On The Cover : Tracy Chapman

Tracy Chapman is a renowned African American singer-songwriter. She was born on March 30, 1964. Chapman came from humble beginnings, raised in a working class neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio. At an early age, Chapman had already found her calling as a musician. She began by writing poetry, and then at the age of eight she received her first guitar as a gift from her mother. Chapman quickly progressed with the guitar and also learned to play the ukulele and the piano. Her initial interest in poetry developed into a talent for writing her own music. She also excelled academically, winning an academic scholarship to attend a private high school in Connecticut followed by a minority placement scholarship which she decided to put towards attending Tufts University in Massachusetts. She graduated from Wooster School in Connecticut and subsequently attended Tufts University. She graduated with a B.A. degree in anthropology and African studies. She’s best known for her singles “Fast Car”, “Talkin’ ‘bout a Revolution”, “Baby Can I Hold You”, “Give Me One Reason” and “Telling Stories”. She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist. Chapman often performs and attends charity events such as Make Poverty History, amfAR and AIDS/LifeCycle, to support social causes. She currently lives in San Francisco. Ends