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Q&A With Sheryl Crow

Being a supermom can be hard and sometimes it is easy to think that you are not good enough, mom guilt is a real thing, even Sheryl Crow agrees with me!

As an American music icon, Sheryl Crow has released eight studio albums, which have sold 35 million copies worldwide. Among her accomplishments are 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Mainstream Top 40 and Hot Country Songs charts, with more No. 1 singles in the Triple A listings than any other female artist, and her most important role, being a mom.

I was lucky enough to ask her some questions about her new album, the upcoming tour, as well as how she balances her career and family life.

Sheryl Crow
Photo Credit: Marc Seliger

As a mom who works full time from home I know how hard it can be to balance both work and family. I have always wondered how parents that work outside of the home are able to find enough time in the day to get things done and being a single parent on top of that, that is really amazing to me. 

How do you balance both work and family so well while on tour? 

I’m very lucky that my boys get to be a part of my work – they are the center of the tour.  We spend all day together going to water parks, science museums, aquariums, and zoos all over the country.  When we are out and about, I’m just mom.   When we get back to the gig, my boys know the routine – they watch soundcheck, and then we have dinner with everyone.  They play while I get ready and love hanging out with my band and crew.  I make sure to put them to bed every night – whether it’s before or after the show.  Every once in awhile, they like to watch the show from side of stage.  It’s a full-on family affair – they love being out on the road and I love having them with me.

Photo Credit: Marc Seliger

In the single Be Myself, off of your new album of the same title, you talk a lot about different trends and the urge to be someone else while ultimately settling for being yourself. I think people of all ages can relate to the need for acceptance as well as the struggle to accept ourselves as good enough. I think this is especially true for working moms because mom guilt is a real thing, there is always that little voice in the back of our heads that says we should focus more on our children no matter how much we already doing, it never feels like enough. 

Have you ever felt like you just weren’t good enough as a mom?

Never!  I’m kidding… of course, I do!  I think every mom struggles with whether they have done enough and been enough at the end of the day.  It’s a big responsibility raising these little humans, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

There was a point with my last record that I was traveling a lot and they weren’t always able to come along because of their school schedule.  Those are nights away from them that I can’t get back.  As a mom, that’s an awful feeling.  It was hard on all three of us, and I got to the point of not being able to stand leaving them one more time.  So I took the summer off and decided to make sure from that point on that we never spent time apart like that again.  It’s a constant learning process, and I think moms need to give themselves some grace in that.

I have been listening to your music for as long as I can remember and two of my favorite songs have always been “If It Makes You Happy” and “My Favorite Mistake”. I am excited to learn that you are once again working with a producer, musician, and songwriter Jeff Trott, who co-wrote those songs and I found it interesting that you made it a point to sit down and listen to your old records in an attempt to revisit where you came from, to see where it would take you now. When those songs came out originally, you were yet to become a mother. 

How has your life changed since becoming a mother and how does it affect your music? 

Everything changed when I became a mom. It’s amazing how suddenly everything is filtered through the lens of raising these little guys.

There are times on other albums I was writing with the thought of what will get played on radio, or what are people expecting of me.  But this one felt different.  When Jeff and I got together this time, we just had so much to write about.  There was so much going on in the world. Jeff and I had a lot of conversations about raising kids during our writing sessions – and that would lead to a song idea.  It’s tough raising them in an age of likes and dislikes and anonymous internet comments.  I mention in several songs the struggle with social media or the world the kids are growing up in.  I don’t envy that pressure they are growing up with.

You can find out more about Sheryl Crow and her upcoming album Be Myself as well as see a list of her tour dates by visiting her website SherylCrow.com

About Thirty Something Super Mom

Melissa Dixon Thirty Something Super Mom
Thirty Something Super Mom | Website

My journey started after a Crohn's disease diagnosis, inspiring a commitment to well-being. This site shares my distinctive approach to healthy living with my collection of nutritious recipes that boast authentic flavors, mimicking the indulgence of traditional dishes. I love sharing guilt free recipes for low carb, keto, gluten-free, paleo, and the specific carbohydrate diet. I also share tips on natural living, including homemade cleaners and cleaning hacks. I also share my experience as a veterinary technician and pet groomer, to integrate pet health tips, homemade dog food recipes, and grooming insights to ensure your pets thrive.

carrie s

Thursday 25th of May 2017

In the end we find out we all have our daily struggles, whether a celebrity or not.

Gabrielly

Wednesday 24th of May 2017

Excellent interview. I love Sheryl.

LeAnn Harbert

Monday 22nd of May 2017

This was a good, in-depth interview.

Rhonda Fuller

Monday 22nd of May 2017

I try to always take time for myself so i do not get stressed with family life

ken bernstein

Monday 22nd of May 2017

Sounds like her kids are most important. She is a keeper.