Sheryl Crow was born on February 11, 1962 in Kennett, Missouri to a family immersed in music. Her father Wendell Crow played trumpet in swing bands before becoming a lawyer, and her mother Bernice taught piano. Sheryl began piano lessons at age 5, and growing up on the music of artists such as Christine McVie, Elton John, and Bob Dylan, she composed her first song at age 13. She went on to major in music at the University of Missouri in Columbia, and while there, she became part of a rock cover band named Cashmere. After graduating, Sheryl taught music to autistic children for two years at a St. Louis elementary school, and has since been an advocate of Save the Music, a program that supports the teaching of music in schools.
     
      Sheryl s career as a professional singer/songwriter has its roots in hard work and perseverance. She began by moving to Los Angeles in 1986, where she worked as a waitress and searched for music gigs in her free time. Eventually, she managed to get work singing for several commercial spots, including a McDonald s jingle. Around this time, she auditi... (More SHERYL CROW Biography)