Which singer performed “Real Gone” in Pixar’s Cars?

Sheryl Crow performed “Real Gone” in Pixar’s Cars.

“Real Gone” plays during the film’s opening presentation of Lightning McQueen and its racing world. The song was written by Sheryl Crow with John Shanks and serves as an energetic introduction to the movie’s modern American road-and-racing atmosphere.

The Cars soundtrack mixes original songs with established recordings and instrumental score music by Randy Newman. Crow’s track is one of the soundtrack’s prominent vocal songs and is closely associated with the film’s fast-paced opening style.

This song is sometimes confused with “Life Is a Highway,” the cover heard later in Cars. “Life Is a Highway” was recorded for the film by Rascal Flatts, while “Real Gone” is the Sheryl Crow performance. The distinction matters because both songs became strongly linked with the Cars brand.