Mitchell Tenpenny paid tribute to Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman with his own stunning cover of the 1980s classic “Fast Car,” which won in the Song of the Year and Single of the Year categories at the 57th annual CMA Awards last week.
Combs recorded his own spin on “Fast Car” on his latest full-length album, Gettin’ Old, a follow-up to Growin’ Up, which released in 2022. “Fast Car” is the sole cover to appear on the 18-track project, which Combs debuted as he kicked off his massive world tour in March. The cover has been a smash-hit among country music listeners, leading to a historic victory for singer-songwriter Chapman, who became the first Black woman to win a CMA Award when “Fast Car” emerged victorious in two categories.
Chapman, who was unable to attend Country Music’s Biggest Night in person, said in a statement read by presenter Sara Evans that it’s “truly an honor for my song to be newly-recognized after 35 years of its debut.” Combs, who took the stage to accept the Single of the Year award, hailed Chapman “a trendsetting, barrier-breaking artist” backstage.
Tenpenny said as he shared his own rendition of the 80s hit on TikTok that he’s “always been obsessed with this song!” Listen to his cover here: