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BIRTHDAY: March 30, 1964
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BIGGEST SINGLE: "Give Me One Reason" (1996)
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BIGGEST LP: Tracy Chapman (1988)
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GRAMMY AWARDS: 4
button.gif (123 bytes) "We're at a place right now, approaching the new century where we could find new solutions to old problems that are still plaguing society." - Tracy Chapman, 1996

 
TIMELINE

Tracy Chapmanbutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy Chapman was born March 20, 1964, in Cleveland, Ohio. In her childhood, Tracy learned to play the ukulele, the piano, and eventually the guitar and started writing her own songs. She attended a private school in Connecticut after receiving a scholarship and then Tufts University in Boston after winning a minority placement scholarship. While studying African culture and anthropology at Tufts, Tracy began performing her folk sound at local coffeehouses on the streets of Harvard Square. She recorded some demos that eventually made their way to the right people, and Tracy singed with Elektra Records in 1987. An important musical artist had emerged from the ashes of the 80s. In 80s, when the pop radio airwaves were filled with synthesizers and video-generated pop stars, Tracy emerged with her debut LP filled with a raw, calming folk sound that was welcomed by music fans. Her subtle lyrics and sound made her a hit with critics, and her landmark single "Fast Car" introduced her to a legion of fans. Tracy has a knack for singing about a disenfranchised environment with an overtone of ultimate optimism for change.

1988... # 45 Singles Artist of the Year

April
Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy released Tracy Chapman. The LP was applauded for its potent lyrics and simple melodies. Tracy reminded the Reagan-era, pop-culture that life wasn't carefree for everyone. The first single, "Fast Car" became a Top 10 smash. Her debut LP went on to sell over 6 million copies in the U.S. (10 million world-wide) and also contained the tracks classic Tracy-anthem, "Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution" and Top 40, "Baby Can I Hold You."
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy was invited on many touring performances and appeared at the Freedomfest concert for Nelson Mandela and Amnesty International's tour.

June
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy Chapman was certified gold.

June
Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car" (Single)button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy Chapman was certified platinum.

September
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy Chapman was certified 2x platinum.
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy graced the cover of
Rolling Stone.

1989...# 146 Singles Artist of the Year

January
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy won an
American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist and was nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist.

February
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy took home 3 Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Vocal Performance - Female ("Fast Car"), and Best Contemporary Folk Recording (Tracy Chapman) and was nominated for Album of the Year (Tracy Chapman), Record of the Year and Song of the Year (songwriter) ("Fast Car").

March
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy Chapman was certified 3x platinum.

September
button.gif (123 bytes) The video for "Fast Car" was nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video.

October
Tracy Chapman - Crossroadsbutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy released Crossroads. The LP was also applauded by critics, but seemed too political and darker for radio.

November
button.gif (123 bytes) Crossroads was certified platinum.

1990...

February
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Recording (Crossroads).

1992...

April
Tracy Chapman - Matters Of The Heartbutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy released Matters Of The Heart, which was also not very successful with record buyers. Critics of Tracy's new LP were also mixed in their praise of the music. The track "Bang Bang Bang" was one of the more popular songs on the LP.

1995...

November
Tracy Chapman - New Beginningbutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy returned to the spotlight with the LP, New Beginning. Tracy described the theme of the LP as "change, growth, and renewal" which many felt also represented her career in music. New Beginning gave Tracy her first #1 pop hit, "Give Me One Reason." The LP also contains the favorites, "Smoke And Ashes," "I'm Ready," and "The Promise."

1996... # 17 Singles Artist of the Year

March
button.gif (123 bytes) New Beginning was certified gold.

April
Tracy Chapman - "Give Me One Reason" (Single)button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy returned to the Top 40 with "Give Me One Reason."

May
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy hit the Top 10 with "Give Me One Reason."
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New Beginning was certified platinum.

June
button.gif (123 bytes)Tracy hit #1 for 3 weeks with "Give Me One Reason."

June
button.gif (123 bytes) New Beginning was certified 2x platinum.

