So let’s start all the way back to 1994. Sheryl Crow releases her debut album called “Tuesday Night Musical Club.” It was a good debut and yielded a huge hit with “All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Fun.” I liked it.

But that’s not where I really want to start. I want to start with her sophomore release, called “Sheryl Crow.” When I first heard the track “Love Is a Good Thing,” I fell in love with Sheryl. Partly because she was calling out Walmart for selling guns to kids (huh, the more things change….), but mostly because she unleashes a howl at 3:29 into the track that made this punk-loving boy play it over and over and over and over.

Now this second record had a literal butt-load of hits….”Every Day is a Winding Road,” “A Change Would Do You Good,” “Maybe Angels,” “If It Makes You Happy.”

But for me the sign of things to come is the last track, “Ordinary Morning.” A slow, psychedelic blues jam with her voice at peak form….the timber of her tone on this record made me love this album even more.

From there, the woman just kept on building a career of interesting music made well and skipping across all genres. I would argue her “post-newbie-hitmaker” records starting with 2005’s “Wildflower” just keep getting stronger, more thoughtful, and more artfully crafted.

Now mind you, by this point “Wildflower” was only “not-as-successful” in terms of critical reviews and smash hits, but still debuted at #2 on the charts. And I admit, when I first listened to it, I was sorta “meh” about it. I mean, I WANNA ROCK! And a lot of the tracks on this record were not rockers.

But now years later, I have found that this record has snuck into my soul and just nestled in there to stay. I want to be the first encourage you to go back there and listen again….this record is magic.

Take “I Don’t Wanna Know.” This lyric might as well have been written 3 minutes ago as opposed to 17 years ago….

“I heard the song, it was all around
Everyone’s quitting, everyone’s breaking down
I called your house on the telephone
Nobody answered, but I know you’re home”

In a pre-pandemic world, Sheryl hits on a feeling I’ve felt so frequently over the past three years that it hurts every time I listen.

And although I said this is not a record filled with rockers, it’s also not totally devoid of them…take “Live It Up,” for example. A mid-tempo rocker, but again, this is Sheryl saying things we’re gonna be ok, despite some of the more melancholy tracks here.

But for me, the peak of this record is “Always On You Side.” My god, this song. When I first heard it, I had small kids still in the house, and now today I don’t. And these lyrics meant something to me then, and mean something different now, but infused by what they meant then, now. (How’s that for some tortured sentence structure?)

“Is there someplace far away, someplace where all is clear
Easy to start over with the ones you hold so dear
Or are you left to wonder, all alone, eternally
When this isn’t how it’s really meant to be
No it isn’t how it’s really meant to be…

Well they say that love is in the air (never is it clear)
How to pull it close and make it stay
If butterflies are free to fly, why do they fly away
Leavin’ me to carry on and wonder why
Was it you that kept me wondering through this life
When you know that I was always on your side”

I don’t really know what Sheryl meant here…but I have found that this track sticks with me and grows more meaningful each day. Never ever do I skip it…even when I wanna rock. Never.

And while “Wildflowers” sold nearly a million copies, her next record, which I think was even better, sold about half that much. “Detours.” Take “Now That You’re Gone,” for example….

This is a slightly Motown sounding track, and a great kiss off to an ex-lover, but also wistful about being alone. How the hell do you do that in the same song? Tell someone to piss off, and then reflect on how lonely you are once they’re gone? THAT is songwriting, folks.

And how about this track from 2009? Lamenting how there’s too much division and hatred in our country? “You have blood upon your hands.” Hm…..maybe still a little relevant, right?

But of course, if you wanna make hits, better to make them about beer or sandy beaches than the broccoli of sentiments…as Elvis asked, what’s so funny ’bout “peace love and understanding?”

By the release of 2017’s “Be Myself,” sales had dropped to only about 20,000. WTAF? I think this might be the best Sheryl Crow records since “Sheryl Crow”.

Once again…this girl is on fire. There are so many great tracks on this record I just don’t comprehend why there weren’t record buyers (a dying breed, I know) out there snapping this up.

For example, had enough of internet hatred? “You got a lot to say, but not to my face…” Now again, this is a solidly mid tempo track but the chorus alone makes it sticky. And when she laments “anger makes the world go round, that’s the way it is right now,” I wanna hug that woman!! YES….anger. It’s all around us all day every day.

But for me, the track on this album that totally stands out is one I’d think is least likely for a rocker boy like me…”Love Will Save The Day.” If you, like me, have ever gone through a searingly painful time in your life….you’ll get it. When she sings:

“You say, the world’s a scary place
Worry is all over your face
Try to hold on to what you know
You can lean on me, I will not let you go
We get lost along the way
You know it hurts right now, but, it will fade
Sometimes it’s hard to find some light
The darkness on the left, and on the right
Believe me, love will save the day”

Wow. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to have someone in your life who sticks by your side during agonizing pain, these lyrics will connect. I know they do for me.

In May 2022, a film documenting Sheryl’s life and career has been released….hopefully this will lead to even more music….I feel like she’s just getting started!