Tracy Chapman burst onto the music scene with her debut album in 1988. That first record received six Grammy nominations and was a 6x platinum seller. She won three Grammys for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best New Artist, and Best Contemporary Folk Album.
Born in Ohio, Chapman received her first musical instrument when she was three when her mother gave her a ukulele. Subjected to racially motivated bullying as a child, Chapman was accepted into a program that supported her attendance at a boarding school. She went from there on to Tufts University. At Tufts she began performing and was signed to a record deal before her graduation in 1987.
Tracy Chapman won a fourth Grammy in 1997 for “Give Me One Reason” from her fourth album. In addition to the music on her records, she has been active in theater and film, composing for the American Conservatory Theater and serving as a jurist at the Sundance Film Festival.
She has continually refused to allow her music to be sampled and successfully defended that policy in court when Nicki Minaj used her material. She blocked release of a song and was awarded a six-figure settlement.
A very private person, Chapman draws a clear distinction between her personal and public lives.
