STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - CRYSTAL GAYLE - THESE DAYS

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Great Monday morning gang and welcome back to Stuck In The Vinyl Again . Today we are thrilled to celebrate the 72nd Birthday of Paintsville, Kentucky native, country music singer songwriter, and occasional actress, Crystal Gayle (Brenda Gail Webb). Happy Birthday Crystal ! She was born January 9, 1951 to parents, Clara Marie and Melvin Theodore Web and ws the youngest of 8 siblings, including fellow country music musicians, Loretta Lynn, Peggy Sue, and Brother Jay Lee Webb. They are also distant Cousins to Patty Loveless. Crystal got her start singing in church and recording demos while still in high school. At age 16 she played the Grand Old Opry, filling in for Loretta, and after high school signed to Decca Records. During her five decade career, she has released 25 studio albums, with her first being in 1975 and her latest in 2019, but today we take a look and a listen to her 8th. 

These Days was released August 1980 on the Columbia label and produced by Allen Reynolds. It peaked at #79 on the Billboard 200 and #6 on the Top Album Country charts. Three singles were released from the 10 track album ; "If You Ever Change Your Mind" (#18 US Adult Contemporary , #5 Canadian Adult Contemporary, #3 Canadian Country Tracks, #1 Hot Country Songs),  "Take It Easy" (#17 Hot Country Singles, #3 Canada Country Songs) and "Too Many Lovers" (#1 Canada Country Songs and Hot Country Songs).

1. "Too Many Lovers" Mark True, Ted Lindsay, Sam Hogin 3:46

2. "If You Ever Change Your Mind" Parker McGee, Bob Gundry 3:16

3. "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City" Michael Price, Daniel Walsh 3:50

4. "Same Old Story (Same Old Song)" Joe Sample, Will Jennings 3:12

5. "Help Yourselves to Each Other" Allen Reynolds, Bob McDill 2:50

6. "Take It Easy" Delbert McClinton 3:58

7. "I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone" Sample, Jennings 2:54

8. "You've Almost Got Me Believin'" Barbara Wyrick 3:30

9. "Lover Man" Maxwell Anderson, Kurt Weill 3:44

10. "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" Harry M. Woods 2:53

Crystal Gayle - lead and harmony vocals

Jon Goin, Chris Leuzinger, Billy Sanford - guitar
Tommy Cogbill, Richard "Spady" Brannan, Joe Allen - bass

Bobby Wood - acoustic piano, organ
Charles Cochran - electric and acoustic piano, string arrangements
Larrie Londin, Gene Chrisman, Kenny Malone - drums

Farrell Morris - tambourine

Jay Patten - saxophone
Denis Solee - saxophone, flute, clarinet

The Sheldon Kurland Strings (Carl Gorodetzky, Dennis Molchan, George Binkley, Lennie Haight, Marvin Chantry, Roy Christensen, Samuel Terranova, Sheldon Kurland, Stephanie Woolf, Virginia Christensen) - strings

Bruce Dees, David Loggins, Jennifer Kimball, Marcia Routh, Pebble Daniel, Steve Brantley - harmony vocals on "Take It Easy"

Technical

Garth Fundis, John Donegan - engineer

Virginia Team - art direction

Beverly Parker, Brian Hagiwara - photography