She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in In , she released her second album, Crossroads , which earned her an additional Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Her third album, Matters of the Heart , followed in Her fourth album, New Beginning , was released in and became another worldwide success.
Five years would pass before the release of her fifth album, Telling Stories Her most recent studio album, Our Bright Future , was released in The remastered compilation album Greatest Hits , which she curated, [ 2 ] was released in In , Chapman became the first black person to score a country number one with a solo composition, and to win the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year , when Luke Combs covered her song "Fast Car".
Chapman was born in Cleveland and was raised by her mother, who bought her a ukulele at age three. She says that she may have been first inspired to play the guitar by the television show Hee Haw.
Raised a Baptist , she attended an Episcopal high school [ 5 ] and was accepted into the program A Better Chance , which sponsors students at college preparatory high schools away from their home communities. She graduated from Wooster School in Connecticut then attended Tufts University , majoring in anthropology. Chapman made her major-stage debut as an opening act for women's music pioneer Linda Tillery at Boston's Strand Theatre on May 3, After she graduated from Tufts in , he helped her to sign a contract with Elektra Records.
At Elektra, she released Tracy Chapman At the concert, she initially performed a short set in the afternoon, but reached a larger audience when she was a last-minute stand in for Stevie Wonder , who had technical difficulties.
