Tracy Chapman Becomes First Black Woman With Sole Songwriting Credit On A No. 1 Country Song
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
35 years after its release, Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” has experienced a recent resurgence. It’s become a chart-topper on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart after Luke Combs put his spin on the classic record. The feat is also historic in its own right because it made Chapman the first Black woman listed as the sole songwriter on a country hit.
“I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there,” Chapman, 59, told Billboard of the monumental moment. “I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’”
Combs’ rendition of “Fast Car” is currently No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Chapman’s original that peaked at No. 6 in June 1988. It was the first single from her eponymous debut album from 1988 and spent 21 weeks on the chart.
The LP earned her one of three gramophones at the 1989 GRAMMYs. Chapman went home having won Best Contemporary Folk Album, Best Female Vocal Performance for “Fast Car,” and Best New Artist. “Fast Car” was also nominated for record and song of the year, while the album received an Album Of The Year nod.
Billboard reported that Combs’ cover of “Fast Car” has garnered at least $500,000 in international publishing royalties with most of those profits going to Chapman, who owns the writers’ and publishers’ share of the record. Luminate adds that streams of the original have increased by 44 percent since the newest cover debuted.
Combs selected this classic to cover after hearing it during a car ride with his father. “That was one of the first songs really that I ever remember hearing, listening to, loving. It’s just always been one of my favorite songs for my entire life,” he recalled to iHeartCountry. Previously, the likes of Khalid, Justin Bieber, Sam Smith, and more have all infamously covered the tune.
More from VIBE.com
