Tracy Chapman identifies as a lesbian and has been linked romantically to notable figures, including author Alice Walker.
She has been signed to several record labels, including Elektra and Atlantic Records, throughout her career.
Tracy Chapman is an acclaimed American singer-songwriter known for her powerful lyrics and soulful voice.
Biography
Early Life
Tracy Chapman was born on March 30, 1964, in Cleveland, Ohio, where she was raised by her mother after her parents divorced when she was just four years old. From a young age, she showed a passion for music, receiving a ukulele at the age of three and beginning to play guitar and write songs by the age of eight. Despite facing bullying and racial challenges during her childhood, she excelled academically, eventually graduating from Wooster School in Connecticut and attending Tufts University, where she majored in anthropology. While at Tufts, she honed her musical skills by busking in public spaces and recording demos at the university's radio station.
Career
Chapman's career took off after she made her major-stage debut in 1985 as an opening act for Linda Tillery. Her big break came when she was signed by Elektra Records in 1987, leading to the release of her self-titled debut album in 1988. The album was a commercial success, propelled by her performance at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert, and it earned her three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist. Hits like "Fast Car" and "Talkin' Bout a Revolution" solidified her status as a prominent singer-songwriter in the music industry. Over the years, she has released several acclaimed albums, including "New Beginning" and "Telling Stories," showcasing her evolution as an artist.
Social Activism and Personal Life
Beyond her music, Chapman is known for her commitment to social activism, often supporting human rights causes. She has participated in various charitable events, including performances for Amnesty International and the Anti-Apartheid Movement. Although she maintains a private personal life, it is known that she has had relationships with notable figures, including writer Alice Walker. Currently, Chapman resides in San Francisco, where she continues to create music and engage in activism.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
4 Years Selection2021
- 1.Preludio1:45
- 2.Winter Hill5:48
- 3.Wormhole6:16
- 4.Proximity Calculations4:56
- 5.Sottosuolo6:30
- 6.Modulated Thoughts6:11
- 7.Motor Groove6:09
- 8.Rose (Divide Remix)5:10
- 9.Docile6:14
- 10.Sand Fire6:24
- 11.Body Treatment5:35
- 12.Haphazard6:23
- 13.Get Out Of Here (The Extraverse remix)5:22
- 14.TINSIT5:56
- 15.Geometric (Conrad Van Orton Amen Edit)6:35
Greatest Hits2015
- 1.Telling Stories3:58
- 2.Baby Can I Hold You3:13
- 3.Change5:05
- 4.The Promise5:26
- 5.Open Arms4:34
- 6.Subcity5:10
- 7.Fast Car4:57
- 8.Bang Bang Bang4:23
- 9.Crossroads4:12
- 10.Speak the Word4:11
- 11.Smoke and Ashes6:40
- 12.Sing for You (single edit)3:43
- 13.You’re the One3:05
- 14.Save Us All3:45
- 15.All That You Have Is Your Soul5:14
- 16.Talkin’ Bout a Revolution2:40
- 17.Give Me One Reason4:29
- 18.Stand by Me (live at The Late Show With David Letterman)2:49
Our Bright Future2008
- 1.Sing for You4:25
- 2.I Did It All3:10
- 3.Save Us All3:47
- 4.Our Bright Future4:13
- 5.For a Dream3:18
- 6.Thinking of You4:50
- 7.A Theory3:17
- 8.Conditional4:06
- 9.Something to See4:14
- 10.The First Person on Earth3:52
- 11.Spring3:06
Where You Live2005
- 1.Change5:06
- 2.Talk to You4:27
- 3.3,000 Miles5:57
- 4.Going Back5:22
- 5.Don't Dwell3:22
- 6.Never Yours3:37
- 7.America3:39
- 8.Love's Proof3:45
- 9.Before Easter3:01
- 10.Taken3:39
- 11.Be and Be Not Afraid4:43
Let It Rain2002
- 1.Let It Rain3:40
- 2.Another Sun3:11
- 3.You’re the One3:07
- 4.In the Dark5:02
- 5.Almost3:53
- 6.Hard Wired3:37
- 7.Say Hallelujah2:11
- 8.Broken4:25
- 9.Happy3:59
- 10.Goodbye2:31
- 11.I Am Yours3:34
- 12.Over in Love2:49
Collection2001
- 1.Fast Car4:59
- 2.Subcity5:13
- 3.Baby Can I Hold You3:15
- 4.The Promise5:28
- 5.I’m Ready4:56
- 6.Crossroads4:13
- 7.Bang Bang Bang4:23
- 8.Telling Stories3:59
- 9.Smoke and Ashes6:39
- 10.Speak the Word4:13
- 11.Wedding Song4:37
- 12.Open Arms4:35
- 13.Give Me One Reason4:30
- 14.Talkin’ Bout a Revolution2:41
- 15.She’s Got Her Ticket3:57
- 16.All That You Have Is Your Soul5:18
Greatest Hits2000
Tracklist not collected yet.