August
button.gif (123 bytes) New Beginning was certified 4x platinum, Tracy Chapman was certified 4x platinum, and the single "Give Me One Reason" was certified platinum.

September
button.gif (123 bytes) The video for "Give Me One Reason" was nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video.

1997...

February
Tracy Chapmanbutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy took home another Grammy Award for Best Rock Song (songwriter) ("Give Me One Reason") and was nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance - Female, Record of the Year and Song of the Year ("Give Me One Reason"), and Best Pop Album (New Beginning).

button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy toured with the successful Lilith Fair tour throughout North America.

1998...

December
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy continued her support of Amnesty International at a concert held in France which also included Bruce Springsteen, Alanis Morissette, Radiohead, Peter Gabriel, Shania Twain, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and Youssou N'dour. The concert was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

1999...

June
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy was ranked # 54 on VH1: 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll.

2000... # 101 Singles Artist of the Year

February
Tracy Chapman - Telling Storiesbutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy released Telling Stories.
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy hit the Top 40 with the "
Telling Stories."

May
button.gif (123 bytes) Telling Stories was certified gold.

2001...

November
button.gif (123 bytes) New Beginning was certified 5x platinum, Tracy Chapman was certified 6x platinum, and Matters Of The Heart was certified gold.

2002...

October
Tracy Chapman - Let It Rainbutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy released Let It Rain with the first single "You're The One."

November
button.gif (123 bytes) Rolling Stone: 50 Essential 'Woman In Rock' Albums includes Tracy Chapman at # 28.

2003...

June
button.gif (123 bytes) VH1: 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 Years includes "Fast Car" at # 86.

December
Tracy Chapman - Where You Livebutton.gif (123 bytes) Rolling Stone: The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: # 261: Tracy Chapman.

2004...

button.gif (123 bytes) # 290 on the Top Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years chart.

2005...

September
button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy released Where You Live.

2008...

November
Tracy Chapman - Our Bright Futurebutton.gif (123 bytes) Tracy released Our Bright Future.

button.gif (123 bytes) Tracy was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album (Our Bright Future).

2015...

2023...

  • July 1: Tracy made chart history when the remake of her classic "Fast Car" was covered by country singer Luke Combs and topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart - the first black female to top the chart. Tracy told Billboard "I never expected to find myself on the country charts, but I'm honore to be there. I'm happy for Luke and his success and grateful that new fans have found and embraced "Fast Car"."

2024...

  • February 17: After a memorable performance at the Grammy Awards with Luke Combs, Tracy topped the Billboard Digital Songs chart with "Fast Car."



