MultiMillion-selling singer Crystal Gayle has performed songs from a wide variety of genres during her award-studded career. But she has never devoted an album to classic country music until now.
You Don’t Know Me, is a collection of music that finds Crystal, exploring the songs of such country legends like George Jones, Patsy Cline, Buck Owens, and Eddy Arnold. The album might come as a surprise to those who associate Crystal with an uptown sound that made her a star on both country and adult-contemporary pop charts. But she has known this repertoire of hardcore country standards all her life.
Crystal became the first female country artist to earn a Platinum Record (1978)., entered the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame (2008), received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2009) and won induction into the cast of the Grand Ole Opry (2017).
She has also been fortunate to attain overseas stardom. Her music has found favor with audiences in Japan, Sweden, England, Holland, Spain, Korea (where “When I Dream” was a huge hit), Australia, Germany, Ireland, Finland, and The Philippines. She was the first country star to perform in China.
There is no doubt about the result of her impressive musical diversity. Crystal has one of the most wide-ranging repertoires of any country star.
Crystal has sung the works of Billie Holiday, Elton John, Kurt Weill, Carole King, Ray Charles, Jim Croce, Delanie & Bonnie, Jimmy Buffett, Bread, Neil Sedaka, Ian & Sylvia, Bill Withers, Delbert McClinton, Duke Ellington, Billy Vera, and Irving Berlin, among others.
She devoted an entire CD to the music of fellow Hoosier Hoagy Carmichael. She has also recorded albums comprised of Christmas, gospel and children’s music, as well as pop standards.
Crystal collaborated with Tom Waits on the soundtrack of the 1982 film One From the Heart. She recorded theme songs for the TV series Masquerade (1983, with Paul Williams), Dallas (1985, with Gary Morris) and the soap opera Another World (1987, with Gary Morris).
She has also recorded country classics. Sprinkled throughout her 25-album catalog are interpretations of Johnny Cash’s “I Still Miss Someone,” Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” Don Gibson’s “Oh Lonesome Me,” Ray Price’s “For the Good Times” and Jimmie Rodgers’ “Miss the Mississippi and You” plus tunes by such country greats as Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Marty Robbins and Rodney Crowell.
“They don’t write songs like they used to. Nashville is a treasure trove of writers with great songs. And then there are these, which are classic. I wish young artists and producers would listen to this kind of music. I think people should record more of these.”