NEWS: CRYSTAL GAYLE HONORS HITMAKER WHO PENNED "DON'T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE"
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (November 2, 2015) – Country songstress Crystal Gayle dazzled during SESAC’s annual Nashville music awards ceremony Sunday evening (Nov. 1) when she performed her 1977 classic, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” in honor of veteran songwriter Richard Leigh.
SESAC recognized Leigh with the Songwriter Legacy Award for penning dozens of chart-toppers and country classics, including “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” which became a country-pop crossover smash for Gayle.
“Not only is Richard a phenomenal songwriter with lyrics that pull at the heartstrings, but he’s one of the most gracious and kind beings in this business. I’m so proud to honor him for his incredible talents,” Gayle said.
Leigh was joined on the red carpet by Gayle, who also recorded his first No. 1, "I'll Get Over You," in 1976. Gayle and Reba McEntire (“The Greatest Man I Never Knew”) honored Leigh with performances at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum during the ceremony.
"You might not always have this 'move-mountain' lyric or a crazy idea, but sometimes it works. And if you’re really lucky, you have a voice like Crystal Gayle’s delivering a soulful rendition,” Leigh said.
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CRYSTAL GAYLE ON TOUR:
Nov. 21 Bradley, IL
Dec. 4 Mahnomen, MN
Dec. 5 Sioux City, IA
Dec. 6 Branson, MO
Dec. 12 Kansas City, MO
ABOUT CRYSTAL GAYLE: Crystal Gayle is an award-winning country music living legend whose reign in the music business includes 20 number one country hits, six albums certified Gold by the RIAA and the first female artist in country music history to reach Platinum sales with her 1977 album,We Must Believe in Magic. Her her 1977 country-pop crossover hit song, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” became an iconic staple and solidified her as one of the top female vocalists during the 1970s and 1980s. Her list of platinum and gold was to be matched only by her awards and accolades. CMA's "Female Vocalist of the Year," for two consecutive years, she became a Grammy Award Winner for "Best Female Vocal Performance," thanks to her beloved "Brown Eyes" - a song that she today admits she has never grown tired of singing. Crystal swept the Academy of Country Music Awards for three of their "Top Female Vocalist" statuettes. She is the recipient of three "American Music Awards," voted by the nation as America's "Favorite Female Artist." Perhaps nothing sums up Crystal's career achievements as well as being awarded with a star on the fabled Hollywood Walk of Fame in October 2009. Also famous for her nearly floor-length hair, she was voted one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People Magazine in 1983. She is the younger sister (by 19 years) of singer Loretta Lynn, and a distant cousin of singer Patty Loveless. Gayle also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame near Lynn's star. For more information, visit crystalgayle.com.
ABOUT SESAC: SESAC is the only Music Rights Organization in the United States, serving both music users and creators with music licensing services that utilize sophisticated information technology and data science in order to provide timely, efficient royalty collection and distribution. SESAC is unique in its ability to offer singular licenses for the works of its affiliated writers and publishers that aggregate both performance and mechanical rights in order to drive greater efficiency in licensing for music users, as well as enhanced value for music creators and publishers.
SESAC's Performing Rights subsidiary is the second oldest and most progressive PRO in the U.S., the only PRO to pay monthly radio royalties and was the first PRO to pay songwriters and publishers for live performances in venues of any size. Its affiliate roster continues to grow, with recent signings such as Green Day, Mariah Carey, Zac Brown, Kesha, Charli XCX and Nikki Sixx joining established affiliates such as Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Lady Antebellum and the Kurt Cobain estate.
Following the acquisition of the Harry Fox Agency, the leading U.S. Mechanical Rights Organization, SESAC's Rumblefish subsidiary, a leader in music micro-licensing, was merged with HFA's Slingshot business unit under the Rumblefish brand. This powerful combination drives value for creators and users of music by delivering a comprehensive digital rights management platform designed to simplify the administration of musical compositions and master recordings, monetize network platforms such as YouTube and provide license verification services utilizing its RADKey® technology.
SESAC has offices in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Portland, San Francisco and London.
