Sheryl Crow: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watch Sheryl Crow play at the Tiny Desk.

More from NPR Music:

This Tiny Desk concert was part of Tiny Desk Fest, a four-night series of extended concerts performed in front of a live audience and streamed live on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

Dec. 3, 2019 | Stephen Thompson -- "I heard a big thing on NPR about the shrinking of the attention span and how now, with pop songs, everything has like six seconds before you gotta change it, because the kids swipe over," Sheryl Crow tells the crowd early in her Tiny Desk Fest concert. "I'm just gonna tell you right now: We're dinosaurs. ... And while the kids are all writing fast food — which is super-cool 'cause it tastes great, super-filling — we're sort of still writing salmon. We're the songwriters that are here to tax your attention span."

Twenty-five years ago this fall, Crow was in the midst of a massive career breakthrough: Her inescapable hit "All I Wanna Do" was entrenched in the Top 5 — it would later win the Grammy for Record of the Year — and her 1993 debut album, Tuesday Night Music Club, was well on its way to selling more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone. The years since have been similarly kind. A heavily decorated but eternally approachable star, Crow has released 11 albums and won nine Grammys en route to her latest, a duets collection called Threads.

For NPR's Tiny Desk Fest, Crow and her crack band of rock-and-roll lifers performed a 35-minute set (including two unexpected encores) that featured new material from Threads and a handful of hits that have morphed over the years into pop standards. From the easygoing opening strains of "All I Wanna Do" to the rousing final notes of "If It Makes You Happy," we were in some of the surest hands in the business.

SET LIST
"All I Wanna Do"
"A Change Would Do You Good"
"Prove You Wrong"
"Tell Me When It's Over"
"Cross Creek Road"
"Out Of Our Heads"
"If It Makes You Happy"

MUSICIANS
Sheryl Crow: vocals, guitar, keys; Peter Stroud: guitar; Frederick Eltringham: drums; Robert Kearns: bass; Jen Gunderman: keys; Audley Freed: guitar; Joshua Grange: pedal steel

CREDITS
Producers: Lauren Onkey, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Josh Rogosin, James Willetts; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern, Kara Frame, Bronson Arcuri, Jack Corbett; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Production Assistant: Zemoria Mathis; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Mhari Shaw/NPR

[BradColemanisHere]

Let me tell ya, when a 57 year old hits the high notes that she wrote when she was 23 years old, you better believe that's rare and special. Love her.

[StephenSacks-vm]

Some one wrote: "I cant stop looking at the woman playing keyboard, she was so into this, the smile, the back up vocals, so passionate". Same here - her timing & music intimacy are phenomenal!

[ernstatlas]

Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morissette were my entire adolescence. ♥️♥️♥️♥️

[stantheman]

I was blown away by the talent on display here. Singing, songwriting, musicianship. The band is so tight. Very impressive.

[ElectrikMe]

Her style is the perfect blend of songwriter-country-rock-pop, and her voice is one of a kind!

[joseluivega]

i really miss the 90's. what a decade in music art.

[MsKornKokerin]

I cant stop looking at the woman playing keyboard, she was so into this, the smile, the back up vocals, so passionate❤️

[nataliedaley]

The fact that she secured one of the longest tiny desk slots at 35 minutes lol...legendary

[pedrohgromero]

Dude, this sound engineer is out of this world

[dentoncohen]

I can’t get over the way Jen looks at Sheryl when she’s singing the background vocals and playing the keys. It’s so adorable and also intense

[garethclarke]

The real stand out for me is the way the whole band are so relaxed and appear to enjoy the performance.

Sheryl's vocals are superb but the whole band display a real quality and musicality.

[shortforkev]

This is probably one of the best Tiny Desk concerts out there and I have watched them all. Honestly, this isn't a gimme gimme, this band rocks this 35 minute set and there is no denying it even at the end of 2023.

[billyboy]

Sheryl Crow ranks high in my estimation of musical artists. I like her because she's been true to herself and her audience her entire career, and she is so darn talented. Thank you NPR for bringing the gem that is Sheryl Crow to us in your Tiny Desk Concert series.

[fangsbites]

Sheryl says, “No three songs for me. I’m going to pack in as many as I can.” She’s as awesome as she was in the 1990’s.

[vickylikesthis]

I love the variety of AWESOME artists that NPR has blessed us with lately.

[jaspchile]

That lady in the keyboards & back vocals is so good! (and so sweet...)

[lostalleycat]

There's a special kind of nostalgic sadness that comes with listening to "If It Makes You Happy".

[stevetautog]

The Chemistry that occurs when at the Beginning if It Makes You Happy
when she starts with her going a little off meter
and the calls out 2 3 4 as she looks at the drummer and his eyes seem to say "right I got it"
is a very precious moment

[sassulusmagnus]

Thoroughly pro musicianship. What a band. Perfect backup for Sheryl's wonderful songs.

[drwoodwork]

The musicians behind her are fantastic!