Artist

Sheryl Crow was born Feb. 11, 1962, in Kennett, Mo. Her parents played in swing bands, her mother as vocalist and her father as a trumpeter with his close friend Leo. After Leo’s sudden death, her father put away his trumpet and did not play again until his daughter recorded the tribute song, “We Do What We Can.” The Crow household also echoed to the sound of an ancient Magnavox record player, belting out her parents’ recordings of the Beatles, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and the Rolling Stones.

Formerly a music teacher, Crow arrived in Los Angeles from St. Louis in 1986 with $10,000 savings, a recent breakup with her boyfriend and a determination to be a musician. A classical music degree from Missouri State University and singing with college band Kashmir provided the credentials, but with her savings gone, she branched out into session work. She soon became one of the most respected and sought-after support artists in Los Angeles, working with Dylan, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart, George Harrison, Don Henley, John Hiatt, Joe Cocker and Sinad O’Connor. Bette Midler and Wynonna also recorded her songs.

It had taken Crow more than five years to achieve this status, pulling herself back from the brink of despair and over-indulgence at the end of the ’80s. This crisis in her life was a consequence of her first big break — 18 months as a backing vocalist on Michael Jackson’s Bad tour. Her vocal ability impressed enough rock luminaries that many doors were open to her when she eventually returned to Los Angeles, but she resisted the offers to make Jackson-style pop. After some six months of retreat (much of it spent in bed, lacking the will to get up), she ventured back into the session world.

Her own recording career has an unusual history. Producer Bill Bottrell ran a Pasadena, Calif., studio called Toad Hall, where Crow and various other musicians used to meet and play informally every week. They adopted Tuesday Night Music Club as a sobriquet, and the experience provided the impetus for her debut album. The inspiration was fortuitous and sorely needed. She had already spent more than $250,000 recording a previous debut, only to decide that it was far too polished and unrepresentative to be released. A&M Records had signed her at the behest of Sting’s producer, Hugh Padgham, after her session work for him. He produced her first attempt, but although the relationship worked at a personal level, it failed to ignite the musical spark they sought. Fortunately, the record company agreed to wait for the replacement. The resulting Tuesday Night Music Club, recorded with many of the musicians from the Toad Hall sessions, was something of a sleeper when first issued in 1993. It took almost a year to make an impact, despite the marginally successful singles “Run, Baby, Run” and “Leaving Las Vegas.”

Believing that the album was sliding irrevocably into the commercial shadow lands, Crow was about to record its follow-up when A&M suggested releasing “All I Wanna Do” on a “what do we have to lose?” basis. The track subsequently became one of the major singles of 1994, pushing the album to sales of 7 million copies. The single’s subject matter relates to a couple of frustrated no-hopers, pouring time down the drain as they indulge in an “early-morning beer buzz” and hoping in vain to “have some fun/Before the sun goes down/Over Santa Monica Boulevard.” It was inspired by (previously) obscure poet Wyn Cooper, writing coincidentally about a bar near Crow’s Santa Monica, Calif., home. As a result of this early success, she earned her first three Grammys. “All I Wanna Do” won record of the year and female pop vocal performance, and Crow picked up the best new artist trophy.

In November, Crow joined with Mick Jagger to sing “Under My Thumb” as the Rolling Stones played to 65,000 in Miami. The same year she had been one of only two female acts to appear at Woodstock II, in front of 300,000 people. In 1995, she opened for the Eagles at their massive comeback concerts, as well as touring extensively both on her own and with Joe Cocker. Finding time to record a follow-up to Tuesday Night Music Club proved difficult, but she released a new album at the end of 1996. Retaining just enough of the spontaneity, courage and flair of its predecessor, Sheryl Crow won a Grammy for best rock album, and the single “If It Makes You Happy” captured a female rock vocal performance trophy.

In addition to briefly touring with the all-female Lilith Fair, Crow released 1998′s The Globe Sessions, recorded in her own studio in New York City. Again, she won a Grammy for best rock album. The following year, she won again for best female rock vocal performance by covering Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” (It was later added as a bonus track to The Globe Sessions.) A year later, she recorded a live album in New York City’s Central Park with guests such as the Dixie Chicks, Eric Clapton, Chrissie Hynde, Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Nicks and Keith Richards. “There Goes the Neighborhood” won a Grammy in 2000.

Having just turned 40, she filmed a sexy video for “Soak Up the Sun” in 2002, from her album C’Mon C’Mon. Another single, “Steve McQueen,” won a Grammy. She also scored with the Kid Rock duet “Picture” when the song crossed over to the country charts and earned them a CMA award nomination. She also remixed the Dixie Chicks’ 2003 hit “Landslide,” sending the Texas trio up the pop charts.

Crow released a country mix of her remake of Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest” in 2003 and tacked it on to the end of her first hits collection, The Very Best of Sheryl Crow. In 2005, she offered a more folk-influenced album, Wildflower. That following year, she broke off a high-profile engagement with cycling champion Lance Armstrong and underwent successful treatment for breast cancer.