Jackie & Gayle

American pop/folk singing duo from late summer of 1964 until late 1966. Jackie Miller and Gayle Caldwell were part of The New Christy Minstrels during that group's peak years (1962 through early 1964). They left to form their own duo called "Jackie and Gayle". In their 2-year career together, they made 173 television appearances. They were regulars on ABC's Shindig, The John Davidson Kraft Summer Music Hall on NBC, semi regulars on Hullabaloo and the Red Skelton Show; as well as several appearances on The Tonight Show. They left the Minstrels in February 1964 and were quickly snapped up by the William Morris Agency and signed by Capitol Records. Gayle Caldwell sultry contralto range and high soprano range and Jackie's alto voices complemented each other, especially when they sang in harmony. It was most effectively captured on softer, acoustic folk material. By late 1964, the popularity of folk music was fading fast so Capitol Records pushed the ladies in a pop girl group direction. For their debut release, the label had the ladies record a novelty tune "Why Can't My Teacher Look Like Mr. Novak" produced by David Gates and released at the end of 1964. It tanked and the label dropped them. They were soon signed by Mainstream Records in 1965 and then United Artists in 1966, releasing two singles for each label with no success. They appeared together in movies "Wild on the Beach" (1965) and "Wild, Wild Winter" (1966). Jackie and Gayle broke up their duo at the close of 1966. Gayle later became a singer/songwriter, penning "Cycles" for Frank Sinatra and other songs recorded by such artists as Astrud Gilberto, Nancy Wilson, O.C. Smith, Eydie Gorme, and many others. Jackie married singer/TV host John Davidson and focused on raising a family, but they divorced in the early 80's. Jackie eventually remarried and, most recently, has been performing in a folk duo with her current husband, Gary Brandt, as Jackie and Gary.