Natalie Walraven. Lesson 7: Signature Assignment Case Study. Arizona State University SPE 585. Karen Brown

Transcription

1 Natalie Walraven Lesson 7: Signature Assignment Case Study Arizona State University SPE 585 Karen Brown October 9,

2 Background Information: Sheryl Crow Singer-Songwriter, Music Producer Born: February 11, 1962 Birthplace: Kennett, Missouri Sheryl Crow has always been my favorite artist since the release of her first album, Tuesday Night Music Club, in I was thirteen years old and into writing poetry. The lyrics of her music portrayed a woman who was independent, strong, and infallible to critics. Her confidence inspired me and gave me strength in times when I needed it. Through all the stages of my life her music got me through the rebellious teenage years and confidence shaking twenties. I even find that now in my thirties, a track off her most recent album Feels Like Home titled Stay at Home Mother, gives me perspective of my life as a stay at home mom, who at times misses the days of teaching and preparing for my students each year, but can t handle leaving my little girl just yet. Music has always inspired me in life and Sheryl Crow s music has helped me become the woman I am today in more ways than even I can believe. More than a pop artist, Sheryl Crow has made albums that express her views, attitudes, and lifestyle. I feel like I have been witness to all that she has gone through in the past thirty years, simply by listening to her music. I have had the privilege to see her perform live five times. Two of those shows I got tickets close to the stage (second row). Each time years apart she was amazing! She loves her fans and truly gives her all into every performance. She is more than a singer; she is also a storyteller. She has been nominated for 49 Grammy awards and has won a total of 16, including Best Female Pop 2

3 Artist, Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Best Rock Album, and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance (three times). Two of her Grammy nominations were for producing and engineering two of her albums. Sheryl Crow has not only made impacts artistically, but she has also used her musical creativity to address political and environmental issues. She is a strong independent woman who has worked hard at becoming the musical super start she is today. Childhood Development: Sheryl Crow grew up in a very ordinary Midwest family. Her father was a civil rights lawyer, and her mother was a music teacher and a homemaker. Her mother taught Sheryl how to play the piano at the age of six. Sheryl could play by ear, so most the time when she practiced she would play the R&B and Pop music hits of the moment. Sheryl s mom didn t discourage her, but wanted her to learn the classics as well. Sheryl has three other siblings, which include two sisters and one brother. Her parents were very supportive of their daughter and she had a very idyllic childhood. In school, Sheryl was very popular, confidant, and involved. School came easy to her and she was always motivated to be the best at everything. She was homecoming queen in high school, was involved in the drama/music department, and participated in sports. She was also an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society. After Sheryl graduated from high school, she went to college at the University of Missouri at Columbia and majored in Voice and Piano. In college Sheryl was also excelled and was very involved in school. She was a part of a music fraternity for women called The Delta Kappa Society, and served as a summer orientation leader. In her spare time Sheryl sang 3

4 in a local band called Cashmere, which allowed her to pursue her dream of becoming a professional musician. Adult Development: After graduating from college Sheryl Crow moved to St. Louis with her college boyfriend, who became her fiancée. He got a corporate job and Sheryl got a job teaching music to elementary students. The job allowed her to sing in bands at night and on the weekends. Her fiancée didn t want his future wife to be a musician, he wanted to settle down and have a family, but that wasn t quite what Sheryl had in mind for herself yet. Sheryl wasn t ready to give up her dreams of making it big. It was difficult for her, but the two split and Sheryl decided she was going move to Los Angeles to pursue her musical career. She got her first gig singing a jingle for McDonalds. The ad was eventually picked up nationally, and it gave Sheryl enough money to make the trip to Los Angeles. She packed everything she had and drove almost 2,000 miles to make her dreams of becoming a paid musician a reality. When she got there she learned it wasn t going to be easy. She took a job waitressing and auditioned for gigs whenever they came her way. It wasn t until she heard of a closed audition for Michael Jackson did her luck change. She had the confidence to act as though she was invited for the closed audition, even though she wasn t. The producers believed her and submitted her tape to Michael Jackson, who wanted her in the show. She began her two-year tour as one of Michael Jackson s back up singers during his Bad tour. It was here that Sheryl learned how to network with musicians and saw the hard work that performers must put into their business. Once she got back from touring with Michael Jackson, Sheryl was a back up singer for Don Henley and Jimmy Buffett. Don Henley taught Sheryl a lot about writing 4

