''Straight to the Heart'' is the thirteenth album by the American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

singer Crystal Gayle. Released in August 1986, it peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Country Albums chart. Two singles from the album, "Cry" and "Straight to the Heart", both reached number 1 on the Country Singles Chart in 1986. Further hits were "Nobody Should Have To Love This Way" at number 26, and "Only Love Can Save Me Now" at number 11. Three songs: "Deep Down", "Lonely Girl” and "Cry" were performed on several episodes of the daytime drama ''Another World'' in 1987, with Gayle appearing as herself.

Track listing

Personnel

* Crystal Gayle – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 9) * Mike Lawler – synthesizers (1-7, 9, 10) * David Innis – synthesizers (2, 3) * Charles Cochran – synthesizers (4-7), acoustic piano (9) *

Vince Melamed Vincent Edward "Vince" Melamed is an American keyboardist and songwriter who resides in Nashville, Tennessee. He was born in New York, and moved to Los Angeles at an early age. Melamed has appeared with many bands as a keyboardist (Bob Dylan, J.D ...

– synthesizers (10) * Steve Gibson – electric guitar (1-4, 6-9), acoustic guitar (2, 4, 5, 9) *

Josh Leo Josh Leo (born 1953 in Des Moines, Iowa) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer active in Nashville, Tennessee. Leo was born in Des Moines, Iowa, but was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1976, he moved to Chicago, Illinois ...

– electric guitar (1-7, 10), acoustic guitar (8), percussion (10) *

Larry Byrom Steppenwolf was an American-Canadian rock band that was prominent from 1968 to 1972. The group was formed in late 1967 in Los Angeles by lead singer John Kay, keyboardist Goldy McJohn, and drummer Jerry Edmonton, all formerly of the Canadian ...

– electric guitar (2, 3, 4, 7) * Reggie Young – electric guitar (5, 9) *

John McFee John McFee (born September 9, 1950, Santa Cruz, California) is an American singing, singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, and long-time member of The Doobie Brothers. Biography Some of McFee's early and no ...

– electric guitar (8), backing vocals (8) * Sonny Garrish – steel guitar (2) * Michael Rhodes – bass (1-4, 6, 8, 9, 10) * Larry Paxton – bass (5) *

Tom Robb Tom Robb (July 12, 1948 – March 6, 2006) was an American session bassist who is best known for his work with acts like Dionne Warwick, Little Richard, Dolly Parton, The Marshall Tucker Band, and many others. He was also the featured bassist on ...

– bass (7) *

James Stroud James Stroud is an American musician and record producer who works in pop, rock, R&B, soul, disco, and country music. He played with the Malaco Rhythm Section for Malaco Records. In the 1990s, he was the president of Giant Records (a subsidiar ...

– drums (1, 4-10), percussion (1, 10) *

Eddie Bayers Eddie Bayers (born January 28, 1949) is an American session drummer who has played on 300 gold and platinum albums. He received the Academy of Country Music 'Drummer of the Year Award' for fourteen years, has three times won the Nashville Music ...

– drums (2, 3) *

Jim Horn James Ronald Horn (born November 20, 1940) is an American saxophonist, woodwind player, and session musician. Biography Horn was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for f ...

– saxophone (2, 7) * Bergen White – string arrangements and conductor (2, 9) * Bruce Dees – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 6, 9) * Cindy Richardson – backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 9, 10) * Val & Birdie (Frank Saulino and James Valentini) – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 6, 9) * Philip Forrest – backing vocals (2) * Lisa Silver – backing vocals (2) * Diane Tidwell – backing vocals (2) * Dennis Wilson – backing vocals (2, 3, 10) * Larry Lee – backing vocals (3, 10) *

Harry Stinson Harry Stinson (born June 3, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian real estate developer from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is president of Stinson Properties, Inc. He has been called Toronto's "condo king". Biography Stinson's most significant ...

– backing vocals (3, 10) *

Tim Goodman Timothy Goodman (born September 10, 1950) is an American country music singer-songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and producer who has recorded for RCA, Columbia Records and Warner Brothers and performed on numerous sessions for other recording ar ...

– backing vocals (8) *

Keith Knudsen Keith A. Knudsen ( ; February 18, 1948 – February 8, 2005) was an American rock drummer, vocalist, and songwriter. Knudsen was best known as a drummer and vocalist for The Doobie Brothers. In addition, he founded the band Southern Pacific wit ...

– backing vocals (8)

Production

* Crystal Gayle – album direction * Jim Ed Norman – producer * Eric Prestidge – recording, mixing, mastering * Lee Groitzsch – additional recording, recording assistant * Chris Hammond – recording assistant * Bob Vogt – recording assistant * Denny Purcell – mastering * Georgetown Masters (Nashville, Tennessee) – mastering location * Laura LiPuma – art direction, design * Stuart Watson – photography

Chart performance

References

*http://www.allmusic.com/album/straight-to-the-heart-mw0000891712 {{DEFAULTSORT:Straight To The Heart (Crystal Gayle Album) Crystal Gayle albums 1986 albums Warner Records albums Albums produced by Jim Ed Norman