Yes, the Tracy Chapman / Luke Combs performance mattered because it was a connection across supposed divides, but it also mattered because Combs embodied unbridled joy, admiration,and respect for Chapman, something we see FAR too rarely when these sorts of bridges are celebrated.
He knew he was a guest at HER table and rightfully was out of his mind with joy to be there.
Anyway, I can't say enough about how Luke Combs handled that moment, but maybe the most appropriate compliment I can pay him is that he held it together while onstage with Tracy Chapman & sang beautifully. I suspect that's also the thing that he's most proud of because...
You can tell that he, like all of us, reveres that woman as she deserves to be revered, and standing onstage singing next to her - and that song in particular - has got to be an out of body experience.
Last thing, because I want to be incredibly precise about this: I don’t think he went into this trying to calibrate a show of respect.
I think he went into that performance thinking “bruh, I’m singing Fast Car with Tracy Chapman. What is life?” which is exactly how you do it.
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