LPs
Tracy Chapman - 'Tracy Chapman'
iTunes
Amazon.mp3
Tracy Chapman
Rolling Stone: The 500 Greatest Albums of All-TimeReleased: April 5, 1988
US: 6x Platinum
Billboard peak: # 1 (for 1 week)
Rolling Stone review: 4 stars from Rolling Stone
Tracks: "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" - "Fast Car" - "Across The Lines" - "Behind The Wall" - "Baby Can I Hold You" - "Mountains O' Things" - "She's Got Her Ticket" - "Why?" - "For My Lover" - "If Not Now" - "For You"
Tracy Chapman - Crossroads Crossroads
Released: October, 1989
US: Platinum
Billboard peak: # 9
Rolling Stone review: 4 stars from Rolling Stone
Tracks: "Crossroads" - "Bridges" - "Freedom Now" - "Material World" - "Be Careful Of My Heart" - "Subcity" - "Born To Fight" - "A Hundred Years" - "This Time" - "All That You Have Is Your Soul"
Tracy Chapman - Matters Of The Heart Matters Of The Heart
Released: April, 1992
US: Gold
Billboard peak: # 53
Rolling Stone review: 2 stars from Rolling Stone
Tracks: "Bang Bang Bang" - "So" - "I Used To Be A Sailor" - "Love That You Had" - "Woman's Work" - "If These Are The Things" - "Short Supply" - "Dreaming On A World" - "Open Arms" - "Matters Of The Heart"
Tracy Chapman - New Beginning New Beginning
Released: November, 1995
US: 5x Platinum
Billboard peak: # 4
Rolling Stone review: 2 stars from Rolling Stone
Tracks: "Heaven's Here On Earth" - "New Beginning" - "Smoke And Ashes" - "Cold Feet" - "At This Point In My Life" - "The Promise" - "The Rape Of The World" - "Tell It Like It Is" - "Give Me One Reason" - "Remember The Tinman" - "I'm Ready"
Tracy Chapman - Telling Stories Telling Stories
Released: February, 2000
US: Gold
Billboard peak: # 33
Rolling Stone review: 3 stars from Rolling Stone
Tracks: "Telling Stories" - "Less Than Strangers" - "Speak The Word" - "It's OK" - "Wedding Song" - "Unsung Psalm" - "Nothing Yet" - "Paper & Ink" - "Devotion" - "The Only One" - "First Try"
Tracy Chapman - Let It Rain Let It Rain
Released: October, 2002
Billboard peak: # 25
Tracks: "Let It Rain" - "Another Sun" - "You're The One" - "In The Dark" - "Almost" - "Hard Wired" - "Say Hallelujah" - "Broken" - "Happy" - "Goodbye" - "Over In Love" - "I Am Yours"
Tracy Chapman - Where You Live Where You Live
Released: September, 2005
Billboard peak: # 49
Tracks: "Change" - "Talk To You" - "3,000 Miles" - "Going Back" - "Don't Dwell" - "Never Yours" - "America" - "Love's Proof" - "Before Easter" - "Taken" - "Be And Be Not Afraid"
Tracy Chapman - Our Bright Future Our Bright Future
Released: November, 2008
Billboard peak: # 57
Tracks: "Sing For You" - "I Did It All" - "Save Us All" - "Our Bright Future" - "For A Dream" - "Thinking Of You" - "A Theory" - "Conditional" - "Something To See (No War)" - "The First Person On Earth" - "Spring"
Tracy Chapman - 'Greatest Hits'iTunes
Amazon.mp3
Greatest Hits
Released: November 20, 2015
Tracks: "Telling Stories" - "Baby Can I Hold You" - "Change" - "The Promise" - "Open Arms" - "Subcity" - "Fast Car" - "Bang Bang Bang" - "Crossroads" - "Speak The Word" - "Smoke And Ashes" - "Sing For You" - "You're The One" - "Save Us All" - "All That You Have Is Your Soul" - "Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution" - "Give Me One Reason" - "Stand By Me" (live)
POP SINGLES DISCOGRAPHY [based on The ARC Weekly Top 40 (listing explanation)
1 Give Me One Reason

from the LP
New Beginning
ARC chart run: 28 - 18 - 12 - 8 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 3 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 3 - 5 - 10 - 14 - 17 - 21 - 36 - off
1(3) 20 1996 Tracy Chapman - "Give Me One Reason" (Single)
iTunes
Amazon.mp3
2 Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
4 13 1988 Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car" (Single)
3 Telling Stories

from the LP
Telling Stories
ARC chart run: 38 - 31 - 26 - 22 - 20 - 28 - 36 - off
20 7 2000 Tracy Chapman - "Telling Stories" (Single)
iTunes
Amazon.mp3
4 Baby Can I Hold You
Tracy Chapman
36 2 1989 [ LISTEN / BUY ]
[
LYRICS ]
 
  Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution
Tracy Chapman
** ** 1988 [ LISTEN / BUY ]
[
LYRICS ]
  New Beginning
New Beginning
** ** 1996 [ LISTEN / BUY ]
[
LYRICS ]
  Smoke And Ashes
New Beginning
** ** 1996 [ LISTEN / BUY ]
[
LYRICS ]
 
Note: Song title and position links lead you to the song's Top 40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top 40) and LP links take you to Amazon.com's page for that LP (often including track listings and sound samples).
 
 

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