracy Chapman at the 2024 Grammy Awards

Speaking about ‘Fast Car’, Luke Combs said: “Tracy Chapman wrote this perfect song that that I first heard with my dad and it has stayed with me since.

"Everyone — I mean everyone — across all these stadiums relates to this song and sings along. That's the gift of a supernatural song writer.

"The success of my cover is unreal and I think it's so cool that Tracy is getting recognized and has reached new milestones. I love that she is out there feeling all the love and that she gave me a shout-out! Thank you, Tracy!"

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