History
Shawn Colvin (born January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her 1997 Grammy-winning hit single "Sunny Came Home" from the album A Few Small Repairs.
Born Shawna Lee Colvin in Vermillion, South Dakota, she spent her formative years in Carbondale, Illinois. She began playing guitar at age 10 and performed her first public concert at 15. Colvin cites Joni Mitchell as a significant influence, and her early performances often reflected Mitchell's vocal style and guitar tunings.
Early Career and Collaborations
Colvin started her music career in earnest in the late 1970s, performing in Austin, Texas, before gaining national recognition. During this period, she met producer and musical partner John Leventhal. Colvin has frequently contributed backing vocals to other artists, appearing on Suzanne Vega's 1987 hit "Luka." Vega, in turn, sang backup on Colvin's song "Diamond In The Rough" from her debut album, Steady On. Colvin also provided backing vocals for Mary Chapin Carpenter on "The Hard Way" and "Come On Come On," with Carpenter returning the favor on Colvin's track "Climb On (A Back That's Strong)" from the album Fat City.
Breakthrough Success and Later Work
While Colvin's initial albums received critical praise, they did not achieve significant commercial success. Her 1994 album Cover Girl, a collection of cover songs, marked a departure from her original material and was not widely embraced. Her breakthrough came in October 1996 with the release of A Few Small Repairs. The single "Sunny Came Home" reached the US Top Ten and earned Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. She has since released several more Grammy-nominated albums, a greatest-hits compilation, and a Christmas album. Her album These Four Walls was released on September 12, 2006.
Other Ventures
Colvin has also been a featured guest vocalist on Lisa Loeb's single "Falling in Love" and performed at various Lilith Fair music festivals. She has appeared on the live music show Austin City Limits and performed at its 2003 festival. In 2001, she participated in a tribute to Joni Mitchell broadcast on TNT. Colvin also voiced the character Rachel Jordan, lead singer of a Christian rock band, in two episodes of The Simpsons: "Alone Again, Natura-diddly" and "I'm Going to Praiseland."
Colvin resides in Austin, Texas, with her daughter, Caledonia, and husband, Mario Erwin, and remains active in the local music scene.