Born on this day in Kennett, Missouri, singer/songwriter Sheryl Suzanne Crow (1962-) was the third of four children raised in what she described as "a really small Bible Belt town." Crow was a cheerleader in high school, trained as a classical pianist, taught music, and dreamed of Rock and Roll.

"My parents never raised me to believe that there was anything I couldn’t do," she said. "If you are led to chase a career you love, then tenacity is possibly the most important ingredient."

In 1986, she moved to Los Angeles and landed jobs singing backup for Michael Jackson, George Harrison, Don Henley, and others. Her debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club (1993), peaked at No. 3 on The Billboard 2000. The album's hit single, All I Wanna Do, inspired by poet Wyn Cooper, won the Record of the Year Grammy.

"Creativity is the passion for wanting to live beyond your own mind, to surpass your own mortality," Crow said.

In concert, she sings with throaty passion, has quoted Walt Whitman, and praised Bob Dylan. She explained, "I thrive on being on the road, waking up in a different place every day and having my life revolve around music. When you walk out in front of 30,000 people and pull it off, it validates you."

She has worked tirelessly to help others. An advocate for Scleroderma Research, Vietnam Veterans, and breast cancer awareness, she led the Rock Against Breast Cancer concert (2000).

Every year on her birthday, Crow's fans raise money for her hometown charity, Delta Childrens Home, an emergency shelter.

By 2006, Crow had won nine Grammys and sold 30 million CDs. She also ended her high-profile relationship with bicyclist Lance Armstrong and fought Stage I breast cancer. The diagnosis brought clarity... and optimism.

"It's these turnaround or these pivotal moments that introduce you to yourself," she said in a Vanity Fair interview. "And then your life never looks or feels the same again. And it can only be better."

More ROCK Quotations | Song: If It Makes You Happy

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