Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle (* 9. January 1951 in Paintsville , Kentucky as Brenda Gail Webb ) is an American country music singer who's most successful artists belonged to their genre in the 1970s and 1980s. She was overshadowed by her sister Loretta Lynn for many years before she achieved high sales with country pop songs. In her 50-year career, Gayle has been nominated eleven times for a Grammy and was once named best country singer for Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue . To date it has sold over four million albums in the US alone and landed over 50 hits in the country charts.
Beginnings
When Crystal Gayle was born, her sister Loretta Lynn, who was almost 19 years her senior, already had her own family; Loretta released her first record in 1963. The change of the nickname Brenda to Crystal she made on the advice of Loretta, as there was already a successful namesake. She first accompanied her famous sister on tour at the age of 16. Regular television appearances followed. In 1970, a record deal was signed with the Decca label. Her first single was a cover of the earlier Loretta Lynn song I've Cried the Blue Right out of My Eyes and reached a middle spot in the country top 100. She has been married to Bill Gatzimos since 1971, with whom she has two children. She was only able to step out of the shadow of her sister when she switched to the United Artists Records label in 1973 and a radical change in style towards country pop.
Career
At United Artists, Gayle was mentored by producer and songwriter Allen Reynolds , who had previously worked with Don Gibson . Under Reynolds' careful guidance, quieter and gentler tones were struck, which could also be accepted outside of the country scene, as pop influences dominated country music at this time.
With one of her first singles, Wrong Road Again written by Reynolds , she managed to get into the top 10; also with the song Somebody Loves You . In 1976 she had her first number 1 hit with I'll Get Over You . Her breakthrough came a year later with Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue . The song reached number one on the country charts, a high spot on the pop charts, and received two Grammys . Her album We Must Believe in Magic reached platinum status. The Country Music Association named Crystal Gayle Country Singer of the Year.
In 1978, three of her songs topped the country charts. Again there were numerous awards, including the Academy of Country Music Award "Singer of the Year" and another CMA award. In 1979 she became the first country star to tour China and appeared in the second episode of the fourth season of the Muppet Show , where she performed her songs River Road and We Must Believe in Magic . In the same year she moved to the Columbia label together with her producer Reynolds. Here they could seamlessly build on their old successes.
There were also other number 1 hits in the 1980s, including You And I, sung in a duet with Eddie Rabbitt . Her last top hit was in 1987 with Straight to the Heart . After several label changes, she briefly returned to Columbia and Allen Reynolds in 1990, where she posted her last chart position with Never Ending Song of Love . In 2001 she was inducted into the NAMA Hall of Fame . In 2006 she starred in The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy , a Native American Music Award- winning film that explores the Cherokee Trail of Tears . In October 2009 she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .
In January 2017, Gayle was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry . The laudation was given by her sister Loretta Lynn.
In September 2019, You Don't Know Me, Gayle's first studio album in 16 years was released.
Discography
Studio albums
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | US | Country | |||
1973 | Crystal Gayle | - | - |
Country25 (7 weeks) Country |
|
1975 | Somebody Loves You | - | - |
Country11 (55 weeks) Country |
|
1976 | Crystal | - | - |
Country7 (88 weeks) Country |
|
1977 | We Must Believe in Magic |
UK15th
silver
(7 weeks)UK |
US12
platinum
(35 weeks)US |
Country2 (71 weeks) Country |
|
1978 | When I Dream |
UK25th
silver
(8 weeks)UK |
US52
platinum
(39 weeks)US |
Country2 (77 weeks) Country |
|
1979 | We should be together | - |
US128 (8 weeks) US |
Country9 (13 weeks) Country |
|
Miss the Mississippi | - |
US36
gold
(28 weeks)US |
Country3 (52 weeks) Country |
||
1980 | These Days | - |
US79
gold
(11 weeks)US |
Country6 (55 weeks) Country |
|
1981 | Hollywood, Tennessee | - |
