The perfect day to see more happy news among Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs as the single goes Certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Luke’s cover of “Fast Car” is one of the biggest songs in the world right now, and earlier this month, Tracy Chapman commented on the wild success behind his version of her 1988 hit.
Chapman noted to Billboard that she was “happy for Luke” and the success of his cover.
“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.'”
Each week the cover has topped the charts, not only giving Combs major success but also allowing Chapman to reach new heights, like being the first black woman to top the country charts as a solo writer.
Plus, a whole crop of young country fans who were not around in the late ’80s and early ’90s when Tracy was stacking up Grammys how have a new chance to be exposed to her music when they otherwise probably never would have discovered her… it’s a win win for all involved.
And let’s be honest, she’s also gonna be getting PAID from the amount of streams and downloads this track is racking up. Every time she checks her mailbox for the foreseeable future, she’s gonna have a nice check in there.
Combs noted his gratitude for the originating artist’s support in a recent People Magazine interview.
He says that he is happy knowing that Tracy Chapman supports his cover.
“Everyone, across all these stadiums, relates to this song and sings along.
That’s the gift of a supernatural songwriter. 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!”
Back in May, Combs also said on stage that “Fast Car” had always held a special place in his heart, and he recalls listening to it in his dad’s truck since the age of 5 (talk about a core memory).
After covering it on the road for so many years, he figured it was time to lay down a track in the studio of the beloved tune.
“He played me all kinds of music and one of the first songs that I remember hearing… I love this whole album, and there was this one song that really stuck out to me, though, and it was called ‘Fast Car.”
And that song has meant a lot to me ever since then for my whole life. I always think about my dad when it comes on and us spending time together.”
The back and forth between the artists have been fun to watch unfold, and the news of Combs’ response comes at the perfect time as the single goes RIAA Platinum only sixteen weeks after its release.
The track is currently #1 on the Country Airplay Chart and, for the third consecutive week, is #2 on the All-Genre Billboard Hot 100. “Fast Car’s” successes, combined with the massive demand for more tour dates, you could say Luke Combs is riding at an all-time high right now… with no signs of slowing down.
In honor of the single’s milestones, Combs released a killer live performance of “Fast Car.”
Check it out.
