Luke Combs is very thankful for his father. The country singer recently took home the Country Music Association Award for his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” It turns out that Combs only covered the song because of his dad.
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In an interview with People, Combs opened up about car rides with his father. His dad would listen to Chapman on a cassette, which gave Combs an early appreciation for the song. Chapman recorded the song in 1988.
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“When I was 5 years old, my dad and I would be in his truck. And he would always play music for me. He had a Tracy Chapman cassette tape. And ‘Fast Car’ is one of the first songs I remember,” Combs told the outlet. “I’ve always been a huge fan of it and think of my dad and our time together when I hear it.”
More than anything, Combs is thankful for the opportunity to introduce his appreciation for Chapman to new audiences. He gave the classic track a second lease on life. And it’s proved to be one of the year’s most popular.
“It opened up new doors for me that I had never had opened before, but I’m honestly just glad the song moved back in the spotlight and got introduced to a new audience that may have never heard it before,” Combs said. “It’s one of those songs that should be around forever, so I’m thankful it got a new life.”
Luke Combs Talks “Fast Car” Success
When Combs decided to record “Fast Car,” it was because he liked the song. He wasn’t aware that it would be as successful as it ended up being.
“I always thought it was one of the best songs of all time, so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised,” Combs said. “But there’s nothing like Tracy’s version, so I thought it would just be a nice complement to the original but never really expected mine to take off quite the way it did.”
Chapman herself said she feels honored by the revival. She’s opened up about the success of Combs’ cover.
“I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I’m honored to be there,” Chapman told Billboard in a statement. “I’m happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced ‘Fast Car.’ ”
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