Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951)[2] is an American country music singer widely known for her 1977 hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Initially, Gayle's management and record label were the same as that of her oldest sister, Loretta Lynn. Not finding success with the arrangement after several years, and with Lynn's encouragement, Gayle decided to try a different approach. She signed a new record contract and began recording with Nashville producer Allen Reynolds. Gayle's new sound was sometimes referred to as middle-of-the-road (MOR) or country pop, and was part of a bigger musical trend by many country artists of the 1970s to appeal to a wider audience. Subsequently, Gayle became one of the most successful crossover artists of the 1970s and 80s.[3][4] She is known for her floor-length hair.[5]
Crystal Gayle
- Singer
- songwriter
1969–present
2
- Loretta Lynn (sister)
- Jay Lee Webb (brother)
- Peggy Sue (sister)
- Vocals
Gayle was said to have begun her career in the 1960s performing as a background singer in Lynn's band (although Gayle says this actually never happened).[6] Lynn helped her sign a recording contract with Decca Records in 1970. Having minor success, she was encouraged to develop her own musical identity. Under the direction of producer Reynolds at United Artists Records, Gayle shifted towards a country pop style that was more successful. In 1975, "Wrong Road Again" became Gayle's first major hit. However, it was in 1977 when Gayle achieved her biggest success with "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". The single topped the Billboard country chart, crossed over to the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and became a major international hit.
Gayle continued having success from the late 1970s and through late 1980s. Her biggest hits included "Ready for the Times to Get Better" (1977), "Talking in Your Sleep" (1978), "Half the Way" (1979) and "You and I" (1982). In the 1990s, Gayle shifted artistic directions by recording various genres of music. This included an album of inspirational music titled Someday (1995) and an album of standards called Crystal Gayle Sings the Heart and Soul of Hoagy Carmichael (1999). During the decade she also owned and operated a fine arts shop called Crystal's Fine Gifts and Jewelry. Her most recent studio release was in 2019 and Gayle has since continued to tour throughout the world.
Gayle has won one Grammy Award and has been nominated for several others since the 1970s. She has also won five Academy of Country Music awards; those awards include receiving the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award in 2016. In addition, she has won two Country Music Association awards and three American Music Awards. Rolling Stone ranked her among the 100 greatest country artists of all time and CMT ranked her within their list of the 40 greatest women of country music. Gayle has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2017.
Career[edit]
1969–1976: Decca Records and musical shifts[edit]
Gayle was first managed by Oliver Lynn (Loretta Lynn's husband) after signing with Decca Records. Among her first professional gigs were routine appearances on Jim Ed Brown's television show The Country Palace. On the program, Gayle performed original songs written by Loretta Lynn including "Sparklin' Look of Love" and "Mama, It's Different This Time".[16] Her debut single was released in 1970 titled "I've Cried (The Blue Right Out of My Eyes)". Also written by Lynn, the song peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.[13] The song was followed by other singles that reached minor positions on the country songs chart: "Everybody Oughta Cry" (1972) and "I Hope You're Havin' Better Luck Than Me" (1972).[16] Gayle's career stalled while at the Decca label.[13][16] This was due to the fact that the label wanted Gayle to record in the same style as her sister. Steve Huey of AllMusic criticized her early singles, calling them "little Loretta records".[13] Writers Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann noted that Gayle was "probably stigmatized" for being the sibling of Loretta Lynn.[11] In a 2019 interview with Forbes, Gayle reflected on the experience, "It didn't take me long to realize I was only there because I was Loretta's sister."[17] During this period, Lynn gave Gayle advice that prompted her to expand her musical styles. Lynn said, "quit singing my songs...We have one Loretta Lynn and we don't need another." The conversation led Gayle to ultimately leave Decca in 1974.[10]
Musical styles[edit]
Gayle's musical style is rooted in country, but is also in pop and folk music.[66] Unlike her siblings (who mostly were raised in rural Kentucky), Gayle's formative years were spent in an urban environment. In this diverse atmosphere, Gayle was exposed to various styles of music. In 2003, she commented, "I've always enjoyed folk, pop, rock, gospel, country, everything..." As a child, she especially liked music by Lesley Gore, Brenda Lee and Patsy Cline. In her teen years, she developed a fondness for folk groups, most predominantly Peter, Paul and Mary.[66]
