Luke Combs, Tracy Chapman Perform Together on The GRAMMYs

Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman was the second performance at the GRAMMY Awards tonight and got a huge standing ovation. There was a lot of speculation that Tracy Chapman would join him on "Fast Car" at the show. In a video clip leading to the performance, Luke talked about how it was his favorite song as a kid.

After the video, you could see hands playing the familiar opening of "Fast Car," and then revealed that it was Tracy Chapman performing the song. Luke joined in, and the audience of the world's most famous singers and songwriters seemed to erupt. The camera shot to Taylor Swift, who was standing in the crowd, swaying and singing every word. Then the camera shot to country stars War And Treaty, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, and Zach Bryan singing along. As the song continued, the crowd got emotional, and Oprah Winfrey stood up with her arms held out joyously at that wonderful sound.

As a journalist who has covered many award shows, including the GRAMMYs, for many ears, I have to say it was the best country music performance on any GRAMMY Awards show. And as I stood up to write this story, I noticed tears streaming down my face.

Combs won a CMA Award in November (11/8) for Single of The Year for his remake of the Tracy Chapman classic "Fast Car." Chapman also won the Song of the Year (an award given to the songwriter) for Luke's version of her song. With that, she became the first African American woman ever to win a CMA Award.

Backstage after his win, I asked Combs if he ever thought he would win a CMA for a song he first heard in his dad's truck as a kid and loved since he was little. He told me, "Definitely not. I definitely had no idea that would be going on. It's insane, really, the journey. I remember sitting in my apartment, and I was teaching myself to play guitar at 21 years old, spending just days and days trying to teach myself how to play that lick, which we all know and is so iconic. I finally figured it out after about a month and a half or two months. I was so new at playing guitar, but I knew I wanted to play that song."

He continued, "I remember the first time I got it down, then I tried to sing while I was playing it, and I couldn't do it because it was so advanced for where I was as a guitar player. And then it took me a few more months to be able to sing it and play it at the same time. It's been a long journey; that song has been a huge part of my life for a long time. All credit to Tracy for writing one of the best songs ever written. It's insane to be holding this for sure."

Country music shined as they usually do on the red carpet at the 2024 GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles this evening.

Lainey Wilson walked her first GRAMMY Red Carpet as a nominee. She is nominated for Best Country Album for Bell Bottom Country and Best Vocal Duo/Group Performance for "Save Me" with Jelly Roll.

The GRAMMY Red Carpet is known as a fashion make-or-break night; Lainey's fashion has stood out in Nashville for a couple of years now.

Wilson told us recently about her obsession with bell bottoms. She said, "I've always been obsessed with bell bottoms. My mama bought me my very first pair when I was just a little girl. They were blue leopard print, and it was just one of those things where eventually she's like, 'Lainey, you've got to take them off; we've got to wash them.'"

She added, "But I've always just been obsessed with everything throwback. I feel like things that are throwback come with a good story, and I'm a sucker for a good story."

Lainey also did not hesitate to tell us she would be wearing her signature look of bell bottoms for a long time to come.

Back in 2022, Shania Twain talked to ET about how she felt when Kelsea Ballerini wore her 1999 Grammy dress at the recent ACM Honors, where Kelsea honored Shania.

Twain told ET on the red carpet, "I am so blown away... She looks stunning. She looks like an absolute angel. It's very flattering to see her in the dress and that she even wanted to wear it. I said, 'I hope it's not too dusty after being in the GRAMMY Museum.'"

Shania actually wore the dress the night that she won two Grammys for "You're Still the One." She recalled it was "an incredible night" for her at the GRAMMYs. Twain noted that that dress "represented that experience," so she was happy to see it "alive again."

She added that it was a "huge compliment" to be admired enough that someone would want to step into that dress.

Fast forward to tonight (2/4/24), we take a look at the fashion of country stars as they walk the GRAMMY Red Carpet.

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Lainey looks amazing in this black bellbottom suit with gold chain necklaces and a matching black hat. It's like she took her CMA 2023 look of a black bellbottom outfit with a black cowboy hat and made it work for the Los Angeles crowd at the GRAMMYs. No doubt it will be a great night for Wilson, and with two nominations going into the big show, she has a look of confidence that's hard to miss on her glowing face.

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GRAMMY darlings the Brothers Osborne walked the GRAMMY red carpet in their usual style. John Osborne wore a red suit and his trademark cowboy hat. TJ also looked dapper, wearing an all-black suit with a satin back shirt and gold chains. The duo has been nominated for GRAMMYs twelve total times, with one win going into the night's event.

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First-time GRAMMY nominee Zach Bryan looks very sharp in an all-black suit and a full beard. Zach looks so happy walking into his first GRAMMY Awards as a four-time nominee. It is nice to see Zach dressed the part and looking so very handsome while doing it. Zach is nominated for Best Country Album for his self-titled effort. Bryan and Kacey Musgraves were early GRAMMY winners in the pre-show, winning Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “I Remember Everything.”

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Carly Pearce did not win in her 2024 GRAMMY category of Best Vocal Duo/Group Performance for her song “We Don’t Fight Anymore” with Chris Stapleton, but she did take the spotlight in the pre-show, handing out most of the country's GRAMMY awards. Carly looked great on the red carpet in a shapely black simple dress and straight hair.

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Jelly Roll got a fresh shave on the sides of his head to shine a light on all his head tattoos. He walked the red carpet along with his wife, Bunnie Xo, and his teenage daughter. Jelly wore a tan coat and pants and a white shirt. Jelly looked great in all-black with a black leather jacket. He looks very happy with his wife, and daughter by his wide who he motioned to many times to stand next to him.