Crow Croons For Another Grammy

As a singer, songwriter, performer and producer, there isn't much that Sheryl Crow hasn't done in the music business.

She's sold 20 million albums and managed to collect eight Grammys along the way.

This year, she'll probably have to make room for a few more on the mantle. In an eight-way tie of artists with five Grammy nominations for her album, "C'mon, C'mon," she's the only one in the running nominated in three different categories: Pop, Rock and Country.

Thought most of the artists nominated have an average age of 23, the 41 year-old Crow says the track she is on is where she is supposed to be.

"I'm happy I don't feel 41, but then I don't know what that's supposed to feel like. And I'm through my 20s where everything seemed so heightened and serious. I'm past that point so I'm able to enjoy what I'm doing and not have the anxiety of being a newcomer," she says.

So does she ever feel jaded? "I don't know that you ever get jaded with the Grammys. The Grammys for us is like the Oscars and it's a really sweet thing for me. It's a sweet thing for everybody who gets nominated," Crow says.

And points out, her career has afforded her the opportunity to places like Russia, South America, Japan.

Part of that journey was a "Best New Artist" Grammy for her debut album, "Tuesday Night Music Club." This year, she says, thought all the nominees are strong candidates, her pick in that category would probably be Norah Jones, "because here in the final hour, in the last lap, she's really had a lot of attention and I think people related to the simplicity of that record."

Crow got a lot of attention herself, for a song about taking it easy, "Soak Up The Sun."

"That song, which is a true testament to not knowing when creativity is going to hit you, came to me when I was flat on my back sick in New York City," she says.

Crow recovered and the song earned her a nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance."

With five Grammy nominations and beauty, Crow looks like she has it all. But if she could write the script of her life, she says being in a tight relationship with her family makes her want to add a husband and a family of her own.

"I like the interaction between siblings and parents and I do miss that aspect of my life, but I take it as it comes," she says.

As for her career, Crow has the recognition now, but she endured years of struggling to make it into the spotlight.

After graduating from Kennett High School, Crow made a move to the University of Missouri. After graduation, she relocated to St. Louis, where she spent her days working as a music teacher at an elementary school and her nights performing at nightclubs and bars.

But one day she left Missouri for Los Angeles to pursue her dream of singing. In 1987, she landed a back-up singing job for Michael Jackson's international concert tour. Soon afterward, she was backing up Don Henley, Rod Stewart and others.

She says it wasn't a bad beginning for someone who had been in California for only a few months. However, Crow says, she wanted more from her career.

In 1991, she signed a solo recording contract with A&M Records. Her first work on an album was a bust, but a 1993 debut with the Tuesday Night Music Club was a hit — propelled by the single, "All I Wanna Do."

In 1996, Crow released her second album, "Sheryl Crow." It was a critical and fan favorite — showing that she had the talent to successfully carry an album alone.

"C'mon, C'mon" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical). "Soak Up The Sun" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. "Steve McQueen" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. "It's So Easy" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.