5 songs that meant something to her personally and how to become the artist she wanted to be. Working creatively with Don Henley inspired her to find the genre of music she wanted to create. It wasn t the norm of the late 80 s, when pop female singers like Paula Abdul and Madonna were popular. Sheryl s music was more James Taylor and Carol King, but it didn t matter to her, because she was going to be what Piirto describes as a creative risk taker. When she got back from Henley s tour, Sheryl recorded her first demo tape and began to shop it around L.A. Friends who would go to parties with Sheryl said that as soon as they got there she had left them and was working the room. She was very motivated to make it, even though she had been told no so many times, she kept at it. At a particular party Sheryl met record producer, Hugh Padgham who had worked with Sting, Phil Collins, and the band Genesis. She says, It was pure luck and timing, I was in the right place at the right time. (Biography Interview) He took her demo tape, and promised to call her. He loved it so much he called her the next day! Hugh asked Sheryl to meet with him at A & M Records to pitch her demo tape. The executives at the label loved it and at the age of 30 A&R Records signed Sheryl Crow to the label in They gave her a $450,000 budget for her first record. Sheryl was thrilled; finally everything was beginning to happen for her. Unfortunately, that joy was short lived. The record was becoming something that Sheryl didn t feel represented her creatively. She worried the record would be lost on shelves amongst all the other adult pop artists. She was setting out to do something different and that vision had been lost. With her creative integrity she walked away from the album to make the type of music she felt represented her best. 5

6 After walking away from the album, she was sure the label would drop her, but to her surprise she was given another chance. The next record would have to be made on a much lower budget. Sheryl met a new producer who shared her vision, named Bill Botrell. Bill had worked with big pop artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna, but he was looking to make something different and Sheryl was just what he was looking for. Bill started recording a group of talented musicians who he called The Tuesday Night Music Club at his Pasadena residence. The group, which included Sheryl, was there to make music for the love of it, not the commercial fame. It was a perfect example of Piirto s Core Value of Group Trust, Each member had a role to play and a job to do. (Piirto, 2012, pg. 35) If they made it great, but if not that was okay too, because they were doing what they loved and they felt like they were doing it beautifully. Sheryl met Bill Botrell through her boyfriend Kevin Gilbert, which is how she was introduced to the group of musicians. Some believe the meeting with Kevin and Bill came right when Sheryl needed it most. A&M was waiting for her to record a hit record, and after the last record being pitched she had to deliver. The group partied and recorded music every Tuesday night, while drinking and sometimes experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs. It is rumored that Leaving Las Vegas was recorded while some of the members of the band were high on LSD, and Sheryl was drunk. Experimenting with drugs and alcohol was a common activity during the sessions, Piirto states, The use of substances-alcohol, drugs, herbs-has a long reputation (through some would say disreputable) within literature on the creative process in writers, artists, musicians, and others. (Piirto, pg. 58) After the album was created and released by Bill Botrell and Sheryl Crow to A&M Records it soon became an international hit and put Sheryl Crow on the road to 6

7 stardom. The album was a big success for Sheryl Crow. The album titled Tuesday Night Music Club, which included the famous track All I Wanna Do and Strong Enough, won many Grammy s for Sheryl. Once she gained the popularity many of the band members felt she began to distance herself from the Tuesday Night Music Club group. Sheryl began to seek a solo career. This upset the band; they felt that the record was a group effort and that Sheryl as taking credit for what wasn t hers. They challenged her and badgered her about it during the tour and press for the record. By the end of her first tour, Sheryl walked away from the Tuesday Night Music Club group and officially began to pursue her next album as a solo artist. The only one she asked to return to work with her on her new album was her producer, Bill Botrell, who was not going to make the process of recording the next record easy on Crow. In the midst of finally making it big, Sheryl Crow had to contend with rumors that made her look like someone who used and abused the group that helped put her on the charts. They felt she sold out too soon and they weren t happy with her choices, but she proved that she wasn t a fool and that to make it in the music industry people can t always play nice, it was a business. Even though this brought her a lot of inner turmoil, Sheryl wasn t going to let it derail her path of success. Having to prove herself to her fans and critics was going to be the kick-start she needed to keep going. She was just getting warmed up! Piirto would see this as the inspiration of being thwarted. Piirto states, The I ll show you reason for creating is also a powerful one. Many have told they will not create, they will not achieve they will never make anything of themselves, and they internalize this and say, I ll show you. Sheryl went on to release seven solo albums and has contributed to many other artists albums. Her second album Sheryl Crow, was 7

