Unfortunately, all the doors led into rooms of Jackson-style pop. Sheryl Crow was sufficiently strong-willed to resist, even as the doors slammed shut, one after another, leaving her isolated and at rock-bottom. After some six month's of retreat (much of it spent in bed, lacking the will to get up) and a little help, she ventured back into the session world.

Her own recording career has an unusual history. She had already spent more than $250,000 recording a debut, only to decide that it was far too polished and unrepresentative to be released. A&M Records had signed her at the behest of Sting's producer Hugh Padgham after she had done some session work for him. Padgham produced her first attempt, but although the relationship worked at a personal level, it failed to ignite the musical spark they sought.

Fortunately, the record company thought enough of her talent that they agreed to stand by her and wait for the replacement. The resulting "Tuesday Night Music Club," recorded with many of the musicians from the Toad Hall sessions, was something of a sleeper when first issued in 1993. The album took almost a year to make an impact, despite being plugged by a succession of marginally successful singles, including "Run, Baby, Run" and "Leaving Las Vegas" (US Top 50). 

Believing that the album was sliding irrevocably into the commercial shadow lands, Sheryl Crow was about to begin recording its follow-up when A&M suggested releasing "All I Wanna Do" on a "what do we have to lose?" basis. The track subsequently became one of the major singles of 1994, reaching number 2 in the USA and number 4 in the UK, and pushing the album into multi-platinum status. "All I Wanna Do" is a surprising hit. 

"Strong Enough" dealt with the strains placed on relationships by PMS ("God, I feel like hell tonight … / … Are you strong enough to be my man?"). Her earlier experience of maneuvering around rock's casting couches inspired "What Can I Do For You" and "The Na-Na Song."

In November 1994, Crow duetted with Mick Jagger on "Under My Thumb" as The Stones played to 65,000 in Miami. The same year she had been one of only two female acts to appear at Woodstock II, in front of 300,000. In 1995, she opened for The Eagles at their massive comeback concerts, as well as touring extensively both on her own account and with Joe Cocker.

Finding time to record a follow-up to "Tuesday Night Music Club" proved difficult, but a new album was released at the end of 1996. Retaining just enough of the spontaneity, courage and flair of its predecessor, Sheryl Crow won a GRAMMY for Best Rock Album at the February 1997 awards.