Crystal Gayle

The First Lady of Country

Crystal Gayle burst onto the country music scene in the 1970s with her stunning vocal range and signature floor-length hair. Born Brenda Gail Webb in 1951 in Paintsville, Kentucky, Gayle was the youngest in a family of eight children. Her love of music started early, as she began singing in church and appearing on local radio shows with her siblings.

In 1970, Gayle moved to Nashville to pursue a career in country music. She signed with Decca Records and took on the stage name Crystal Gayle – Crystal for the clear, bright quality of her voice, and Gayle after her sister. Her first single “I’ve Cried (The Blues Right Out of My Eyes)” was released in 1970, followed by her debut album in 1971.

Gayle’s breakthrough came in 1977 with the release of her song “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” The track skyrocketed to #1 on the Billboard charts, earning her a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. More chart-topping singles soon followed like “Ready for the Times to Get Better” and “Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For.”

Known for her floor-length hair that trailed several feet behind her, Gayle became a style icon in country music. Her smooth crossover appeal led her to guest host the pop music show American Bandstand in 1979. Throughout her career, Gayle has released over 20 studio albums and compilations, with her music crossing between country, pop and adult contemporary.

Some of Gayle’s major awards and achievements include being the first female country artist to reach platinum sales with her album We Must Believe in Magic in 1977. She also became the first female country artist to have two number one hits in the same year. Inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1982, Gayle has won two Grammy Awards and four Country Music Association Awards.

With her unforgettable voice and trailblazing career, Crystal Gayle’s musical legacy as the “First Lady of Country” lives on. She helped popularize the country-pop crossover sound and inspired generations of female country vocalists. Even today, the timeless beauty of hits like “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” resonate with country music fans around the world.

Discography

Albums

  • Nobody Wants to Be Alone (1985)
  • What If We Fall in Love? (1987)
  • Ain't Gonna Worry (1990)
  • These Days (1980)
  • Nobody's Angel (1988)
  • True Love (1982)
  • Somebody Loves You (1975)
  • Crystal (1976)
  • It's Like We Never Said Goodbye ()
  • We Should Be Together (1979)
  • Straight to the Heart (1986)
  • Three Good Reasons (1992)
  • Miss the Mississippi (1979-09)
  • When I Dream (1978)
  • Crystal Gayle (1975-02-07)
  • The Best of Crystal Gayle (2002-03-19)
  • I've Cried the Blue Right Out of My Eyes (1978)
  • Someday (1995)
  • 20 Great Love Songs (1996)
  • A Crystal Christmas (2006-07-25)
  • Hollywood, Tennessee (1981)
  • We Must Believe in Magic (1977)
  • Somebody Loves You (1975)
  • Cage the Songbird (1983)
  • All My Tomorrows (2003-10-14)
  • Sings the Heart & Soul of Hoagy Carmichael (1999)
  • Crystal Gayle Christmas (2002-08-20)
  • Hollywood, Tennessee / True Love (2008)
  • In My Arms (2000)

Singles

  • Lonely Street Choir (2021-05-14)
  • Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue (1977-08-09)
  • Midnight in the Desert (2021)
  • Nobody Wants to Be Alone (2021)
  • Somebody Loves You (1975)