Background:

"That's basically all I want to do is have some fun before I die." Sheryl Crow

Blues rock singer, guitarist and songwriter Sheryl Crow hit the music scene with her Grammy-winning debut album Tuesday Night Music Club (1993), which spawned the radio hit single "All I Wanna Do." A former back-up singer, Crow has released such acclaimed singles as "If It Makes You Happy" (1996), "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997, theme song to the James Bond film with the same title), "There Goes the Neighborhood" (1999) and "Steve McQueen" (2002). Her albums include Sheryl Crow (1996), The Globe Sessions (1998), C'mon C'mon (2002) and Wildflower (2005). She also appeared in a movie, playing a costarring role opposite Owen Wilson in the suspense drama The Minus Man (1999).

"I think my relationship to work has really changed the last couple of years. I really enjoy it, (but) it's not the be-all, end-all for me." Sheryl Crow

Sheryl Crow, whose trademarks are her raspy voice and smoking guitar playing, was listed as one of VH1's “100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.” The 5' 31/2'' tall musician, a best friend of Kelly Lynch, was romantically linked to musicians Kevin Gilbert (died in 1996), Eric Clapton (broke up) and actor Owen Wilson (born November 18, 1968; dated 1999-2000). She is currently romancing cycling champ Lance Armstrong (born on September 18, 1971), whom she has dated since 2004. The couple became engaged on September 7, 2005, and reportedly will get married in Spring 2006. Commenting on a specific wedding date with fiancé Lance Armstrong, Crow said, "We set a date and then we move it; we set a date and then we're just like, 'Let's run off!’”


High School Majorette

Childhood and Family:

In Kennett, Missouri, Sheryl Suzanne Crow was born on February 11, 1962, to musical parents Wendell (trumpet player, lawyer) and Bernice Crow (piano teacher). The third child of the family, Sheryl has three siblings: older sisters Kathy and Karen, and younger brother Steve.

While studying at Kennett High School in Kennett, Missouri, Sheryl was a cheerleader and majorette. She also joined the Pep Club, the National Honor Society, Future Farmers of America, Freshman Maid, Senior Maid and Paperdoll Queen. She then enrolled at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, and received a B.A degree in Music Composition, Performance and Education. While in college, Sheryl sang in the local band Cashmere. She was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta social sorority and Sigma Alpha Iota, a women's music fraternity. Later, Sheryl was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.


Wildflower

Career:

"I treat myself to four or five powdered-sugar or Krispy Kreme doughnuts after every show." Sheryl Crow

Graduating from college, Sheryl Crow worked as an elementary school music teacher in a suburb of St. Louis and sang in bands on the weekends. A couple of years later, she was introduced to a local musician/producer and began to make jingles in her parents’ studio in the basement. After making a back to school jingle for the St. Louis department store Famous Barr, Crow landed a job making commercial jingles for McDonald's and Toyota.

With her demo jingle tapes from St. Louis, Crow headed for Los Angeles and found work as a backup vocalist for many major label acts. She was hired as a backup singer for Michael Jackson on his Bad tour and spent the next 17 months touring the world singing back up and the duet "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" on stage with Jackson. Afterward, she sang backup for Don Henley and first performed on Saturday Night Live singing back up for Henley a year later.

In 1990, Crow scored a recording contract with A&M Records and was ready to launch her debut album in the following year. However, it was never released because Crow did not like the slick and pop sound of the record. Two years later, Crows’ real debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club, was released on August 3, 1993. The lead single "Leaving Las Vegas" was not particularly successful and only went to #66 in UK charts and #8 in US Modern Rock Tracks. Crow eventually broke the music scene with the surprisingly radio smash hit single "All I Wanna Do" (1994). It topped the USA Billboard Hot 100 at #2 and #4 in the UK, #1 in USA Adult Contemporary and #1 in USA Top 40 Mainstream. The single also earned Crow two Grammy awards, one for Best Pop Vocal Performance and Record of the Year. Other singles include "Strong Enough" (1995, #5 USA Billboard Hot 100), "Can't Cry Anymore" (1995, #33 UK) and "Run Baby Run" (1995, #24 UK). Album Tuesday Night Music Club sold 6 million copies. It poled #3 on the USA Billboard 200 and #8 in the UK. It also contributed another Grammy for Crow, for Best New Artist. Crow later appeared in the New Faces section of Rolling Stone in the summer of 1993.

