In my case, music took me to Japan, it took me to Berlin before the wall fell, it took me to Russia, and it even took me to Israel. It’s unimaginable that a song with as many words as “All I Wanna Do” would have people who don’t even speak English as a second language trying to capture every word. Music is a universal gift that we all share, and seeing those places definitely gave me perspective to how good we have it here in America. I wanna leave you guys with a quote from the great Jimmy Buffett, who I know we all miss. He said if you love what you do, you will never work a day of your life. Yes, there have been ups and downs in my story, but mine is a story of infinite possibility for any young person setting out on a musical journey. I love the work. Thank you guys so much.
Laura Dern’s speech
And now I have the privilege to pay tribute to a legendary artist, poet, activist, friend, mother, daughter, and all around badass goddess rock star, Ms. Sheryl Crow. There’s a reason we feel the connections we do to Sheryl’s storytelling. She lets you in with an open vulnerability and a reverence and love that guides you to access yourself in ways you haven’t before. She guides you home, and she also helps you reflect on those way-stations we call home in our lives. From teacher to backup singer, this hardest-working woman I know evolved into the profound artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer we love.
When she began, the business wasn’t sure what to do with this raw, Southern female rock guitar playing singer-songwriter. But in a very short time, her songs were at the top of the charts with pop icons. Her first venture, Tuesday Night Music Club, introduced us to “All I Wanna Do,” “Strong Enough,” “Leaving Las Vegas,” and with her next record, “Everyday Is a Winding Road,” “If It Makes You Happy,” and “A Change Would Do You Good.” She has continued to give us songs like “First Cut Is the Deepest,” “Soak Up the Sun,” “My Favorite Mistake,” and “The Difficult Kind.”
She mapped out the chapters of our lives and has continued to be the multi-generational muse to everything we feel, always discovering a newness to reflect on in herself and in us. With success became massive sales and numerous awards, but for Sheryl, she makes art because she has to. For her, success has never been measured outside herself. The resonant impact of her music is evident by the artists who have chosen to cover her songs, including Prince, Tina Turner, Johnny Cash, Phoebe Bridgers, and Brandi Carlile.