Crystal Gayle in Poway on Feb. 14

By Emily Sorensen

Valentine’s Day will be a little more romantic this year in Poway, thanks to ‘70s chanteuse Crystal Gayle, who will be performing a concert at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Gayle, best know for her signature song “Don’t You Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” promises the night will on audiences will enjoy.

“I always say that we just have fun, and we want the audience to have fun,” said Gayle, who is traveling with her sister, Peggy, as well as her “great band.” “We just go sing and have fun,” Gayle said. As an added romantic touch, the first 200 concert-goers through the doors will receive a Valentine’s Day rose compliments of Crystal Gardens Florist.

For Gayle, talents run in the family. Born in Paintsville, Ky., and raised in Indiana, Gayle was the youngest out of eight children, including her older sister, country legend Loretta Lynn.

“My mother said I could sing before I could walk,” said Gayle. While she was still in school, she signed her first recording contract and reached the Top 20 of the country music charts with a song written by Loretta Lynn, “I’ve Cried the Blue Right Out of My Eyes.”

Hoping to follow in her older’s sisters footsteps and find success in the music business, Gayle wisely heeded her sister’s advice. “She told me, ‘quit singing my songs, we have one Loretta Lynn, we don’t need another,’” said Gayle. Intending to differentiate herself from her famous sibling, Gayle went for less country, more middle-of-the-road sound.

This choice brought her great success. Gayle attributes part of her success to her initial recording company, United Artist Records.

“They believed in me as an artist, and not just as a sister of Loretta Lynn,” said Gayle. Developing her own unique music style, Gayle scored a number of top-10 country hits, including “Wrong Road Again,” “I’ll Get Over You,” “You Never Miss A Real Good Thing (Till He Says Goodbye),” and “I’ll Do It All Over Again,” before crossing over in 1977 with “Don’t You Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” a jazz-flavored ballad that would become her biggest hit and her signature song, and which won her a Grammy in 1978.

In her career, Gayle has released 22 albums, 11 compilation albums and three video albums covering a wide variety of genres from country, to gospel to children’s songs, with her latest album being 2003’s standards album “All My Tomorrows.”

Fans who have been eagerly waiting for a new album from Gayle may not have to wait much longer.

“I have a couple of projects that will be out this year,” said Gayle. “I’ve been taking my time.” Gayle also said that she had been working with son Chris on her new albums.

Though she doesn’t tour as much as she used to, Gayle continues to develop her unique sound.

“I just love to sing all styles of music,” Gayle said. “I’ll try to sing it, even if I can’t.”

Tickets for “An Intimate Evening with Crystal Gayle” are $55 for adults, $10 for youth (under 18 years of age with the purchase of an adult ticket). The Poway Center for the Performing Arts is located at 15498 Espola Road, Poway. For more information, call the box office at 858-748-0505 or visit www.powayarts.org.