US99 (16 weeks) US |
Country5 (42 weeks) Country |
|
1982 | True love | - |
US120 (12 weeks) US |
Country14 (51 weeks) Country |
|
1983 | Cage the Songbird | - |
US171 (6 weeks) US |
Country5 (75 weeks) Country |
|
1985 | Nobody Wants to Be Alone | - | - |
Country17 (50 weeks) Country |
|
1986 | Straight to the heart | - | - |
Country12 (33 weeks) Country |
|
What If We Fall in Love? | - | - |
Country25 (25 weeks) Country |
with Gary Morris
|
|
A crystal Christmas | - | - |
Country69 (3 weeks) Country |
||
1988 | Nobody's Angel | - | - |
Country63 (5 weeks) Country |
More studio albums
- 1982: One from the Heart (with Tom Waits )
- 1990: Ain't Gonna Worry
- 1992: Three Good Reasons
- 1993: Best Always
- 1995: Someday
- 1997: Joy & Inspiration
- 1999: Crystal Gayle Sings the Heart and Soul of Hoagy Carmichael
- 2000: In My Arms
- 2003: All My Tomorrows
- 2019: You Don't Know Me: Country
Live albums
- 2006: Live! An Evening with Crystal Gayle
Compilations
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | US | Country | |||
1978 | I've Cried the Blue Right Out of My Eyes | - | - |
Country19 (7 weeks) Country |
|
1979 | Classic Crystal | - |
US62
gold
(22 weeks)US |
Country8 (66 weeks) Country |
|
1980 | The Crystal Gayle Singles Album |
UK62
gold
(10 weeks)UK |
- | - | |
Favorites | - |
US149 (6 weeks) US |
Country37 (17 weeks) Country |
||
1981 | A woman's heart | - | - |
Country40 (12 weeks) Country |
|
1983 | Crystal Gayle's Greatest Hits | - |
US169
gold
(8 weeks)US |
Country23 (36 weeks) Country |
|
1987 | The Best of Crystal Gayle | - | - |
Country53 (11 weeks) Country |
|
2007 | The hits | - | - |
Country65 (2 weeks) Country |
More compilations
- 1990: All-Time Greatest Hits
- 1993: The Best of Crystal Gayle
- 1993: 50 original tracks
- 1998: great hits
- 2001: Certified Hits
- 2002: The Best of Crystal Gayle
- 2002: 20 love songs
- 2012: 10 great songs
- 2013: Icon: Crystal Gayle
Singles
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | US | Country | |||
1970 | I've Cried (The Blue right out of my eyes) |
- | - |
Country23 (24 weeks) Country |
|
1972 | Everybody Oughta Cry |
- | - |
Country70 (2 weeks) Country |
|
I Hope You're Havin 'Better Luck Than Me |
- | - |
Country49 (5 weeks) Country |
||
1974 | Restless |
- | - |
Country39 (12 weeks) Country |
|
Wrong Road Again Crystal Gayle |
- | - |
Country6 (21 weeks) Country |
||
1975 | Beyond You Crystal Gayle |
- | - |
Country27 (11 weeks) Country |
|
This Is My Year for Mexico Crystal Gayle |
- | - |
Country21 (15 weeks) Country |
||
Somebody Loves You Somebody Loves You |
- | - |
Country8 (16 weeks) Country |
||
1976 | I'll Get Over You Somebody Loves You |
- |
US71 (6 weeks) US |
Country1 (18 weeks) Country |
|
One More Time (Carnival) Crystal |
- | - |
Country31 (9 weeks) Country |
||
You Never Miss a Real Good Thing (Till He Says Goodbye) Crystal |
- | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
||
1977 | I'll Do It All Over Again Crystal |
- | - |
Country2 (15 weeks) Country |
|
Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue We Must Believe in Magic |
UK5
silver
(14 weeks)UK |
US2
gold
(26 weeks)US |
Country1 (18 weeks) Country |
||
1978 | Ready for the Times to Get Better Crystal |
- |
US52 (10 weeks) US |
Country1 (14 weeks) Country |
|
Talking in Your Sleep When I Dream |
UK11
silver
(14 weeks)UK |
US18 (18 weeks) US |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
||
Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For When I Dream |
- | - |
Country1 (14 weeks) Country |
||
1979 | When I Dream When I Dream |
- |
US84 (3 weeks) US |
Country3 (13 weeks) Country |
|
Your Kisses Will We Should Be Together |
- | - |
Country7 (13 weeks) Country |
||
Half the way Miss the Mississippi |
- |
US15 (16 weeks) US |
Country2 (15 weeks) Country |
||
1980 | It's Like We Never Said Goodbye Miss the Mississippi |
- |
US63 (6 weeks) US |
Country1 (14 weeks) Country |
|
The Blue Side Miss the Mississippi |
- |
US81 (8 weeks) US |
Country8 (15 weeks) Country |
||
If You Ever Change Your Mind These Days |
- | - |
Country1 (18 weeks) Country |
||
1981 | Take It Easy These Days |
- | - |
Country17 (14 weeks) Country |
|
Too Many Lovers These Days |
- | - |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
||
The Woman in Me Hollywood, Tennessee |
- |
US76 (6 weeks) US |
Country3 (18 weeks) Country |
||
1982 | You Never Gave Up on Me Hollywood, Tennessee |
- | - |
Country5 (19 weeks) Country |
|
Livin 'in These Troubled Times Hollywood, Tennessee |
- | - |
Country9 (15 weeks) Country |
||