Sheryl Crow’s self-titled sophomore album was released on September 24, 1996. The darker, grittier and far more political album spawned the debut single "If It Makes You Happy," a radio hit which reached USA Billboard Hot 100 at #10 and nabbed a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. It also delivered singles "Everyday Is A Winding Road" (1997, #11 USA Billboard Hot 100, #12 UK), "A Change Would Do You Good" (1997, #8 UK, #5 USA Adult Top 40) and "Home" (1997, #25 UK). In the song "Love Is a Good Thing," Crow criticized Wal-Mart about their policy of selling guns to minors, causing her album to be banned in their stores. However, album Sheryl Crow sold over four million copies, spotted the USA Billboard 200 at #6 (#5 in UK) and presented Crow a Grammy for Best Rock Album.

In 1997 Crow sang “Tomorrow Never Dies,” the theme tune to the 18th James Bond film of the same name. The song, co-written and produced by Mitchell Froom, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically For a Motion Picture or Television and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture.

She followed it up with the next year’s album, The Globe Sessions (September 29, 1998). The debut single "My Favorite Mistake" went to USA Billboard Hot 100 at #20 (#9 UK, #2 USA Adult Top 40, #5 USA Top 40 Mainstream). It also spawned singles "The Difficult Kind," "Anything But Down" and "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). Album The Globe Sessions peaked the UK charts at #2, #5 in USA Billboard 200 and netted a Grammy for Best Rock Album. The album later was re-issued in 1999 with a bonus track, Crow's cover of the Guns N' Roses song "Sweet Child O' Mine." The song, which was included on the soundtrack of the film Big Daddy (1999), won the 1999 Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance.

Crow made her film-acting debut in Hampton Fancher's adaptation of Lew McCreary's novel, the suspense/drama The Minus Man (1999). In the film, she costarred with then-boyfriend Owen Wilson, playing Laurie Bloom, a drug addict with asthma. That same year, on December 7, Crow released a live album, Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live From Central Park. It consists of Crow’s hit singles with new musical spins and guest appearances by many other musicians including Stevie Nicks, the Dixie Chicks and Eric Clapton.

With the help of producers John Shanks, Jeff Trott and Scott Weiland, Crow released the album C'mon C'mon on April 16, 2002. It spawned hit singles "Soak Up the Sun" (#17 USA Billboard Hot 100, #16 UK, #1 USA Top 40, #5 USA Adult Contemporary) and "Steve McQueen" (#44 UK, #13 USA Adult Top 40, won Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance). The album climbed the USA Billboard 200 at #2 (also in UK). Additionally, Crow performed the song "Safe & Sound" from this album at a television benefit for the victims of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. She also collaborated with Stevie Nicks and released a successful single with Kid Rock called "Picture" (featured in Kid Rock’s album Cocky (2001); #4 USA Billboard Hot 100; #2 USA Adult Top 40; #4 USA Top 40 Mainstream).

Under the Motown label, Crow released a greatest hits compilation called The Very Best of Sheryl Crow on November 4, 2003. It contains many of her hit singles and some new tracks, including the radio hit ballad "The First Cut is the Deepest" (a song originally composed and performed by Cat Stevens) and "Light In Your Eyes." The album, produced by Kid Rock and John Shanks, among others, topped the USA Billboard 200 at #2 (also in UK). Crow later appeared as a musical theater performer in Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely (2004) singing "Begin the Beguine."

On September 27, 2005, Crow released her newest album, Wildflower. The first single "Good is Good" spotted the US Billboard Hot 100 at #64 and #75 in UK. The album climbed to #2 on the USA Billboard 200 and #25 in the UK. Recently, on October 29, 2005, Crow appeared as a musical guest on the "Saturday Night Live" show.

"If we can't turn to our artists (for wisdom and guidance), who can we turn to?" Sheryl Crow


Awards:

• Grammy: Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, "Steve McQueen," 2003
• Grammy: Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, "There Goes the Neighborhood," 2000
• Grammy: Female Rock Vocal Performance, "Sweet Child o' Mine," 1999
• Grammy: Best Rock Album, The Globe Sessions, 1998
• Grammy: Female Rock Vocal Performance, "If It Makes You Happy," 1996
• Grammy: Best Rock Album, Sheryl Crow, 1996
• Grammy: Best New Artist, 1994
• Grammy: Record of the Year, "All I Wanna Do," 1994
• Grammy: Female Pop Vocal Performance, "All I Wanna Do," 1994