One of the most popular and widely recognized female country singers of her era, Crystal Gayle’s supple voice, her flair for ballads and her crossover-friendly country-pop style netted her several mainstream hits. “Mom always said I could sing before I could walk,” recalls Crystal. Inspired by the success of her sister, Loretta Lynn, Crystal practiced guitar and piano, joined all the school choirs and sang with her older brothers’ country bands. While in junior high school she started traveling with Loretta for a few weeks each summer. Her debut single, “I Cried the Blue (Right Out of My Eyes),” was written by Loretta and produced by Owen Bradley. 

In 1973 Crystal signed with United Artists and was soon paired with producer Allen Reynolds. Known for his superb musical instincts and as a great song man, Allen mentored Crystal and was instrumental in the development of her distinct voice and style. Later that year, Gayle released her first album and landed her first Top Ten country hit, “Wrong Road Again.” In 1976, “I’ll Get Over You” became the first of her 22 number one hits. Allen found and produced Crystal’s timeless signature song, the classic “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” which was a number one hit on country, pop and worldwide charts and won Gayle a Grammy for Best Country Female Performance. In addition, “We Must Believe in Magic,” the accompanying album, became the first by a female country artist ever to go platinum. Her latest album, You Don’t Know Me, is a collection that finds the acclaimed stylist exploring the songs of such country legends as George Jones, Patsy Cline, Buck Owens and Eddy Arnold.