Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Crystal Gayle: November 2010

Gene Watson's peers within the country music industry believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and rightly so!

All of Gene Watson's Peers who were contacted during 2010 were most gracious with their time and words. It is here, within this special part of the Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Crystal Gayle, which she submitted to this site on Monday 22 November 2010.

Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Crystal Gayle who has made a special contribution to a unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.

Crystal Gayle
This quote was submitted on Monday 22 November 2010.

'Not only does Gene Watson have a great voice, but he has even a greater heart!

The award shows should give Gene a moment in the spotlight to let a new generation of fans hear one of the best country singers of all time.

Don't ask me to follow him!  I love Gene!'

Thank you, Crystal Gayle, for your support of Gene Watson.

About Crystal Gayle...

Crystal Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb on Tuesday 9 January 1951 and is an American country music singer who is best known for her 1977 country-pop hit 'Don't it make my brown eyes blue'.

An award-winning singer, Crystal Gayle accumulated eighteen No.1 country hits on the Billboard country music singles chart between June 1976 and February 1987.  She is also famous for her nearly floor-length hair and was voted one of the fifty most beautiful people in the world in 1983.

Crystal Gayle is the younger sister of singer Loretta Lynn (born on Saturday 14 April 1934) and a distant cousin of singer Patty Loveless.  Crystal has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, near Loretta Lynn's star.

Crystal Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb to a poor family in Butcher Holler, Paintsville, Kentucky to Melvin 'Ted' Webb (1906 - 1959) and Clara Marie (Ramey) Webb (1912 - 1981).  The youngest of eight children, Brenda was the only one born in a hospital.

Brenda's family moved to Wabash, Indiana when she was four years old.  She started singing along with country and pop songs on the radio and, though shy as a child, she was encouraged by her mother to sing for visitors to the house.

Inspired by her sister Loretta Lynn's performance, she decided to learn guitar and sing backup in her brother's folk band.  While she was still in high school, Brenda began to tour with Loretta Lynn for a few weeks each summer.

After graduating from Wabash High School, Brenda signed with Decca Records, her sister's record label.  However, since there was already a star named Brenda Lee with Decca Records, Decca asked Brenda to change her first name.  It was her older sister Loretta Lynn who suggested the name 'Crystal' for her singing career (after noticing a sign for the Krystal hamburger restaurant chain).  So Brenda Gail Webb took the stage name 'Crystal Gayle'.

Crystal Gayle's debut single, 'I've cried (the blues right out of my eyes)', was released on Saturday 19 September 1970; the single peaked at No.23 on the Billboard country music singles chart.

'I've cried (the blues right out of my eyes)' was written by Loretta Lynn and was performed in a style very similar to her sister's.  Decca Records pushed for more records styled like Lynn's with Lynn actually writing more of her early singles.  However, this musical approach failed to establish Crystal in her own right despite regular appearances on Jim Ed Brown's television show 'The Country Place'.

Crystal Gayle did not make a return to the Billboard country music Top 40 until the release of the single 'Restless' in 1974 which reached No.39.

Feeling slightly frustrated, Crystal Gayle parted company with Decca Records and signed a recording contract with United Artists Records in 1974 where she teamed up with producer Allen Reynolds; Allen offered Crystal the creative freedom she wanted, helping her develop her own distinctive style and phrasing.

Crystal Gayle's first single to enter the Top 10 of the Billboard country music singles chart was 'Wrong road again', which peaked at No.6.

'Wrong road again' was one of the tracks which was included on Crystal Gayle's first album, 'Crystal Gayle' (United Artists Records, 1974), which reached No.25 on the Billboard Country Album Chart.

'Crystal Gayle' (United Artists Records, 1975), which was released on Friday 7 February 1975, also included Ray Griff's 'Gonna lay me down beside my memories', Dolly Parton's 'You', Bill Gatzimos and Crystal Gayle's 'Beyond you' (No.27, 1975) and Vincent Wesley Matthews' 'This is my year for Mexico' (No.21, 1975).

Gene Watson recorded Vincent Wesley Matthews' 'This is my year for Mexico' and included the track on 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975).

'Crystal Gayle' (United Artists Records, 1975) also included Crystal's first rendition of 'When I dream', which would become a huge hit, three years later, with the release of 'When I Dream' (United Artists Records, 1978).

Crystal Gayle's 'Somebody Loves You' (United Artists Records, 1975) was released on Monday 20 October 1975 and reached No.11 on the Billboard Country Album Chart.

'Somebody Loves You' (United Artists Records, 1975) included two tracks that broke into the Top 10 of the Billboard country music singles chart; 'Somebody loves you' reached No.8, while 'I'll get over you' became Crystal's first ever Billboard No.1 country hit (No.1 for one week in June 1976) and featured (an at-the-time unknown and unsigned) Janie Fricke on harmony vocals.