8 recorded in New Orleans after Sheryl had dealt with the death of her ex boyfriend and former band mate, Kevin Gilbert, rose above the taunts from her former band, and watched her producer Bill Botrell walk out on the first days of recording the new album. She was being tested once again, but it was here that Sheryl started producing her own records and proved to her fans and critics alike that she was here to stay. The Sheryl Crow album won two Grammy s; one was for Best Rock Record. Sheryl went on to win many more Grammy s for her solo albums, and was nominated for Producer of the Year for her album The Globe Sessions. Adult Behaviors and Social Emotional Development: Sheryl Crow hasn t had much success in her romantic relationships. Many think it is because she always put work first and sacrificed that part of herself to gain the career success she always sought. She has also fought bouts of depression. Sheryl mentioned in her interview with Biography, it never made me not want to work, but it did immobilize me at times. After recording the successful album, C mon C mon, Sheryl went through a difficult break up with her boyfriend, actor Owen Wilson, and didn t feel like making music. Her past albums had been inspired by her loneliness, personal and public struggles, and relationship issues, unfortunately, digging into work wasn t going to help her this time, she felt used up inside, and decided to get some professional help. Some of Piirto I s in creativity play a big part of how Sheryl creates her music. It follows the Inspiration of the Dark Side, Being Thwarted, and Inspiration from Love. Pouring that much emotion out for the entrainment of others can be cathartic, but it can also take its toll. The time away did her some good, and when she came back to music she was stronger than before and in a new relationship with Lance Armstrong. She told the press 8

9 that she was the happiest she had ever been. Things were great for her for a while, but sadly the relationship ended after a brief engagement. Shortly after breaking up with Lance Armstrong Sheryl found out that she had breast cancer. This diagnosis would change Sheryl s music and life forever. Sheryl Crow has always proven she doesn t give up easily and that became even more evident after her cancer diagnosis. Sheryl quickly shared her story with the public, and advocated for women to get early breast cancer screenings. When she life hands her challenges she jumps into action to motivate others, which in my opinion helps her cope. Sheryl s not just a pretty pop artist. She is an intelligent woman, who takes interest in bettering society and solving global issues. Her breast cancer diagnosis and recovery seemed to spark the activist inside of her; however, activism was a big part of Sheryl s life growing up. Her father helped prosecute the KKK for ballot rigging in the 60 s and also defended many civil rights cases. Piirto s Pyramid of Development states, We have certain predispositions, and studies of twins reared apart have indicated that, as we become adults, our genetic heritage becomes more dominant. Our early childhood environment has more importance while we are children than when wear adults. As we age, we become more like our genetic relatives. (Piirto, pg. 159) In recent years Crow has emerged a political activist, seeking positive change for our nation. In 2006, Crow, an avid nature lover, went on a campus college tour to educate students about Global Warming. It was a passion of hers and one that she felt needed to be discussed to a younger generation. Now that she has reached the pinnacle of her success Sheryl Crow s creative focus has changed slightly from songs about love gone 9

10 bad to more politically and socially conscious messages. Like Piirto s Theories of Creative Inspiration, Sheryl uses the injustices of others and inspiration from nature to help create these powerful messages on her albums. The album Detours release in 2008 examined the political issues that challenged the United States during the 2008 election. The album 100 Miles From Graceland was celebratory and illustrated joy of the changes our country had made socially and politically, by electing the first African American President. Sheryl thrives off the creativity of the artists she enjoyed listening to as a child. This was evident in her last album 100 Miles from Memphis which had a 60 s R&B feel and of her latest album Feels Like Home, which is Sheryl s first country release. She has said that the classic country artists from the 60 s and 70 s inspired her to record this album, for example Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Emmylou Harris. Sheryl has never been shy to acknowledge being inspired by musicians she has always been fond of. This is an example of Piirto s Inspiration From Other s Creativity. Piirto states, Many creators are inspired by others creativity. (Piirto, 2012, pg.62). The loneliness of Sheryl s love life is kept personal, however; Sheryl has mentioned that she hopes to meet a special guy to bring into her life and the life of her two adopted children. She articulates the pain of watching her son grow up without a father in her new song Waterproof Mascara. Once again her fans are let into the dark places in her life that seem they would be so perfect. They are once again reminded that the woman, who seems to have everything, is also struggling with a hole in her life as well. Being unmarried all these years has certainly sparked her creativity in song writing; 10

