For many of us, Crystal Gayle’s story is indelible: the silky voice with the hair to match, the legendary Loretta Lynn’s youngest sister who found her own way in the music world. She appears this Saturday at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre for shows at 5 and 8 p.m. Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue, Talking In Your Sleep, Half The Way and lots more. OIB has a special ticket offer: buy a minimum of four standard orchestra seats for only $100. Just $25 a ticket. Offer is only good by calling the box office 203-576-1636, between 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. offer code: BPT. So grab your friends and we’ll see you on Saturday. Crystal touches on her career, song choices, family and hair in a chat with OIB below:
Q. Your voice has complemented the work of some of the greatest American songwriters including Cole Porter. Your duet with Eddie Rabbitt “You and I” is a classic. How have you gone about choosing song selections through the years?
A. The melody of the song hits me first. If I like the melody, then I listen to the lyrics more closely. With a song like “You and I,” Frank Myers, who wrote the song, had both great lyrics and melody.
Q. How much of your decision to develop into a crossover/middle-of-the-road stylist was a product of personally defining yourself from your sister Loretta Lynn’s music?
A. I grew up listening to many different styles of music. My sister Loretta gave me the best advice when I started recording and that was to stop singing her songs. She knew we would only be compared to one another so she said I should sing more “MOR,” middle of the road. And she was right.
Q. By the time you reached your mid twenties your star power was through the charts. Looking back do you feel you were able to enjoy those moments, or did the time move quickly?
A. Time always seems to move quickly, but looking back I got to travel to so many wonderful places all over the world and I’ve made very special friends along the way. I’m still making new friends today. That’s what I enjoy most.
Q. You are the youngest of 8 children. What advice do you have for navigating a large family?
A. Yes, I am the youngest of 8. There are 21 years between the first born and me, so Mom raised kids for a long time! My Mom always said we had a lot of love in that little house, a roof over our heads and food on the table. It doesn’t take much more than that.
Q. For those of us follicularly challenged my final question is one I ask often of musicians, primarily men, but you have such an expertise on the subject of hair I am compelled to ask for your hypothesis: Why do so many male musicians manage to keep their hair? Was it the sex, drugs and rock and roll of their youth?
A. I would think some have good genetics, some have good hairdressers, some have great hair pieces and some have great hats. Whatever works!
