Sheryl Crow Says Olivia Rodrigo Inspires Her to Keep Going: "She's at the Top of That List"

Sheryl Crow has nothing left to prove. Nine Grammys, a Rock&Roll Hall of Fame induction, three decades of songs that shaped pop and country. And yet, she says Olivia Rodrigo is one of the biggest reasons she keeps going. On the Nashville Now podcast, Crow told Rolling Stone’s Joseph Hudak that Rodrigo sits at the top of her list of young women artists who inspire her.

It’s not just the songwriting Crow loves. She praised Rodrigo’s musicianship and her activism, pointing to the all-women Daisy Chain Fields festival that Rodrigo put together and comparing its community spirit to Lilith Fair. The two have been connected since 2023, when they performed together at Nashville’s Bluebird Café and again at Crow’s Rock Hall induction. Rodrigo also recently sang“Strong Enough”at an industry dinner honoring Crow, and Crow shared some wisdom with her that night: you cannot underestimate the trail you leave behind you of goodness.

With Grammy nominations arriving November 16 and Crow’s new album Pick You Up streaming now, both artists are having a moment, and they’re spending it lifting each other up. Cross-generational friendship between women in music isn’t new, but watching a legend and a superstar honor each other in real time never gets old.

Who’s your dream cross-generational collab? Drop it in the comments.