'I'll get over you' also became Crystal Gayle's first ever single to reach Billboard's Hot 100 pop chart, peaking at No.71 in 1976.

'Somebody Loves You' (United Artists Records, 1975) also included Crystal Gayle and Bill Gatzimos' 'Coming closer', Ray Griff's 'What I've been needing' and Allen Reynolds' 'Dreaming my dreams with you'.

Patty Loveless recorded 'Dreaming my dreams' and included the track on 'Dreaming My Dreams' (Epic Records, 2005).

Crystal Gayle's 'Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1976) was released on Friday 6 August 1976 and reached No.7 on the Billboard country albums chart.

'Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1976) included four charting singles on the Billboard country music singles chart, two of which reached the coveted No.1 position; 'You never miss a real good thing (till he says goodbye)' (No.1 for one week in January 1977) and 'Ready for the times to get better' (No.1 for one week in April 1978).

Other successful singles released from 'Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1976) included 'I'll do it all over again' (No.2, 1977) and 'One more time' (No.31, 1977).

'Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1976) also included Don Williams' 'Forgettin' 'bout you', along with Bob McDill's 'Right in the palm of your hand', which was a hit for Mel McDaniel in 1980 and was included on Mel McDaniel's 'I'm Countryfied' (Capitol Records, 1980).

Crystal Gayle's 'We Must Believe in Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977) was released on Friday 24 June 1977; the album became Crystal's highest selling album, reaching No.2 on the Billboard country album chart and No.12 on the Billboard pop album chart.

'We Must Believe in Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977) was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1978.

'We Must Believe in Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977) was also Crystal's first album to chart in the United Kingdom, where it reached No.15 and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

'We Must Believe in Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977) included Crystal's huge international chart hit 'Don't it make my brown eyes blue'; the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for four weeks in August/September 1977 and No.2 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, thus becoming her biggest hit.

'Don't it make my brown eyes blue' received considerable airplay worldwide.  Crystal earned a Grammy Award for 'Best Female Country Vocal Performance'.  She toured worldwide, including Britain with Kenny Rogers and China with Bob Hope, where she became the first person to record a performance on the Great Wall of China.

'Don't it make my brown eyes blue' brought songwriter Richard Leigh's second Country Music Association (CMA) 'Song of the Year' Award and netted two Grammy Awards.

'We Must Believe in Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977) became the first platinum album certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for a Nashville-based female artist.

'We Must Believe in Magic' (United Artists Records, 1977) also included 'River road', a track that reached No.64 on the Billboard country music singles chart when it was included on 'Favourites' (Liberty/United Records, 1980).

For the next ten years, between 1977 and 1987, Crystal Gayle would enjoy her greatest success; she was awarded the 'Female Vocalist of the Year' Award for two consecutive years (1977 and 1978) by the Country Music Association (CMA) for three years (1976, 1977 and 1979) by the Academy of Country Music (ACM).

Following the huge success of 'Don't it make my brown eyes blue', Crystal Gayle re-recorded 'Ready for the times to get better', a track that had been included on 'Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1976).

'Ready for the times to get better' subsequently was No.1 for one week on the Billboard country music singles chart in April 1978.  However, it failed to reach the Billboard Top 40 pop chart, stalling at No.52.

Crystal Gayle's 'When I Dream' (United Artists Records, 1978) was released on Friday 2 June 1978; the album reached No.2 on the Billboard Country Album Chart.

Two singles were released from the album, both of which reached No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1978/1979.

'Talking in your sleep' was No.1 for two weeks in August/September 1978 (it also peaked at No.18 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart), while 'Why have you left the one you left me for' was No.1 for two weeks in January/February 1979.

The title track, 'When I dream', was a re-recording & reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1979; the track had originally been included on 'Crystal Gayle' (United Artists Records, 1974).

A fourth single was also released from 'When I Dream' (United Artists Records, 1978); 'Heart mender' peaked at No.58.

'When I Dream' (United Artists Records, 1978) achieved a Gold Disc in 1978, but was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1982.  It was also Crystal Gayle's second album to chart in the United Kingdom, where it reached No.25 and was awarded a Silver Disc by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Crystal Gayle's 'We Should Be Together' (United Artists Records, 1978) was released on Tuesday 19 June 1979; the album reached No.9 on the Billboard country album chart and was Crystal's sixth and final album for United Artists Records.

'Two singles were released from We Should Be Together' (United Artists Records, 1978), both of which reached the Top 10 of the Billboard country music singles chart; 'Your kisses will' reached No.7, while 'Your old cold shoulder' reached No.5.

'We Should Be Together' (United Artists Records, 1978) also included two tracks written by Crystal Gayle and Bill Gatzimos, 'Beyond you' and 'Through believing in love songs'.

