As the days get warmer and Sheryl Crow’s “Soak Up the Sun” becomes a more appropriate listen, the Grammy-winning musician is entering the spotlight once more for her new documentary on Showtime. The film will have its world premiere Friday at SXSW, so before those first reviews start pouring in, feast your eyes on the trailer.
While the clip might open on the ever-iconic Laura Dern (apparently, they’re pals), yes, Sheryl focuses on a bevy of interviews with Crow herself. Recounting all her winding roads, Sheryl profiles the artist as she battles sexism, ageism, and the high stakes of fame. She’s always been involved with the production of her songs and albums, but as the trailer presents, Crow struggled with cancer and depression while working in the industry.
“From an early age, I knew music was this joyful thing, this nerve-wracking thing, and ultimately, this rewarding thing,” Crow says. “It’s always hard to look back and talk about who you were, because it’s only who you think you were.”
Sheryl also features concert footage, backstage events, and other live performances over the musician’s career. Laura Dern not enough, in terms of co-stars? Try Keith Richards, Joe Walsh, Emmylou Harris, Brandi Carlile, and a whole boatload of others. Crow’s fan base reaches every pocket of the cultural landscape.
Director Amy Scott seems to have an affinity for one-name-titled docs, between Sheryl and her 2018 directorial debut Hal, which followed Hal Ashby. She’s edited other music-related projects like Punk Rock Means Freedom and Other Music.
There’s also new content coming to make fans happy, so to speak, as the singer plans to release an album titled Sheryl: Music From the Feature Documentary on the same day as its Showtime premiere. There likely won’t be any big new hits—expect classics like “If It Makes You Happy” and “My Favorite Mistake” instead—but Crow has still been cranking out covers, singles, and albums on the regular.
After the doc premieres tonight, Sheryl will land on Showtime on May 6.
