Shawn Colvin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shawn Colvin
Colvin in 1995
Background information
Birth name	Shawna Lee Colvin
Born	(1956-01-10) January 10, 1956 (age 69) Vermillion, South Dakota, U.S.
Origin	Carbondale, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Contemporary folk Americana country folk
Occupation(s)	Singer musician songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1973–present
Labels	Columbia Nonesuch Fantasy

Shawn Colvin (born Shawna Lee Colvin on January 10, 1956) is a talented American singer and songwriter. She is widely recognized for her song "Sunny Came Home", which won a Grammy Award in 1998.

About Shawn Colvin

Her Early Life

Shawn Colvin was born Shawna Lee Colvin in Vermillion, South Dakota. She spent her childhood years in Carbondale, Illinois, and also in London, Ontario, Canada. She is the second of four children in her family. Shawn started learning to play the guitar when she was 10 years old. She grew up listening to her father's music collection, which included famous artists like Pete Seeger and the Kingston Trio.

Starting Her Music Career

Shawn Colvin's first paid music performance happened right after she began college at Southern Illinois University. She performed at different places in Carbondale and later formed her own band. For six months, her band gained many fans across Illinois. After this, she formed a country-swing group called Dixie Diesels.

Colvin later moved to Austin, Texas, with her group. Then, she became part of the folk music scene around Berkeley, California. At one point, she needed to rest her voice and took a break from performing.

Shawn then moved to New York City in 1980. There, she joined the Buddy Miller Band. She also became involved with the Fast Folk cooperative in Greenwich Village, a place known for its folk music.

Big Hits and Awards

While performing in shows like Pump Boys and Dinettes, Shawn Colvin was featured in Fast Folk magazine. In 1987, a producer named Steve Addabbo asked her to sing backup for Suzanne Vega's song "Luka".

After touring with Suzanne Vega, Shawn signed a record deal with Columbia Records. She released her first album, Steady On, in 1989. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Her second album, Fat City, came out in 1992 and was also nominated for a Grammy. Her song "I Don't Know Why" was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Female Pop Vocal category.

In 1993, she moved back to Austin. In 1994, she released the album Cover Girl. In 1995, Colvin released Live 88, which was a collection of her live recordings from 1988.

In 1996, Colvin released her album A Few Small Repairs. The next year, in 1997, her single "Sunny Came Home" became a huge hit. It stayed at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart for four weeks. This song won two major Grammy Awards in 1998: Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

She continued to release music, including Holiday Songs and Lullabies in 1998 and Whole New You in 2001. In 2004, she released Polaroids: A Greatest Hits Collection, which was a compilation of her popular songs.

In 2006, Shawn Colvin joined a new record label, Nonesuch Records. She released a 15-song album called These Four Walls. This album included help from other artists like Patty Griffin and Teddy Thompson. In 2009, she released Live, which was recorded at a jazz club in Oakland, California.

Shawn Colvin in November 2015

Shawn Colvin's eighth studio album, All Fall Down, was released in 2012. It was produced by Buddy Miller. This album featured special guest appearances by famous singers like Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, and Jakob Dylan. In 2016, she recorded an album with Steve Earle called Colvin and Earle. Her album A Few Small Repairs was reissued in 2017 for its 20th anniversary.

Other Projects and Collaborations

Shawn Colvin has also lent her voice to songs by many other artists. These include James Taylor, Béla Fleck, Edwin McCain, Shawn Mullins, Elliott Murphy, and Bruce Hornsby. She also worked with Sting on the song "One Day She'll Love Me". She sang a duet on the title track of Curtis Stigers' 1995 album "Time Was".

Colvin also voiced a character named Rachel Jordan in two episodes of The Simpsons. Rachel was a love interest for Ned Flanders. She also contributed vocals to Mary Chapin Carpenter's 1992 recordings "The Hard Way" and "Come On Come On".

Acting Roles

Besides music, Shawn Colvin has appeared in several films and television shows. Her film roles include Grace of My Heart, Heartbreakers, and Crazy. On television, she has appeared in shows like The Larry Sanders Show, Suddenly Susan, The Simpsons, Fame L.A., and Baywatch.

Her Life Outside Music

Shawn Colvin has been married twice. She married Simon Tassano in 1993, and they divorced in 1995. She then married photographer Mario Erwin in 1997, and they divorced in 2002. She became a mother to a daughter in July 1998. Shawn Colvin has also participated in several triathlons, which are races that combine swimming, cycling, and running.

Awards and Achievements

Grammy Awards

Other Recognitions

Her Music Albums

See also

In Spanish: Shawn Colvin para niños