Crystal Gayle
| Crystal Gayle | |
|---|---|
Gayle onstage at Fairfield Halls,
Croydon (UK), April 2007 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brenda Gail Webb |
| Born |
January 9, 1951 Paintsville, Kentucky |
| Origin | Wabash, Indiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Country, pop, jazz, crossover |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actress, producer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Labels |
Decca United Artists Columbia Elektra Warner Brothers Southpaw |
| Associated acts | Loretta Lynn, Peggy Sue, Tom Waits, Eddie Rabbitt, Donovan, Gary Morris, Willie Nelson, The Statler Brothers |
| Website | crystalgayle |
Crystal Gayle (born Brenda Gail Webb; January 9, 1951) is an American country music singer. Best known for her 1977 country-pop crossover hit song, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue", she had 20 number-one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s (18 on Billboard and 2 on Cashbox) and six albums certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Gayle became the first female artist in country music history to reach platinum sales, with her 1977 album We Must Believe in Magic. Also noted for her nearly floor-length hair, she was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People magazine in 1983. She is the younger sister of the country singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn and the singer Peggy Sue and a distant cousin of singer Patty Loveless. Gayle has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, near Lynn's star.
Crystal Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb on January 9, 1951, in Paintsville, Kentucky, to Clara Marie "Clary" (née Ramey; May 5, 1912 – November 24, 1981) and Melvin Theodore "Ted" Webb (October 24, 1906 – February 23, 1959), a coal miner.
She was the youngest in the poor coal mining family of ten. She was also the only one of the eight children to be born in a hospital. Her older siblings are:
Webb's family moved north to Wabash, Indiana, when she was four. Four years later, her father died of black lung disease. Though a shy child, Brenda would sing along with country and pop songs on the radio, and she was encouraged by her mother to sing for visitors to their house. Inspired by the success of her sister Loretta Lynn, she learned to play the guitar and sing backup in her brothers' folk band. While still in high school, she began to tour with her sister for a few weeks each summer.
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