Crystal Gayle was born on Brenda Gail Webb; January 9,1951 and is an American country music singer widely known for her 1977 hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue".
60 Facts About Crystal Gayle
2.
Not finding success with the arrangement after several years, and with Lynn's encouragement, Crystal Gayle decided to try a different approach.
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Crystal Gayle signed a new record contract and began recording with Nashville producer Allen Reynolds.
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Subsequently, Crystal Gayle became one of the most successful crossover artists of the 1970s and 80s.
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Crystal Gayle is said to have begun her career in the 1960s performing as a background singer in Lynn's band.
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Under the direction of producer Reynolds at United Artists Records, Crystal Gayle shifted towards a country pop style that was more successful.
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Crystal Gayle continued having success from the late 1970s and through late 1980s.
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Crystal Gayle has won one Grammy Award and has been nominated for several others since the 1970s.
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Crystal Gayle has won five Academy of Country Music awards; those awards include receiving the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award in 2016.
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Crystal Gayle has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2017.
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Crystal Gayle was the last of eight children born to Clara Marie "Clary" and Melvin Theodore "Ted" Webb.
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Unlike sister Loretta and her other siblings, Crystal Gayle was the only child born at the Paintsville hospital, and not at home.
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Crystal Gayle's father was a coal miner who developed black lung disease.
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In search of better medical treatment, the family moved to Wabash, Indiana, when Crystal Gayle was four years old.
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Crystal Gayle noted that she could sing before she could walk.
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Crystal Gayle was exposed to diverse cultural groups and norms and in turn to various styles of music.
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Crystal Gayle sang along frequently to songs she heard on the radio and was inspired by the music of her sister Loretta Lynn.
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Crystal Gayle started singing in church, performed folk songs, and recorded demonstration tapes.
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At age 16, Crystal Gayle performed on the Grand Ole Opry in replacement of her sister who had gotten ill.
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Crystal Gayle performed a cover of Marty Robbins's "Ribbon of Darkness".
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Crystal Gayle was first managed by Oliver Lynn after signing with Decca Records.
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Writers Mary A Bufwack and Robert K Oermann noted that Gayle was "probably stigmatized" for being the sibling of Loretta Lynn.
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Crystal Gayle signed a new recording contract with United Artists Records in 1974.
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Crystal Gayle helped market her music towards a crossover audience.
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Crystal Gayle released her first United Artists single in 1974, "Restless".
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Crystal Gayle had minor hits with the singles "This Is My Year for Mexico" and "Beyond You".
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Producer Allen Reynolds believed Crystal Gayle was poised to have crossover pop success if the right song were found.
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In 1978, Crystal Gayle earned the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue", while Leigh won a Grammy for Best Country Song.
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In 1979, Crystal Gayle moved to Columbia Records, bringing Reynolds with her.
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Under Columbia, Crystal Gayle began recording more cover versions of songs.
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Crystal Gayle would appear with Bob Hope on his 1979 television special called On the Road to China.
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In 1982, Crystal Gayle collaborated with Tom Waits on the soundtrack of Francis Ford Coppola's film One from the Heart.
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Also in 1982, Crystal Gayle moved from Columbia to Elektra Records, which would later merge with Warner Bros.
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In 1983, Crystal Gayle's released her next album called Cage the Songbird.
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Crystal Gayle had further hits from her next studio releases in 1985 and 1986.
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Between 1985 and 1987, Crystal Gayle collaborated with country artist Gary Morris on a series of duets.
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In 1988, Crystal Gayle released her final album of the decade.
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Also in 1987, Gayle opened a gift shop in Nashville called "Crystal's Fine Gifts and Jewelry".
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In 1990, Crystal Gayle signed a new recording contract with Capitol Records and reunited with producer Allen Reynolds.
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At the dawn of the new millennium, Crystal Gayle expanded her musical interests.
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For several years, Crystal Gayle spent time recording her next studio release.
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Crystal Gayle stated the album would consist of covers of country music classics and would be produced by her son, Chris Gatzimos.
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In 2019, Crystal Gayle announced it would be re-titled You Don't Know Me: Classic Country.
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Crystal Gayle has remained close to her seven siblings since childhood.
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Additionally, older sister Peggy Sue, has been an active member of Crystal Gayle's road show for several years.
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Peggy Sue performs background vocals on Crystal Gayle's show and does her own solo material too.
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Crystal Gayle has been married to husband Bill Gatzimos since 1971.
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The couple first dated in high school and while Crystal Gayle was signed to United Artists Records, Gatzimos attended law school at Vanderbilt University.
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Crystal Gayle's son is a record producer and co-produced her 2019 album.
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When Crystal Gayle's first child was born, she continued working frequently.
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Yet, Crystal Gayle was attracted to the traditional country sound of her oldest sister Loretta Lynn.
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However it was Lynn that encouraged Crystal Gayle to develop a unique style.
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Music journalists and critics have described Crystal Gayle as having a smooth vocal delivery, different from that of her sister's.
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Crystal Gayle was inspired to grow her hair to her knees after seeing a woman with similar hair in Nashville.
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Crystal Gayle has been credited as one of the most successful and important country pop crossover artists.
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In recent years, Crystal Gayle has been given several awards and accolades for her accomplishments.
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Crystal Gayle was joined by artist Tanya Tucker and her family for the ceremony.
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In November 2016 almost 50 years after making her debut as a guest artist, Crystal Gayle was asked to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry by Carrie Underwood.
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Crystal Gayle was officially inducted by Loretta Lynn in January 2017.
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In 2017, Crystal Gayle was included in Taste of Countrys list of "Country Music's Most Powerful Women".