Tracy Chapman Makes History as First Black Songwriter to Win Song of the Year in CMA Awards

Renowned singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman made a historic impact at the 57th annual Country Music Association Awards. Although she was not present at the event, her iconic song, "Fast Car," which was recently covered by Luke Combs, received the coveted awards for Song and Single of the Year.

Accepting the Single of the Year award, Combs acknowledged Chapman's contribution, describing her song as one of the greatest of all time. He expressed his deep admiration for the track, stating that it had been his favorite since he was just four years old.

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Shortly after, Chapman's name was announced as the winner of the prestigious Song of the Year award by country legend Bill Anderson. The audience erupted in applause and stood in ovation to honor Chapman's incredible achievement. Sara Evans, Anderson's co-presenter, read Chapman's heartfelt acceptance speech.

In her acceptance speech, Chapman expressed her apologies for not being able to attend the ceremony. She expressed her gratitude for the recognition that came 35 years after the release of her song and sent a special thanks to Combs and all the fans of "Fast Car."

Combs's rendition of "Fast Car" in 2023 propelled the song to become a crossover hit, receiving airplay not only at country radio but also on top 40 and adult-contemporary stations. This introduced Chapman, who had not released new music since 2008, to a whole new audience and earned her an estimated £500,000 in royalties.

Chapman's achievement as the first Black woman to have a solo-written country No. 1 hit was made even more significant by winning Song of the Year at the CMA Awards, making her the first Black songwriter, regardless of gender, to achieve this in the award's 56-year history.

Other memorable moments from the 2023 CMAs included Jelly Roll's fiery opening performance, an all-star tribute to Jimmy Buffett featuring Kenny Chesney, Mac McAnally, Alan Jackson, the Zac Brown Band, and Buffett's Coral Reefer Band, and performances by Tanya Tucker, Hardy, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Carly Pearce with Chris Stapleton, Old Dominion with Megan Moroney, and the War and Treaty.

The 57th annual Country Music Association Awards ceremony took place on November 8th at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena and was hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning. The night's big winner was Lainey Wilson, who received multiple honors including Entertainer, Album, Female Vocalist, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year. For the full list of CMAs winners, click here.

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