ROOTS of Country Music

The Professional Work of Crystal Gayle

(Jan. 9, 1951)

Career Highlights

Grand Ole Opry

Film, Night Club, Radio & TV

• Austin City Limits, 4
• Billy Bob's Texas, 2
• Gilley’s Club, 2
• Hee Haw, 4
• Nashville Now, 4
• One From the Heart,2
• Pop Goes the Country, 4 

1-Film, 2-Night Club, 3-Radio, 4-TV 

Billboard Chart Data 

• No. 1 Singles: 18
• Top-10 Singles: 34
• Crossover Singles: 4
• Charted Singles: 52
• Chart Years Active: (1970-1990)

Awards

Country Music Association

Female Vocalist of the Year (1977, 1878)

Academy Of Country Music Awards

• Top New Female Vocalist (1975)
• Top Female Vocalist (1976)
• Top Female Vocalist (1977)
• Top Female Vocalist (1979)

Grammy Awards

• Best Female Country Vocal Performance (1978) Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue

Career Labels:

• Decca Records (1970-1972)
• United Artists (1974-1980)
• Columbia Records (1980-1982)
• Elecktra Records (1982)
• Warner Brothers Records (1983-1989)
• Capitol Records (1990)

Billboard Top-10 Singles 

1. Wrong Road Again -1974
2. Somebody Loves You -1975
3. I'll Get Over You* -1976
4. You Never Miss a Real Good Thing*
5. I'll Do It All Over Again -1977
6. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue*#G
7. Ready for the Times to Get Better* -1978
8. Talking in Your Sleep*
9. Why Have You Left the One You Left Me For*
10. When I Dream -1979
11. Your Kisses Will
12. Half the Way
13. Your Old Cold Shoulder
14. It's Like We Never Said Goodbye* -1980
15. The Blue Side
16. If You Ever Change Your Mind*
17. Too Many Lovers* -1981
18. The Woman in Me
19. You Never gave Up On Me -1982
20. You and I*, 1
21. Livin' in These Troubled Times
22. 'Til I Gain Control*
23. Our Love Is on the Faultline* -1983
24. Baby What About You*
25. The Sound of Goodbye*
26. I Don't Wanna Lose You -1984
27. Turning Away* -1984
28. Me Against the Night
29. Nobody Wants to Be Alone -1985
30. Along Lasting Love
31. Makin' Up for Lost Time*2
32. Cry* -1986
33. Straight to the Heart*
34. Another World*2

 *-No. 1 Chart Single

#-Biggest Chart Single

G-Gold Single

1-With Eddie Rabbitt

2-With Gary Morris

---------------------------------------------------------------------------One of the most popular and widely recognized singers of her era, Crystal Gayle has a unique voice with a flair for ballads and a crossover-friendly country-pop style that netted her several mainstream hits. Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb in Paintsville, Kentucky. Her older sister was future superstar Loretta Lynn. Inspired in part by Lynn's success, Crystal learned guitar and started performing folk songs in high school.

Crystal toured a few weeks each summer with Loretta. Lynn's label, Decca Records, signed the young singer after she completed high school. Loretta suggested the name Crystal, inspired by the Krystal hamburger chain and Brenda adopted her middle name to come up with Crystal Gayle. Crystal‘s debut single was I've Cried (The Blues Right Out of My Eyes) (No. 40, 1977).

After two years with Decca Records and unable to break into the top-ten, she parted ways with the label and signed with United Artists (1974). There she teamed with producer Allen Reynolds. Allen gave Gayle the creative freedom she wanted and she began to experiment with her style and phrasing in pursuit of her own distinctive sound.

Crystal Gayle placed 34 top-10 singles on the Billboard chart from 1970 through 1990. Her first top-20 and her last were Wrong Road Again (No. 6, 1974) and Only Love Can Save Me Now (No. 11, 1987).

