by VICTORIA HENLEY
CTFashionMag.com
Legendary Grammy award-winning performer Crystal Gayle brought to life a non stop, high energy, exquisitely executed set of her chart-topping songs on Aug 24 at the stunning FMU Performing Arts Center in beautiful and quaint Florence, S.C.
I was afforded the opportunity to spotlight this dynamic show to bring you the inside scoop on what to expect during your visit to an evening with one of the music industry’s most legendary stars as well as a sneak peak into the exciting upcoming events calendar for FMU PAC.
The show opened with exquisite instrumentals performed by Gayle’s stellar ensemble of award-winning Nashville recording artists who comprised her band, including a stirring rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
The evening’s headliner was subsequently announced and she sauntered onto the stage, her complexion dewy and luminous, impeccably dressed in red and black with chic country western boots, her famous mane of hair trailing behind her.
Gayle — known equally for her silky, impossibly lengthy, raven colored mane, her famous family ties (her sister is the late, great country music icon, Loretta Lynn), and her crystal clear, tranquil vocal tonality– commanded the stage in a genteel, approachable manner throughout her nearly two-hour set.
She maintained a warm, approachable, affable disposition throughout the show, seamlessly interacting with audience members, her d bandmates, and even took time to give a shout out to self-proclaimed “Crystal Gayle Super Fan” and one of my dear friends and headlining jewelry designers, Angela Schneckcloth of Warrior Gurl Designs.
Some of the endless array of standout numbers performed during the show included the heartwarming ballad, “Somebody Loves You,” the hopeful and heart-wrenching “I’ll Get Over You,” the sweet ode to a loved one “You Never Gave up on Me,” and the chart topping tune “Talking in Your Sleep.”
Gayle also brought the nearly sold out audience to their feet with covers of the greatest country classics, including the Tennessee anthem “Rocky Top,” “Walking After Midnight” by cvountry queen Patsy Cline and “Coal Miner’s Daughter” by her superstar older sister.
The songstress closed out the epic show with arguably one of the greatest hits of her career, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” from her illustrious 1977 album “We Must Believe in Magic,” before making her way out to the expansive performing arts center’s lobby to interact with her adoring fans .
Numerous pieces of collectible Crystal Gayle franchised memorabilia were available for purchase following the show, including postcards, autographed signature photos, and the infamous Crystal Gayle shirt immortalized by Will Ferrell’s character Ricky Bobby in the slapstick race car spoof comedy, “ Talladega Nights.”
Be sure to follow this outstanding artist as well as the FMU Performing Arts Center for show dates and exclusive content you won’t find anywhere else.
Special thanks to the FMU PAC team and Gayle Enterprises for having us.
Crystal Gayle:
Website: https://crystalgayle.com/
Instagram @thecrystalgayle
FMU PAC:
Website: https://fmupac.org/events/
Instagram @fmupac
Phone Number: (843) 661-4444
