Laura Dern welcomes Sheryl Crow into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 'An extraordinary gift to music'

Sheryl Crow had the privilege of being welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by one of her closest pals: Laura Dern.

The Jurassic Park actress introduced the "Real Gone" singer at Friday night's ceremony and proudly took a moment to praise the "all-around badass goddess rock star" for her championing of other women artists and the lasting impact of her music.

"There's a reason we feel the connections we do to Sheryl's storytelling: She lets you in with an open vulnerability and a reverence and love that guides you to access yourself in ways you haven't before," Dern said, per Pitchfork. "She guides you home, and she also helps you reflect on those way-stations we call home in our lives. From teacher to backup singer, this hardest-working woman I know evolved into the profound artist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer we love."

Dern also shared a short statement from musician Brandi Carlile, who dubbed Crow "one of the greatest f---ing rock stars of the last 100 years." She continued, "'There's no path for someone like me without Sheryl Crow. To say she blazed the trail for generations of women in music would be the understatement of the century.'"

Crow is simply "my kind of rock star," Dern said, adding, "She is an extraordinary gift to music, a family member to me, and our lives are forever shaped and inspired by her words."

In her own speech, Crow admitted that being inducted into the Rock Hall felt a bit like "getting an Oscar for a screenplay you haven't finished writing," but acknowledged that it was a huge honor to be welcomed alongside "one of the people I admire most on this planet," country superstar Willie Nelson. The evening's other inductees included avant-garde artist Kate Bush; late pop superstar George Michael; funk-metal masters Rage Against the Machine; legendary vocal group the Spinners; influential songwriter and longtime Elton John collaborator Bernie Taupin; and more.

"I wanna leave you guys with a quote from the great Jimmy Buffett, who I know we all miss," Crow said, referencing the singer's death in September. "He said, 'If you love what you do, you will never work a day of your life.' Yes, there have been ups and downs in my story, but mine is a story of infinite possibility for any young person setting out on a musical journey. I love the work. Thank you guys so much."

Before her induction, Crow opened the ceremony with a dominating duet of her 1996 hit "If It Makes You Happy" with ingenue pop star Olivia Rodrigo, following the pair's performance of the song at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville in September.

She was also accompanied on stage by influential guitarist Peter Frampton and two-time inductee Stevie Nicks for a performance of her song "Everyday Is a Winding Road."

Crow later returned to the stage to perform with her personal hero Nelson on his songs "Crazy" and "On the Road Again," and joined John, Brittany Howard, and Chris Stapleton for a moving rendition of the Band's "The Weight" for the ceremony's In Memoriam segment.

The Rock and Rock Hall of Fame ceremony was streamed live for the first time this year, allowing viewers the ability to tune in on-demand or on Disney+. A live audio version could be streamed through Apple Music 1. You can also catch a two-hour prime-time special of the event, which will feature highlights and performances from the induction, on Jan. 1 on ABC, or stream it on Jan. 2 on Hulu and Disney+.

Watch Crow perform above.

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