Crystal Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb in Paintsville, Kentucky, USA, on January 9, 1951, the youngest daughter of Melvin "Ted" and Clara Marie (Ramey) Webb. Her sister, country music legend Loretta Lynn, was raised in nearby rural Butcher Holler and had already married and left home by the time Webb was born. Webb's family moved to Wabash, Indiana when she was four.

Inspired by Lynn's success, Read more...

Gayle's debut single, I've Cried (The Blues Right Out of My Eyes), was released in 1970 peaking at No. 23 on Billboard's Country singles chart. The song was written by Loretta Lynn and performed in a style very similar to her sister's. Decca pushed for more records styled like Lynn's with Lynn actually writing more of her early singles. Unfortunately, this approach failed to establish Gayle in her Read more...

Believing Gayle was poised for a larger breakthrough, Reynolds encouraged her to record the jazz-flavored ballad, Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue. The song became the most successful of Gayle's career spending four weeks atop the country chart. The song became her biggest hit on the Hot 100 (No. 2), peaked at No. 4 AC and gained considerable airplay worldwide. Gayle earned a Grammy award for Best Read more...