Country-pop icon Crystal Gayle is famous for two things: first, being one of the most successful crossover artists, and second, her signature long hair.
Gayle grew up with short hair, as her mother kept it that way. However, seeing a woman with very long hair who reached down to her knees in Nashville inspired her to do the same.
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She then started growing her short hair until it became long enough by the late 1970s. Gayle already had a growing fanbase during this time with her crossover success, and her long hair boosted her following.
By the ’90s, her hair had grown to floor length, but maintaining her long hair for decades definitely wasn’t easy, and there were times that she considered cutting it all off.
As The Los Angeles Times wrote, Gayle’s hair was so long that it gave her headaches and neck ache. Also, it took so long for her to wash and completely dry her hair. Lastly, combing it was the worst part of the whole process.
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Speaking with PEOPLE, she confessed that there were days when she just wanted to take the scissors. However, her young children would tell her she wouldn’t be Crystal Gayle if she chopped off her hair. Though they had since been waiting for the moment that she would finally decide to do so.
That said, fans need not worry. Gayle will keep her long, straight hair because as much as everyone felt it was hard to keep it (including her), it was still the easier option for her. She said she’d probably love to try all the different hairstyles, but she was no beautician, and long hair was easier to style. She only needed to wash it, then let it dry, and she was done.
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Also, she actually visits her hairdresser from time to time. Within a year, around 9 to 12 inches of her hair is cut to ensure it’s still healthy.
Crystal Gayle’s visual, which included her long hair, also earned her the “sexy symbol status.” In 2003, writers Robert Oermann and Mary Bufwack wrote that music fans would forever remember the singer for her sexy hair toss that they described as “sent waves of motion through her Godiva-like brunette tresses.”