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Crystal Gayle Singles Catalogue

Decca (1970-72)

• 32721 I've Cried (The Blues Right Out Of My Eyes) / Sparklin' Look Of Life ~ 8
• 7032925 Everybody Oughta Cry / Mrs. Degree ~ 1-72
• 32969 I Hope You're Havin' Better Luck Than Me / Too Far ~ 5-72

MCA (1973)

• MCA-40016 Show Me How / Clock On The Wall ~ 3-73

United Artists (1974-79)

• UA-XW428-W Restless / Lay Back Lover ~ 4-74
• UA-XW555-X Wrong Road Again / They Come Out At Night ~ 9-74
• UA-XW600-X Beyond You / Loving You So Long Now ~ 2-75
• UA-XW680-Y This Is My Year For Mexico / When I Dream ~ 6-75
• UA-XW740-Y Somebody Loves You / Coming Closer ~ 10-75
• UA-XW781-Y I'll Get Over You / High Time ~ 3-76
• UA-XW838-Y One More Time / Oh My Soul ~ 7-76
• UA-XW883-Y You Never Miss A Real Good Thing / Forgettin' Bout You ~ 10-76
• UA-XW948-Y I'll Do It All Over Again / I'm Not So Far Away ~ 3-77
• UA-XW1016 Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue / It's All Right With Me ~ 6-77
• UA-XW1136 Ready For The Times Get Better / Beyond You ~ 1-78
• UA-X1214-Y Talking In Your Sleep / Painting This Old Town Blue ~ 6-78
• UA-X1259-Y Why Have You Left The One You Left Me For / Cry Me A River ~ 10-78
• UA-X1288-Y When I Dream / Hello I Love You ~ 4-79
• UA-X1306-Y Your Kisses Will / Time Will Prove That I'm Right ~ 7-79
• UA-X1329-Y Your Old Cold Shoulder / We Should Be Together ~ 11-79
• UA-X1347-Y River Road / Come Home Daddy ~ 3-80
• UA-X1362-Y Heart Mender / This Is My Year For Mexico ~ 6-80

Columbia (1979-82)

• 1-11087 Half The Way / Room For One More ~ 8-79
• 1-11198 It's Like We Never Said Goodbye / Don't Go My Love ~ 1-80
• 1-11270 Blue Side / Danger Zone ~ 4-80
• 1-11359 If You Ever Change Your Mind / I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone ~ 8-80
• 11-11436 Take It Easy / Ain't No Love In The Heart of The City ~ 1-81
• 11-02078 Too Many Lovers / Help Yourself To Each Other ~ 5-81
• 18-02523 Woman In Me / Crying In The Rain ~ 9-81
• 18-02718 You Never Gave Up On Me / Tennessee ~ 2-82
• 18-03048 Livin' In These Troubled Times / Ain't No Sunshine ~ 7-82
• 38-04093 Keepin' Power / Half The Way ~ 9-83

Warner Brothers (1982-88)

• 7-69936 You And I (w. Eddie Rabbitt) ~ 9-82
• 7-69893 Till I Gain Control Again / Easier Said Than Done ~ 10-82
• 7-29719 Our Love Is In The Frontline / Deeper In Fire ~ 3-83
• 7-29582 Baby What About You / He Is Beautiful To Me ~ 6-83
• 7-29452 Sound Of Goodbye / Take Me Home ~ 10-83
• 7-29356 I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love / Victim Or A Fool ~ 2-84
• 7-29254 Turning Away / On Our Way To Love ~ 6-84
• 7-29151 Me Against The Night / You Make A Fool Of Me ~ 10-84
• 7-28963 Long And Lasting Love / Someone Like You ~ 6-85
• 7-28856 Makin' Up For The Last Time (w. Gary Morris) / Few Good Men (Forester Sisters)10-85
• 7-28689 Cry / Crazy In The Heart ~ 5-86
• 7-28518 Straight To The Heart / Do I Have To Say Goodbye ~ 10-86
• 7-28555 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas / Silver Bells ~ 11-86
• 7-28499 I Still Hear The Music Of Nashville Pt. 1 / I Still Hear The Music Of Nashville Pt. 2
• 7-28409 Nobody Should Have To Love This Way / Little Bit Closer ~ 3-87
• 7-28373 Another World / Makin' Up For Lost Time (w. Gary Morris) ~ 4-87
• 7-28209 Only Love Can Save Me Now / Till I Gain Control Again ~ 10-87
• 7-28210 Oh Holy Night / I'll Be Home For Christmas ~ 11-87
• 7-28106 All Of This And More / Makin' Up For Last Time (w. Gary Morris) ~ 1-88
• 7-27811 Nobody's Angel / When Love Is New ~ 8-88
• 7-27682 Tennessee Night / When Love Is New ~ 12-88

Capitol (1990-91) NR-44564 Everybody's Reaching Out For Someone ~5-90

---------------------------------------------------------------------------Researched, written and compiled by Richard Bell. Roots of Country Music. Oct., 15, 2011.