谢里尔·克罗

Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and guitarist. She is noted for her idealistic and optimistic lyrics, and incorporation of various genres into her rock-oriented sound, including blues, country, folk, and pop.

She has released 12 studio albums, five compilations, and three live albums, and contributed to several film soundtracks. Her most popular songs include "All I Wanna Do" (1994), "Strong Enough" (1994), "If It Makes You Happy" (1996), "Everyday Is a Winding Road" (1996), "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), "My Favorite Mistake" (1998), "Picture" (2002, duet with Kid Rock), and "Soak Up the Sun" (2002).

Crow has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and has won nine Grammy Awards from 32 nominations. In 2023 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In addition to her music career, she has appeared in television series and films, including 30 Rock, Cop Rock, GCB, Cougar Town, One Tree Hill, and NCIS: New Orleans.

Early life and education

Crow was born on February 11, 1962, in Kennett, Missouri, the daughter of Bernice (née Cain), a piano teacher, and Wendell Wyatt Crow, a lawyer and trumpet player. Her great-grandfather was Congressman Charles A. Crow (1873–1938). She has two older sisters, Kathy and Karen, and a younger brother, Steven.

While studying at Kennett High School, Crow was a majorette and an all-state track athlete, winning medals in the 75-meter low hurdles. She also joined the pep club and the National FFA Organization, and was crowned Paperdoll Queen in a celebrity-judged beauty contest during her senior year. She was inducted into the National Honor Society.

She then enrolled at the University of Missouri in Columbia and in 1984 received a BS Ed degree in music education. While at the university, she sang in the local band Cashmere. She was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity for Women, and the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, as well as working as a summer welcome orientation leader.

Career

1987–1991: Early career

After graduating from the University of Missouri, Crow worked as a music teacher at Kellison Elementary School in Fenton, Missouri. Teaching during the day gave her the opportunity to sing in bands on the weekends. She was later introduced to local musician and record producer Jay Oliver. He had a studio in the basement of his parents' home in St. Louis and helped her by using her in advertising jingles. Her first jingle was a back-to-school spot for the St. Louis department store Famous-Barr. Soon after, she sang in commercial jingles for McDonald's and Toyota. She was quoted in a 60 Minutes segment as saying she made $40,000 on the McDonald's ad alone.

Crow toured with Michael Jackson as a backing vocalist during his Bad World Tour 1987–1989, and often performed with Jackson on "I Just Can't Stop Loving You". She also recorded background vocals for Stevie Wonder, Belinda Carlisle, Jimmy Buffett, Kevin Gilbert and Don Henley. Crow played keyboards and sang backing vocals for Gilbert's band Toy Matinee in the early 1990s.

In 1989, Crow contributed backing vocals to the Neal Schon track "Smoke of the Revolution" from his album Late Nite.