Tracy Chapman made history at the CMA Awards in November 2023 and continues to innovate her legacy at the 66th annual Grammys.
By: Dj Rattlebag
The iconic country/folk performer became the first Black woman to reach No. 1 on the country charts for a solo and the first to receive the ‘Song of The Year’ award at the CMAs on November 8, 2023. This long overdue recognition and historic moment comes 35 years after Chapman’s biggest hit, “Fast Car”, reached no. 6 on 
Chapman won the award with Luke Combes, as his cover of Chapman’s song ‘Fast Car’ reached number 2 on Billboard’s Top 100 for 2023. Luke has stated that the song has significant sentimental value and deep-rooted childhood connections, so including this song in his latest album, ‘Getting Old,”‘ was not much of a surprise.
Following the success of ‘Fast Car,’ Chapman and Combs continue to build their success as they garner support at the 66th Grammy Awards. Though the initial release, the song didn’t receive any of the awards it was nominated for. Chapman returned as a performer to the Grammys along with Luke to sing the song, a rare occasion for the elusive Tracy Chapman.
Despite this lag in timing, Chapman continues to impact the musical scene and cement her legacy as one of the most influential voices in contemporary folk.