Telling Stories2000
- 1.Telling Stories3:57
- 2.Less Than Strangers3:19
- 3.Speak the Word4:12
- 4.It’s OK4:00
- 5.Wedding Song4:36
- 6.Unsung Psalm4:19
- 7.Nothing Yet3:22
- 8.Paper and Ink4:52
- 9.Devotion2:48
- 10.The Only One3:08
- 11.First Try3:33
New Beginning1995
- 1.Heaven’s Here on Earth5:24
- 2.New Beginning5:33
- 3.Smoke and Ashes6:40
- 4.Cold Feet5:41
- 5.At This Point in My Life5:09
- 6.The Promise5:28
- 7.The Rape of the World7:11
- 8.Tell It Like It Is6:05
- 9.Give Me One Reason4:32
- 10.Remember the Tinman5:45
- 11.I’m Ready7:09
Matters of the Heart1992
- 1.Bang Bang Bang4:23
- 2.So3:28
- 3.I Used to Be a Sailor3:59
- 4.The Love That You Had4:12
- 5.Woman's Work2:04
- 6.If These Are the Things4:42
- 7.Short Supply4:25
- 8.Dreaming on a World5:04
- 9.Open Arms4:36
- 10.Matters of the Heart6:59
Crossroads1989
- 1.Crossroads4:15
- 2.Bridges5:27
- 3.Freedom Now4:05
- 4.Material World3:05
- 5.Be Careful of My Heart4:42
- 6.Subcity5:15
- 7.Born to Fight2:50
- 8.A Hundred Years4:23
- 9.This Time3:44
- 10.All That You Have Is Your Soul5:16
Tracy Chapman1988
- 1.Talkin’ Bout a Revolution2:40
- 2.Fast Car4:57
- 3.Across the Lines3:25
- 4.Behind the Wall1:49
- 5.Baby Can I Hold You3:14
- 6.Mountains o’ Things4:39
- 7.She’s Got Her Ticket3:57
- 8.Why?2:06
- 9.For My Lover3:12
- 10.If Not Now…3:01
- 11.For You3:10
Millennium Collection
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Greatest Hits
Tracklist not collected yet.
Telling Stories (There Is Fiction in the Space Between)2000
Tracklist not collected yet.
Give Me One Reason1995
Tracklist not collected yet.
Bang Bang Bang1992
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dreaming on a World1992
Tracklist not collected yet.
Subcity1990
Tracklist not collected yet.
Crossroads1989
Tracklist not collected yet.
Fast Car1988
Tracklist not collected yet.
Baby Can I Hold You1988
Tracklist not collected yet.
Show all 10
Talkin’ Bout a Revolution1988
Tracklist not collected yet.
Fast Car / Talkin’ Bout a Revolution1988
Tracklist not collected yet.
Greatest Hits
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Elektra
- Record label
- Atlantic Records
- Record label
- Fast Folk
Achievements
- Award
- Grammy Award for Best New Artist
- Award
- BRIT Award for International Female Solo Artist
- Award
- Ohio Women's Hall of Fame
- Award
- Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Chapman, Tracy, Tracey Chapman, Tracy L. Chapman
Tracy Chapman is an American singer-songwriter. She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she released her self-titled debut album, which became a commercial success, boosted by her appearance at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert, and was certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album received six Grammy Award nominations, including one for Album of the Year, three of which she won: Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her single "Fast Car", and Best Contemporary Folk Album. In 2025, the album was preserved in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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