Yet, Gayle also was attracted to the traditional country sound of her oldest sister Loretta Lynn. However it was Lynn that encouraged Gayle to develop a unique style. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune Gayle remarked: "But she (Lynn) said, `No, you gotta go the middle of the road and have a different sound.' And I'd never have made it if I had been straight-ahead country..."[98] This perspective encouraged her to record different styles. In 2007, she commented that she likes to be called a singer: "I call myself a singer of songs. I love to sing, whether it's country, folk, pop or rock. I grew up singing all different styles, though definitely country is my roots."[47] Gayle also said that her priority was to find quality material, "I've had great producers. Allen Reynolds is one of them, and he is just fantastic. I would always find great songs that other people wrote, and I wanted to put out really really good songs."[99]
Music journalists and critics have also described Gayle as having a smooth vocal delivery, different from that of her sister's. AllMusic's Thom Jurek noted "her signature phrasing and sophisticated material" to be a factor.[81] Stephen L. Betts of Rolling Stone explained that Gayle had "a polished persona and singing style tailor-made for country-pop crossover."[100] Kurt Wolff of Country Music: The Rough Guide commented that she had a "sweet radio-friendly voice" that "made a picture-perfect pop-country star."[12]
Image[edit]
Gayle's image has garnered her significant media attention. Notably, she is known for her floor-length hair.[5] As a child, Gayle's mother kept her hair short. She was inspired to grow her hair to her knees after seeing a woman with similar hair in Nashville.[97] When her hair increased in length by the late 1970s, Gayle's fan club also significantly increased.[93] By the early 1990s, her hair had reached floor's length. During that time, she considered significantly cutting her hair due to headaches and time spent maintaining it.[5] However, she ultimately decided not to cut it. Gayle credits her daughter for discouraging a haircut. Gayle's daughter told her, "You can't cut your hair — you won't be Crystal Gayle."[101] Gayle also stated that it is easier to have long straight hair, "I know some people think: 'Why does she keep it so long?' I'd probably love to try all the different styles, but I'm not a beautician. So, I keep it long. It's easy to wash and let it go."[102] However, according to Gayle, she still continues seeing a hairstylist. Within a year, she cuts 9 to 12 inches of hair.[95]
Gayle's physical appearance has also made her a sex symbol. Writers Robert K. Oermann and Mary A. Bufwack wrote in 2003, "Crystal Gayle will be forever recalled by music fans for the sexy toss of her head that sent waves of motion through her Godiva-like brunette tresses."[11] Author Kurt Wolff described Gayle as having "knockout good looks".[12] In 1983, People named her among the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World".[95]
Legacy[edit]
Gayle has been credited as one of the most successful and important country pop crossover artists.[24][12][11] Gayle's music and career helped open doors for future female country pop artists, including Faith Hill, Shania Twain and Carrie Underwood.[36][4] Writer Kevin John Coyne described her successes and contributions: "... she had accumulated an astonishing eighteen No.1 hits, two more than her older sister had under her belt, and fourth among all women in country music history, behind Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and Tammy Wynette.[103]
In recent years, Gayle has been given several awards and accolades for her accomplishments. In 2003, she was included by Country Music Television on their list of the "40 Greatest Women of Country Music".[104] In 2008, she was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum.[105] In 2009, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was joined by artist Tanya Tucker and her family for the ceremony.[106] In 2016, she was presented with the "Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award" from the Academy of Country Music. Gayle commented in 2016, "It's nice to think maybe your music has influenced other artists who are out there."[107]
In November 2016 almost 50 years after making her debut as a guest artist, Gayle was asked to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Carrie Underwood. The two performed "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" before Underwood announced the invitation. Gayle was officially inducted by Loretta Lynn in January 2017.[108] In 2017, Gayle was included in Taste of Country's list of "Country Music's Most Powerful Women".[4] In 2019, she was among a dozen performers chosen to open the Country Music Association Awards as part of recognizing the women of country music. In the show's opening, Gayle performed "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue".[109]