Before the legendary Tracy Chapman struck gold, she was a street artist who performed in Havard Square and performed in clubs and coffee houses.
The world-famous singer was raised by her mother, who played an important role in her rise to fame. While the family struggled to make ends meet, her mother managed to buy her a ukulele when she was just three years old. This was after she discovered her daughter’s love of music. By the time she was eight years old, Tracy Chapman was already playing guitar and writing songs.
Today she is a four-time Grammy Award winner and a celebrated folk-rock singer with several platinum awards around the world. In the following subtitles, we will learn how she got into the world of fame.
Tracy Chapman Bio
The talented singer-songwriter was born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 30, 1964. Her mother, Hazel Chapman, was the only parent in the picture, and she helped refine her musical skills by giving all possible support.
Tracy Chapman received her early education at Episcopal High School and Wooster School in Connecticut. She continued her studies at Tufts University, where she earned a B.A. in Anthropology and African Studies.
Chapman was discovered during her studies when she played at Harvard Square, Club Passim, Nameless Coffeehouse, and other venues, where she demonstrated her skills on the guitar. She made her stage debut in 1985 at the Boston Strand Theater as the support act for the pioneer of women’s music Linda Tillery, after which she was signed to a label. A fellow student of Tufts, Brian Koppelman, witnessed the amazing performance that Chapman put on stage and told his father, Charles Koppelman (who ran SBK Publishing) about her. Koppelman signed with Chapman in 1986, and in 1987, after graduating from Tufts, she was signed to Elektra Record with Koppelman’s help.
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Chapman dropped her first album, Tracy Chapman, in 1988 because of positive reviews. The single “Fast Car” became a number 6 pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week until August 27, 1988, and the song “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” by Rolling Stone was voted number 167. Other songs on the album are “Talkin’ ’bout a Revolution”, which was released at number 75, and “Baby Can I Hold You” at number 48.
The album not only conquered the charts and reached several platinum places, but also won three Grammy Awards as well as an award for the singer as the best new artist.
Eight albums later, Tracy Chapman will forever be remembered by generations as one of the greatest singers that ever lived. Her other albums include Crossroads (1989); Matters of the Heart (1992); New Beginning (1995); Telling Stories (2000); Let It Rain (2002); Where You Live (2005) and Our Bright Future (2008). Especially the albums made waves in the music world worldwide.
Who Is Her Husband?
Has Tracy Chapman ever been married? This question may never be answered, as the singer is careful to ensure that her private life does not come into the limelight like her professional career.
Still, even if she still has to deny or confirm it, she seems to be only interested in women. In the mid-1990s she was involved in a romantic relationship with the American writer Alice Walker.
What’s Her Net Worth?
With four Grammys and several platinum albums under her belt, one can assume that Tracy Chapman often smiles at the bank. This assumption is absolutely correct, the American singer-songwriter has an impressive net worth of 8 million dollars.
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Other Facts You Need To Know About Tracy Chapman
Family Background
She was born in Cleveland on 30 March 1964. She was raised by her mother – Hazel Chapman – who encouraged her to follow her dreams. The popular singer has a sister named Aneta. Tracy Chapman is admittedly not married and has no known children.
Career Success
Since releasing her debut album in 1988, the singer-songwriter, who has eight acclaimed studio albums, four coveted Grammy awards, and multiple platinum status albums to her credit, has been gaining ground on this highway. She has also received several Grammys and other prestigious nominations for her name. In addition, she has sold millions of copies of her music worldwide and has made the leap to the top music charts.
Sexual Orientation
Although she never said it out loud, Chapman’s sexuality has sparked several speculations. As far as we know, the singer was once involved with Alice Walker, an American writer. That means she’s a lesbian.
Political and Social Activist
She is interested in political and social activism and has appeared at various social events to support one thing or another. Her contributions earned her an honorary doctorate in fine arts. Her alma mater, Tufts University, awarded her a doctorate in 2004 in recognition of her commitment to social activism.