On This Day (January 8) in 1940, Cristy Lane was born in Peoria, Illinois. After years of trying to find a foothold in the country music world, she released a series of hits in the 1970s and ’80s. Her cover of “One Day at a Time,” a Christian song co-written by Kris Kristofferson, became her biggest hit and inspired her to turn to faith-based music. The song also shares its title with Lane’s biography.
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Lane married Lee Stoller when she was 19. By the time she was 24, the couple had three children. She was seemingly happy to be a stay-at-home mom until her husband heard her singing one day. He was struck by her vocal talent and knew she could have a successful career in country music.
Lane’s story is one of tenacity and grit. She began singing in nightclubs and eventually landed a guest spot on a local radio station. However, according to her website, she initially couldn’t break into the Nashville scene. In 1969, she and Stoller, who had become her full-time manager, traveled to Vietnam, where she performed for the troops.
She almost gave up after the tour in Vietnam. However, Stoller convinced her to keep going. As a result, the family moved from the Midwest to Nashville in the early 1970s. Once there, Lane tried to land a deal with every label in town to no avail. In response to the rejection, her husband formed LS Records and began releasing Lane’s singles.
Cristy Lane Finds Success
She made her first appearance on the country chart in 1977 with “Tryin’ to Forget About You,” which peaked at No. 53. Later that year, she released “Let Me Down Easy,” which reached No. 7 on the country chart. In 1979, after multiple hit singles, she signed a deal with United Artists Records. She released her major label debut, Simple Little Words, the same year.
In 1980, Cristy Lane released the biggest hit of her career. “One Day at a Time” became her sole No. 1 single that June. It was different from the rest of her output. Co-written by Kris Kristofferson and Marijohn Wilkin, “One Day at a Time” was a Christian song. Its success inspired her to release albums aimed at the Christian music market.
According to AllMusic, Lane’s career slowed in 1982, when Stoller went to prison on federal bribery and racketeering charges. While he was behind bars, he penned Cristy Lane: One Day at a Time. When Stoller got out of prison, the couple began marketing the biography and her albums on cable TV, following the example of Slim Whitman.
Lane’s biography became a best-seller, moving millions of copies, according to her website.
The couple opened the Cristy Lane Theater in Branson, Missouri, in the early 1990s. There, Lane took the stage multiple times a week. Additionally, they hosted up-and-coming country artists. They sold the theater in 1995 after Lane sustained an injury from falling off the stage.
The script for a Cristy Lane biopic was written in 2012. The film is still forthcoming.
Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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