MU graduate Sheryl Crow part of 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class
Sheryl Crow ranks among Missouri's greatest homegrown musical talents. Wednesday, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame affirmed what our state long has known. On her first ballot, Crow was inducted into rock immortality, part of a rich class of 2023 inductees.
Crow will join Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners in the performer category when this year's induction ceremony is held Nov. 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
"Sheryl Crow’s voice is forever woven into the tapestry of American music," the Rock Hall noted in a news release announcing this year's class.
The Kennett native graduated from the University of Missouri in 1984. Upon coming home for a headlining set at the 2021 Roots N Blues festival (now Treeline Music Fest), Crow reflected fondly on her MU days and led the crowd in a quick, knowing M-I-Z chant.
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The school has honored its ties with Crow in recent years, naming its choral hall for the singer-songwriter, and Marching Mizzou performed her work at the Macy's parade last Thanksgiving.
Crow's case for the Hall was too strong to ignore. A nine-time Grammy winner, she has created some of her generation's most memorable anthems, including "All I Wanna Do," "Strong Enough," "If It Makes You Happy" and "A Change Would Do You Good."
Sonically, her records are as crowd-pleasing as possible, marked by sing-along melodies and dynamic momentum. They also amplify sardonic, even subversive, lyrics about personhood and politics; few of Crow's peers could wed the two elements so seamlessly, a talent Wednesday's announcement only further affirms.
Sounding like Missouri, a state where literal and cultural rivers meet, Crow's capacity for deftly mixing rock, folk and country has lead to effortless-sounding collaborations with artists such as Don Henley, Kid Rock, Scott Weiland, Sting and Stevie Nicks. The goodwill Crow projects and engenders makes her an artist's artist.
Her most recent record, 2019's "Threads," enfolded a remarkable amount of talent that influenced — or has been influenced by — Crow. Collaborators included Maren Morris, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile and fellow inductee Nelson.
The Hall inducts musicians in four categories. The performer category is reserved for "artists who have created music whose originality, impact, and influence has changed the course of rock & roll," it notes.
This year's Musical Influence Award went to DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray.
The Musical Excellence Award was bestowed upon fellow Roots N Blues alum Chaka Khan as well as Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin.
And the Ahmet Ertegun Award, given to non-performers, will honor the late "Soul Train" luminary Don Cornelius.
To learn more about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and this year's class, visit https://www.rockhall.com/.
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at [email protected] or by calling 573-815-1731.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou alum Sheryl Crow among latest Rock & Roll Hall of Famers
