Crystal Gayle American country singer Date of Birth: 09.01.1951 Country: USA

Biography of Crystal Gayle

Crystal Gayle, an American country singer, was a popular country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s. Her songs topped the charts 18 times. In addition to her music career, Crystal astonishes her fans with her long hair that reaches just 7 centimeters above the ground. She was born on January 9, 1951, in Paintsville, Kentucky, USA. Her older sister is the country music legend, Loretta Lynn. Loretta not only paved the way for Crystal's success but also became her role model. When Crystal was born, Loretta was already 16 years old and a star living separately from their parents and married. Later on, Crystal also got married soon after finishing school and became a star almost instantly in her independent life. Loretta's success greatly influenced young Crystal, who learned to play the guitar and sing in the country style from a young age. She also worked as a backup singer in the bands of her numerous relatives and friends. Moreover, Loretta took her younger sister on tour during school vacations, where Crystal gained experience and made important connections. As a result, Crystal Gayle signed a contract with Decca Records immediately after graduating from high school. However, she had to change her name for this opportunity. Her birth name was Brenda Gail Webb, but Decca already had a star named Brenda Lee, so our heroine had to become Crystal Gayle. Interestingly, her older sister suggested the name Crystal, which was similar to the name of Loretta's favorite fast-food chain, where delicious hamburgers were sold. As for her last name, she modified her middle name from her former name, Brenda. Crystal's first song became a hit. The song was written by her sister Loretta, and it was similar in style to Loretta Lynn's music, which contributed to its success. Later on, Decca Records repeated this trick several times, but it became clear that Crystal Gayle needed to find her own style in music. For this, she even changed her recording label to United Artist. There, she was given complete creative freedom, which paid off. Starting from 1974, Crystal began topping the charts, and by 1977, she reached the peak of her success. In that year, she took the risk of recording a couple of jazz-inspired compositions rather than country, and she achieved unprecedented heights. In 1977, she received a Grammy Award for "Best Female Country Vocal Performance." She had many successful songs and performances in mixed styles afterwards, but by the early 1990s, the demand for mixed styles declined, and Crystal Gayle's career began to decline. Currently, Crystal rarely releases new albums and instead focuses on releasing compilations of her past hits. However, she still captivates her audience with her long hair that almost reaches the ground. During concerts, Crystal often turns her back to the audience so they can admire her wonderful long hair. The legend associated with this eccentricity tells a story that in her childhood, Crystal had a bad haircut that made her look like a boy. This experience impressed her so much that she vowed never to cut her hair again. Now she maintains the length of her hair slightly above the ground, trimming the ends, but the thought of cutting it seems like a nightmare to her. Crystal Gayle's previous marriage bore fruit. She has two children. She is not yet 60 years old, and she already has a grandchild.