Sheryl Crow
One of the most successful songwriters to emerge in the '90s, Sheryl Crow turned her mix of rootsy country and '70s touchstone influences (Dylan with a touch of James Taylor and Rickie Lee Jones) into a string of successful albums since her breakout 1994 debut Tuesday Night Music Club. Crow had gone from moonlighting as a commercial jingle singer during the '80s to working as a back-up singer on Michael Jackson's Bad tour to -- after a few bumps in the road -- launching her own career.
Her high-profile stint with Jackson led to some interest from record labels, but most executives were interested in marketing Crow as a dance-pop act rather than a serious singer songwriter. She made more connections as a session vocalist for the likes of Don Henley, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder as well as getting early songs recorded by Celine Dion and Eric Clapton.
Crow's first attempt at a solo album with producer Hugh Padham (Phil Collins, The Police) was rejected by her label. Fighting off depression after the stumbling block, she began collaborating with then boyfriend Kevin Gilbert and and a group of songwriters and session players on what would become Tuesday Night Music Club, her proper debut named after the loose-knit group of musicians. The album and the singles "All I Wanna Do" and "Leaving Las Vegas" became huge hits, selling millions of copies and winning Crow three Grammys.
Since then, the songwriter has consistently scored hits -- most notably her self-titled follow-up effort and C'mon C'mon in 2002 -- as well as being a popular summer tour attraction. She plays songs from throughout her career and her most recent recording, the country-steeped 2013 album Feels Like Home, when she appears this week in Livermore and Saratoga.
Sheryl Crow
Monday, August 3, 8 p.m. $119-$319
Wente Vineyard
Tuesday-Wednesday, August 4-5, 7:30 p.m. $56-$156
The Mountain Winery