Nine-time Grammy Award winner Sheryl Crow is set to release her highly anticipated new album, Pick You Up, on October 9, and has previewed the project with a poignant new single titled ‘Freedom Bus’. The song, which features a guest vocal from Jesse Welles, is a powerful exploration of freedom, free speech, and the importance of thoughtful dialogue in a deeply polarized society.
Crow wrote ‘Freedom Bus’ with her longtime collaborator and ‘musical husband’, guitarist Jeff Trott, during a series of weekly songwriting sessions at her home in Nashville. The song was inspired by an 8th grade class field trip to Arlington National Cemetery, which Crow chaperoned with her son, and the stories she heard from the tour guide, which she found both inspiring and humbling.
A Call to Action
Crow’s song is a call to action, urging listeners to remember the sacrifices that have been made to protect our freedom and to approach our interactions with others with empathy and respect. ‘I do not take freedom lightly, because our freedom has been paid for in the lives of others throughout history,’ she explains. ‘I think it’s really important that we remember that when we’re interacting with each other, and that we strive to have thoughtful dialogue, even when we disagree.’
The song is also a commentary on the state of free speech in America, which Crow believes has become a ‘weapon’ in our highly polarized society. ‘Just because you have the freedom of speech, it doesn’t give you permission to be an asshole,’ she sings in the song’s chorus. ‘You should care about being able to disagree but still shake hands and hope for the best for everyone.’
A Personal and Introspective Album
While ‘Freedom Bus’ is a deeply political song, the rest of Pick You Up is more introspective, with Crow exploring themes of aging, identity, and her own place in the world as a veteran artist. The album features a range of songs, including ‘I’ve Got Your Number’, which documents her experiences as a mother and a rock star, and ‘Heaven Help Us’, which reflects on the devastating Los Angeles wildfires of 2025.
Crow has a number of concerts and performances lined up in the coming months, including dates with Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. She will also be receiving the prestigious Troubadour Award from BMI in September, and is expected to announce a major tour in support of Pick You Up in 2027.
With ‘Freedom Bus’, Sheryl Crow has proven once again why she is one of the most respected and beloved artists of her generation. The song is a powerful call to action, urging listeners to remember the sacrifices that have been made to protect our freedom and to approach our interactions with others with empathy and respect. Pick You Up is set to be released on October 9, and is sure to be one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year.
