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Luke Combs' "Fast Car" Grammy Performance With Tracy Chapman Was Iconic, And He Just Made It Even Better

I'm not crying, you're crying.

Luke Combs' "Fast Car" is an undeniable hit, but it's his ultimate respect for the song that truly makes me want to cry.

While "Fast Car" earned Luke a No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and Single of the Year and Song of the Year at the 2023 Country Music Association Awards, it's not his song.

closeup of him in a suit holding his award
Jason Kempin / Getty Images

Luke's award-winning tune covers a 1988 song by the legendary singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. Tracy's original song and its album earned her several Grammys, including Best New Artist and Female Pop Vocal Performance. Now, 35 years later, she had the chance to perform the song at the Grammys again — thanks to Luke.

tracy playing guitar and singing on stage
Frans Schellekens / Redferns

The story is Luke's love for Tracy's song goes way back. According to Billboard, Luke credited Tracy's song for "sparking" his passion for music during a Charlotte, North Carolina show.

Christopher Polk / Variety via Getty Images

“I remember riding around in a 1989 Ford F-150 with a campertop on it. It was brown and the campertop was tan,” Luke said. “My dad had a cassette tape of this album by this lady named Tracy Chapman. Listening to that album with my dad meant a lot to me and kind of sparked my love for music and kind of landed me where I am today.” The country star then brought his dad on stage for a hug before launching into the hit. “This is for you, Pop.”

But he didn't just cover the song — Luke kept every single lyric precisely the same as Tracy's original (which is incredible considering it's from a woman's perspective). This meant a bulk of the money generated in global publishing royalties goes to Tracy, who owns both the writer's and publisher's share of the song.

Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

Additionally, the success of Luke's version boosted the consumption of Tracy's version since it was released. Tracy also became the first Black woman to win the CMA Award for Song of the Year alongside Luke.

In 2023, Tracy, known to remain out of the spotlight, told Billboard, "I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I'm honored to be there. I'm happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced 'Fast Car.'"