Crystal Gayle left United Artists Records and joined the artist roster at Columbia Records in 1979; she then saw the release of 'Miss The Mississippi' (Columbia Records, 1979) in September 1979, which reached No.3 on the Billboard country albums chart.

Three singles were released from 'Miss The Mississippi' (Columbia Records, 1979); 'Half the way' reached No.2 (No.15 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart), 'It's like we never said goodbye' was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in April 1980 (No.63 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart), while 'The blue side' reached No.8.

'Miss The Mississippi' (Columbia Records, 1979) was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1980.

Crystal Gayle's 'Classic Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1979) was released in 1979 and was a compilation album which highlighted Crystal's time at United Artists Records, which proved to be the height of her career.

'Classic Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1979) peaked at No.8 on the Billboard Country Music Albums chart and at No.62 on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart.  The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1980.

In the United Kingdom, 'Classic Crystal' (United Artists Records, 1979) was released in 1980 under the title of 'The Crystal Gayle Singles Album'; it reached No.7 on the UK album chart (Gayle's first and only UK Top 10 album) and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry.

Crystal Gayle's 'These Days' (Columbia Records, 1980) was released in August 1980; the album reached No.6 on the Billboard country album chart.

Three singles were released from 'These Days' (Columbia Records, 1980); 'If you ever change your mind' (No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in November/December 1980), 'Too many lovers' (No.1 for one week in August 1981) and 'Take it easy' (No.17, 1981).

When 'If you ever change your mind' was Grammy-nominated in the 'Best Country Vocal Performance' category, Crystal Gayle found herself competing, in the same category, with Sissy Spacek who was nominated for the title song from 'Coal Miner's Daughter', the acclaimed 1980 biopic in which Spacek portrayed Crystal Gayle's real-life sister Loretta Lynn.

In 1994, some fourteen years after its release, 'These Days' (Columbia Records, 1980) was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 copies.

Crystal Gayle's 'Hollywood, Tennessee' (Columbia Records, 1981) was released in August 1981; the album reached No.5 on the Billboard country album chart.

Four singles were released from 'Hollywood, Tennessee' (Columbia Records, 1981); 'The woman in me' (No.3, 1981), 'You never gave up on me' (No.5, 1981), 'Living in these troubled times' (No.9, 1982) and 'Keepin' power' (No.49, 1982).

Eddie Rabbitt's 'Radio Romance' (Elektra Records, 1982) was released on Friday 1 October 1982; the album, which reached No.5 on the Billboard country album chart, was released under the Elektra Records label, but Liberty Records eventually took over the copyrights.

'Radio Romance' (Elektra Records, 1982) included 'You and I', a duet with Crystal Gayle; the track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in December 1982 and reached No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.

In 2005, 'You & I' was ranked No.7 on Country Music Television's '100 Greatest Duets in Country Music'.  Crystal Gayle performed the duet with Raul Malo of The Mavericks since Eddie Rabbitt (Thursday 27 November 1941 - Thursday 7 May 1998) had died of lung cancer in 1998.

Crystal Gayle left Columbia Records in 1982 and signed a recording contract with Elektra Records; her first album for the label, 'True Love' (Elektra Records, 1982), was released in 1982; the album reached No.14 on the Billboard country album chart.

Three singles were released from 'True Love' (Elektra Records, 1982), all of which reached No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart.

'Til I gain control again', which was written by Rodney Crowell and featured Rodney on backing vocals, was No.1 for one week in February 1983, 'Our love is on the faultline' was No.1 for one week in June 1983 and 'Baby what about you' was No.1 for one week in September/October 1983.

'True Love' (Elektra Records, 1982) also included the oft-covered 'Everything I own', which was released as a single in the United Kingdom where it peaked at No.93 on the UK singles chart in early 1983.

Crystal Gayle's 'Cage The Songbird' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983) was released on Monday 17 October 1983; the album reached No.5 on the Billboard country album chart.

Four singles were released from 'Cage The Songbird' (Warner Bros. Records, 1983); 'The sound of goodbye', which was written by Hugh Prestwood, was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in January/February 1984, 'I don't wanna lose your love' reached No.2 in 1984, 'Turning away' was No.1 for one week in September/October 1984 and 'Me against the night reached No.4 in late 1984.

Crystal Gayle's 'Nobody Wants To Be Alone' (Warner Bros. Records, 1985) was released in 1985; the album reached No.17 on the Billboard country album chart.

Two singles were released from 'Nobody Wants To Be Alone' (Warner Bros. Records, 1985); 'Nobody wants to be alone' (No.3, early 1985 and 'A long and lasting love' (No.5, late 1985).

Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris' 'What If We Fall In Love' (Warner Bros. Records, 1985) was released in 1985; the album included 'Makin' up for lost time', which was also included on the Dallas television series and which was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in February 1986.

