CRYSTAL CLEAR

Crystal Waters performs her classics at Industry Bar’s annual holiday toy drive on Wednesday, November 28. We thought we would take this opportunity to clear up some of the muddy facts on Miss Waters and her 20-plus-year career in dance music.

DID YOU KNOW?

• After earning her business and computer science degree from Howard University, Crystal Waters worked as a computer technician with the Washington, D.C., parole board.

• Crystal Waters originally penned “Gypsy Woman” (the song best known for its “la da dee, la dee da” refrain) for dance diva Ultra Naté.  Waters recorded the demo and the producers were so taken by it, they drew up a recording contract for Waters and never passed the song on to Ultra Naté.

• Crystal Waters’ 1994 hit “100% Pure Love” remains one of the longest-charting singles on Billboard’s Hot 100. It stayed on the chart for 45 weeks (“Gypsy Woman” remained on the chart for 16 weeks).

• Recent hits “Come On Down” and “My Time,” both hit #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Airplay chart.

• Crystal Waters wrote and recorded a single, “Right and Exact,” under the alias Chrissy Ward.

• Kim Wayans parodied “Gypsy Woman” on the sketch comedy television show “In Living Color.”  Kim sang “My Songs Are Mindless (I Should Be Homeless).” Today, the clip is often mixed into Waters’ own music video and played at gay clubs, proving Waters has a sense of humor about it.

• Gypsy Woman’s keyboard-chord was sampled on rapper T.I.’s mega-hit “Why You Wanna.”

Industry Bar’s annual holiday toy drive is Wednesday, November 28. Crystal Waters performs at 11 p.m. Free admittance, but be sure to bring a toy for a needy child! Visit industry-bar.com for more information.