Tracy Chapman

The combination of a rich, powerful voice and great storytelling skill is a potent one. American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman burst onto the folk/acoustic scene in the late 1980s when her debut album for Elektra Records topped charts around the world (except for Australia where it was #2). The single "Fast Car" earned her a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (1989) while the self-titled debut went on to achieve multi-platinum status. Not bad for a kid from working-class Cleveland.

But Chapman was never an everyday folkie. Her university courses in anthropology and African Studies equiped her with a penetrating lens through which to view life, focusing her attention on political and social issues. Her second album reflected these themes, and was critically lauded though less commercially successful. After a break from music Chapman returned in 1995 with the strong New Beginning. A series of accomplished and well-produced albums followed, ending (for now) with 2008’s Our Bright Future, which continued her tradition of engagingly framed warnings and observations.