11 however, that solitude has created some great pieces of music for Crow that tell stories many of her female and even male fans can relate to. Piirto states, Solitude is not a loneliness, but a fertile state where the creator can think and work freely. (Piirto, pg. 117) Sheryl Crow is a strong woman, who helps inspire women to believe in themselves and never compromise their own goals and dreams. It is because of her enthusiasm, determination, intelligence, and creativity that Sheryl Crow has created such wonderful music. Interventions/Recommendations: Sheryl Crow s music is created based upon what she experiences in her personal relationships, her views of the world from a woman s perspective, and the inspirations of her musical idols. She collaborates with famous musicians regularly to enhance her creativity and she beautifully expresses her life through the metaphors in her music. The next creative step for Sheryl Crow should to write her memoir. Writing a memoir would put to rest some of the speculation about the events in her life and help her process any issues these events may have created for her. A Sheryl Crow memoir would be a great inspiration to others, because of what she has gone through to make it in the music business, how she has coped with her health scares, and survived her failed relationships. Piirto described how creativity is spawn from insight by describing it as, the ability to see and understand clearly the inner nature of things especially intuition. (Piirto, pg. 109) By reflecting deeply upon her life experiences and sharing them with others it would help Sheryl process the difficulties in her life and may alleviate some of her depressive tendencies. 11

12 By sharing her story she would also be sharing with people how to nurture a talent. It s pretty rare to stick with a dream as long as she did. Sheryl wasn t even signed to a record deal until the age of 30; this is pretty rare, especially nowadays. She is not an average success story. She worked hard to nurture her talent and turned her back on many big things in her life to become a professional musician, for example her teaching career and fiancée. Piirto says, It is amazing when a student emerges into adulthood with his or her talent nurtured and developed, because there are so many influences that encroach on talent development. (Piirto, pg. 161) Sheryl Crow and her close friends have said that when she becomes stressed or depressed she dives into her work as a distraction. There have been times that her depression has caused her not to want to share these deep feelings through her music, even though it is usually her outlet. One of the causes of this is the pressure from the press and critics. As we learned from Piirto, Coyle, and Fasco the creator is intrinsically motivated more than extrinsically motivated. Fasco found the following, Creators are intrinsically motivated to complete a task, thus educators must be aware of that, if they implement extrinsic reward structures with these students, they will undermine their intrinsic motivation. (Fasco, pg. 326) Since Sheryl is easily motivated by bringing awareness of issues to the public, having her share with her readers how she copes with her depression literally instead of figuratively through her songs may encourage her to face that sadness and combat it. The writing of a memoir would provide Sheryl with an opportunity to experience some solitude during the creative process. Writing can be more of an individual activity than creating a song or an entire album. Piirto states, For creators, their work is the most important thing. She goes on to say Creative people 12

13 may be solitary, but that doesn t make them neurotic or unhappy. Some even say there is something transcendental about solitude. (Piirto, pg. 117) Sheryl Crow is one of the most creative people that I admire. She uses her fame and financial success to support charities, address global concerns, and educate the public about women s health issues. I feel by her sharing her story directly and discussing how she is inspired by life, she would be encouraging her fans and the public in an astounding way. After all, it s about time for a Sheryl Crow autobiography! References: 1. Fasko Jr., D. ( ). Education and creativity. Creative Research Journal, 13(pg. 326), 2,4,9. 2. Piirto, J. (2011). Creativity for 21st century skills how to embed creativity into the curriculum. (p. 58, 62, 109, 117, 159, 161) Ashland University, Ohio: Sense Publishers. 3. Sheryl crow. Retrieved from 4. Sheryl crow biography. (2013). Retrieved from 13