Til I Gain Control Again True Love |
- | - |
Country1 (22 weeks) Country |
||
1983 | Our Love Is on the Faultline True Love |
- | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
|
Baby, What About You True Love |
- |
US83 (5 weeks) US |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
||
The Sound of Goodbye Cage the Songbird |
- |
US84 (5 weeks) US |
Country1 (21 weeks) Country |
||
1984 | I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love Cage the Songbird |
- | - |
Country2 (19 weeks) Country |
|
Turning Away Cage the Songbird |
- | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
||
Me Against the Night Cage the Songbird |
- | - |
Country4 (23 weeks) Country |
||
1985 | Nobody Wants to Be Alone Nobody Wants to Be Alone |
- | - |
Country3 (21 weeks) Country |
|
A Long and Lasting Love Nobody Wants to Be Alone |
- | - |
Country5 (18 weeks) Country |
||
Makin 'Up for Lost Time (The Dallas Lovers' Song) Dallas: The Music Story |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
with Gary Morris
|
|
1986 | Cry straight to the heart |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
|
Straight to the Heart Straight to the Heart |
- | - |
Country1 (22 weeks) Country |
||
1987 | Nobody Should Have to Love This Way Straight to the Heart |
- | - |
Country26 (15 weeks) Country |
|
Only Love Can Save Me Now The Best of Crystal Gayle |
- | - |
Country11 (18 weeks) Country |
||
Another World What If We Fall in Love? |
- | - |
Country4 (18 weeks) Country |
with Gary Morris
|
|
1988 | All of This and More What If We Fall in Love? |
- | - |
Country26 (15 weeks) Country |
with Gary Morris
|
Nobody's Angel Nobody’s Angel |
- | - |
Country22 (15 weeks) Country |
||
Tennessee Nights Nobody’s Angel |
- | - |
Country44 (9 weeks) Country |
||
1990 | Never Ending Song of Love Ain't Gonna Worry |
- | - |
Country72 (2 weeks) Country |
|
The following songs did not appear as single, but were made available for download and streaming through the album and were thus able to achieve a placement: | |||||
1979 | Your old cold shoulder |
- | - |
Country5 (14 weeks) Country |
|
1980 | River Road |
- | - |
Country64 (6 weeks) Country |
|
Heart Mender |
- | - |
Country58 (7 weeks) Country |
||
1983 | Keepin 'power |
- | - |
Country49 (9 weeks) Country |
|
Everything I Own |
UK93 (1 week) UK |
- | - |
More singles
- 1973: Show Me How
- 1990: Everybody's Reaching Out for Someone
- 1990: Just an Old Love
- 1991: It Ain't Gonna Worry My Mind
- 1992: Three Good Reasons
- 1995: Someday
- 1995: I Made a Promise (with Eddie Rabbitt )
- 1999: Two Sleepy People (with Willie Nelson )
- 2003: Hallelujah I Love Him So
- 2019: Ribbon of Darkness
Guest Posts
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | US | Country | |||
1982 | You and I Radio Romance |
UK81 (2 weeks) UK |
US7 (29 weeks) US |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
with Eddie Rabbit
|
Further guest contributions
- 1992: Walk with Me (with Charles Dumont)
- 1998: When I Dream (with Fizz)
- 2010: Christmas Everywhere (with Mishavonna)
- 2013: Beautiful Life (with Sherry Lynn)
Video albums
- 2001: Crystal Gayle's Holiday in Finland
- 2005: Crystal Gayle in Concert
Web links
- Sound carrier by Crystal Gayle in the catalog of the German National Library
- Official website (English)
- Crystal Gayle at Allmusic (English)
- Crystal Gayle at Discogs (English)
- Crystal Gayle in the Internet Movie Database (English)
swell
- ↑ https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/crystal-gayle
- ^ Joel Whitburn: Top Country Songs 1944–2005, 2005, pages 142-3 and 584, ISBN 0-89820-165-9
- ↑ Herald-Journal , July 25, 1993
- ↑ In the US singles charts, the title reached number 2. Whitburn, Joel: Top Pop Singles 1955-1993 . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Ltd., 1994, p. 237
- ↑ River Road ( video on YouTube ) and We Must Believe in Magic ( video on YouTube ) in the Muppet Show S4E2
- ↑ http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/crystal-gayle/
- ↑ Crystal Gayle Becomes the Newest Member of the Grand Ole Opry , nashcountrydaily.com/
- ↑ Country Pop Queen Crystal Gayle Returns to Her Roots: Traditional Music 'Is In My Soul' , people.com
- ↑ a b c d Chart sources: UK US
- ↑ Music Sales Awards: UK US
personal data | |
---|---|
SURNAME | Gayle, Crystal |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Webb, Brenda Gail |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American singer |
DATE OF BIRTH | January 9, 1951 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Paintsville , USA |