Crystal Gayle's 'Straight To The Heart' (Warner Bros. Records, 1986) was released in 1986; the album reached No.12 on the Billboard country album chart.

Four singles were released from 'Straight To The Heart' (Warner Brothers Records, 1986); 'Cry' (No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in October/November 1986), 'Straight to the Heart' (No.1 for one week in February 1987), 'Nobody should have to love this way' (No.26, 1986) and 'Only love can save me now' (No.11, 1986).

Lynn Anderson recorded 'Cry' and included the track on 'Cry' (Columbia Records, 1971); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in early 1972.

With 'Straight to the Heart' at No.1 for one week in February 1987, it was also a 'Happy New Year' for Crystal Gayle for another reason; she saw the culmination of a lifelong dream with the opening of Crystal's For Fine Jewellery and Gifts.

Located in the Belle Meade Shopping Plaza, near Nashville's upper-crust residential area, the Crystal's For Fine Jewellery and Gifts stores featured a classy mixture of Waterford crystal, attractive necklaces & fine silver; the store closed in August 2008.

Crystal Gayle's 'Nobody's Angel' (Warner Bros. Records, 1988) was released in 1988; the album reached No.63 on the Billboard country album chart.

One single was reased from 'Nobody's Angel' (Warner Bros. Records, 1988); 'Nobody's angel' reached No.22 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1988 and was Crystal Gayle's last Top 40 hit on that chart to date.

'Nobody's Angel' (Warner Bros. Records, 1988) also included Vince Gill and Don Schlitz's 'Prove me wrong', Beth Nielsen Chapman's 'When love is new' and Tom Campbell and Hugh Prestwood's 'Heat'.

Crystal Gayle's 'Ain't Gonna Worry' (Capitol Records, 1990) was released; although the album failed to make an appearance on the Billboard country album chart, one of its tracks, 'Never ending song of love', reached No.72 on the Billboard country music singles chart.

'Ain't Gonna Worry' (Capitol Records, 1990) also included Pat Alger and Gene Levine's 'Once in a very blue moon', Roger Brown's 'Just like the blues' and Pat Alger & Garth Brooks' 'What he's doing now'.

Crystal Gayle's 'Three Good Reasons' (Liberty Records, 1992) was released in 1992, but failed to make an appearance on the Billboard country album chart; the album included 'The least that I can do', which was written by Allen Holmes, James Dean Hicks and Roger Murrah.

Crystal Gayle's 'Best Always' (Branson Entertainment Records, 1993) was released in 1993 and included re-recordings of five of Crystal Gayle's greatest hits; 'Ready for the times to get better', 'When I dream', 'Talking in your sleep', 'Beyond you' and 'Don't it make my blue eyes blue'.

The remaining seven songs included on 'Best Always' (Branson Entertainment Records, 1993) were new recordings from Crystal Gayle and included Harlan Howard and Hank Cochran's 'I fall to pieces'.

In 1995, Crystal Gayle and Eddie Rabbitt (Thursday 27 November 1941 - Thursday 7 May 1998) contributed the duet 'I made a promise' to the soundtrack of the feature film 'Gordy'.

'Gordy' was a 1995 feature film about a piglet (named Gordy) who searches for his missing family (who are taken away to Omaha, Nebraska to a slaughterhouse).  The piglet experiences the lives of others which are part of the film's side plots, including travelling country music singer Luke McAllister who was played by Doug Stone.

Subsequent Crystal Gayle albums released included 'Someday' (Intersound Records, 1995), which included Gary Harrison and Karen Staley's 'Anchor deep', 'Crystal Gayle Sings The Heart and Soul of Hoagy Carmichael' (Platinum Records, 1999), 'In My Arms' (Panda Music Records, 2000) and 'All My Tomorrows' (Southpaw Records, 2003).

In January 2007, Crystal Gayle became involved in the hunt for fugitive Christopher Daniel Gay; Gay had escaped from custody at an Interstate 95 welcome centre near Hardeeville in South Carolina and had made his way to Tennessee where he stole Crystal's tour bus.

Gay drove the bus from Whites Creek in Tennessee to the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, parking the bus in a VIP spot next to NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Jeff Gordon.  Gay was subsequently arrested the following day and the bus was returned to Crystal.

Crystal Gayle was ranked No.33 in a 2002 Country Music Television (CMT) countdown of the '40 Greatest Women of Country Music'.  Crystal Gayle was awarded 'Best Female Entertainer' in 2007 by the Second Annual American Entertainment Magazine Reader's Choice Awards.

In February 2008, Crystal Gayle was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.

On Friday 2 October 2009, Crystal Gayle received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a ceremony in Hollywood, California.

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