Sheryl Crow

Qball · August 4, 2005

Sheryl Crow (born February 11, 1962 in Kennett, Missouri, USA) is an American blues rock singer, guitarist and song writer.

A graduate of the University of Missouri and former teacher, Crow began her musical career in the 1980s when she moved to Los Angeles and found work as a backup vocalist for many major label acts. She was recruited to perform as a backup singer for Michael Jackson on his Bad tour, where she was forced to wear a 4 1/2 foot fright wig and change her name to "Shirley". She has said that she was not allowed to make eye contact with the singer except when on stage.

Crow signed a record deal with A&M Records in 1990 and was ready to release her debut album in 1991. However, she did not like the slick and well-produced pop sound of the record and implored the label to allow her to start anew; they agreed. She teamed up with producer Bill Bottrell and other musicians to form what they called "The Tuesday Night Music Club." They would get together and improvise songs until they had finished works.

Bottrell and Crow began a romance and a professional relationship, eventually creating her debut album, called Tuesday Night Music Club. The album featured many of the songs written by Crow and her friends, including the first single, "Leaving Las Vegas". The album was slow to garner attention until the one song Crow did not write, "All I Wanna Do", became an unexpected smash radio hit. The singles "Run, Baby, Run" and "Strong Enough" were also released. Crow received several Grammy awards in 1994: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "All I Wanna Do"; Record of the Year for "All I Wanna Do"; and Best New Artist.

In 1996 Crow released her second album, which was self titled. Featuring a darker and grittier look and sound, the album was also far more political, with songs about abortion, homelessness and nuclear war. The debut single "If It Makes You Happy" became a radio hit, and netted her two Grammy awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best New Album. Other singles included "A Change Would Do You Good", "Home" and "Everyday is a Winding Road".

In 1997 Crow contributed the theme song to the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. The song of the same title was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically For a Motion Picture or Television.(It lost)

In 1998 Crow released a third album, called The Globe Sessions. She discussed in press interviews having gone through a deep depression, and had a highly publicized relationship with music legend Eric Clapton. The debut single from this album, "My Favorite Mistake", was rumored to be about him, though Crow claims otherwise. The album won Best Rock Album at the 1998 Grammy Awards; interestingly, it was re-released in 1999 with a bonus track, Crow's cover of the Guns N' Roses song "Sweet Child O' Mine", which was included on the soundtrack of the Adam Sandler film Big Daddy. This song won the 1999 Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Other singles included "There Goes the Neighborhood", "Anything But Down" and "The Difficult Kind". "There Goes the Neighborhood" won a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 2000 when it was included in her album, "Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park."

In 1999 Crow also made her acting debut (barring a cameo in the film "54") as ill-fated drifter Laurie Bloom in the suspense/drama The Minus Man, which starred her then-boyfriend Owen Wilson as a serial killer. She also released a live album called Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live From Central Park. The record found Crow singing many of her hit singles with new musical spins and guest appearances by many other musicians including Stevie Nicks, the Dixie Chicks, and Clapton.

In 2002, after a break and some touring, Crow released C'mon, C'mon. Musically unlike any of her other records, the project had a more pop feel. Videos and promotional photos also found Crow more scantily clad than ever before, in bikinis and hot pants. Crow stated she was making a statement that women over 40 were still sexy. Whether a statement or a marketing tool, C'mon, C'mon spawned hits in "Soak Up the Sun" and 2002 Best Female Rock Performance Grammy winner "Steve McQueen". Crow also performed the song "Safe & Sound" from this album at a television benefit for the victims of September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. 2002 also found Crow collaborating with Stevie Nicks on her project, and releasing a successful single called "Picture" with rumored boyfriend Kid Rock.

Crow opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, wearing a shirt that read "I don't believe in your war, Mr. Bush!" during a performance on Good Morning America and posting an open letter explaining her opposition on her website. [1] Her public stance attracted so many supporters of the war to her website that the message board was closed for a number of days. The official reason for the closure was "technical difficulties".

In 2003, Crow released a greatest hits compilation called The Very Best of Sheryl Crow. It featured many of her hit singles, as well as some new tracks. Among them was the ballad "The First Cut is the Deepest" (a song originally composed and performed by Cat Stevens), which became her biggest radio hit since her first, "All I Wanna Do".

2004 saw Crow appear as a musical theater performer in the Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely. Her performance within the film of the Porter classic "Begin the Beguine" was critically panned by film reviewers.

She is now in a relationship with cycling great Lance Armstrong. Crow was a main stage act at Lilith Fair and has contributed many songs to movie soundtracks and special projects that were never made available elsewhere, among them: "D'yer Maker" (Encomium: Led Zeppelin Tribute), "Mother Nature's Son" (I Am Sam Soundtrack), "Ci Darem la Mano Don Giovanni" (Pavarotti & Friends For War Child), and "Resuscitation" (The Faculty).

In July 2005, she announced to Cycling News that her new album will be called 'Wildflower' and will be released on Tuesday September 27th 2005.

Info: Wikipedia.org