Talking Up Music Education is a podcast from The NAMM Foundation about music education. Recorded live from 2017 Summer NAMM, episode 35 includes an interview with Country Superstar Crystal Gayle, who is best known for her #1 crossover hit, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.”
Interviewed by The NAMM Foundation’s Mary Luehrsen, Gayle shares insights about growing up in a musical family, the importance of her favorite music teacher, and why being honored for an American Eagle Award for making contributions to a musical life in America—at Summer NAMM—was so significant.
“Music has been wonderful for me. It supported me in my early years. It gave back to me, and the school system gave back to me,” said Gayle. “ [Teachers] were there for me as a child, and we have to be there for our children now.”
Sound Bites From the Podcast
“My mother was a singer. She'd sing with her twin sister. My father played guitar. It was all around me, and so I was just elated when I found music in the schools.” - Crystal Gayle
“No matter who the child is, if they come from a musically rich family or just have a chance to dabble, they're going to become a different person if they have music education.” – Mary Luehrsen
“I was in the all the choirs. We had really, really good teachers, and they loved what they did. They weren't there just for a paycheck.” - Crystal Gayle
Talking Up Music Education is a podcast produced by The NAMM Foundation about music education. Host Mary Luehrsen chats with teachers, parents, students and community leaders who share stories about what they are doing to create music learning opportunities. Please download, share and subscribe to keep up with the stories that make a difference in music education advocacy.