Cristy Lane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cristy Lane
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| Born |
Eleanor Johnston
January 8, 1940 Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1966–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Lee Stoller
(m. 1959) |
| Children | 3 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels |
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Cristy Lane (born Eleanor Johnston; January 8, 1940) is an American singer known for her Christian and country songs. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she had many popular songs on the country music charts. Some of her big hits included "Let Me Down Easy" and "I Just Can't Stay Married to You". Her most famous song, "One Day at a Time", even reached number one! This song was so popular that it inspired a book with the same name. The book and her music were sold on TV, which made many more people interested in Cristy Lane's career.
Cristy grew up in Peoria, Illinois. When she was 19, she married Lee Stoller. They had three children. One day, Lee heard Cristy singing at home and thought she had a beautiful voice. He believed she could become a successful country music singer. Soon, Lee became her full-time manager. In 1966, she released her first song on a small record label. For several years, Cristy recorded songs for small labels, but they didn't become hits. In 1969, Cristy and Lee traveled to the Far East. She performed over 100 shows for American soldiers during the Vietnam War. This experience was very difficult, and Cristy thought about quitting music. But she decided to keep going.
In the early 1970s, her family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to try again with her country singing career. Major record companies weren't interested in signing her. So, Lee decided to start his own record company called LS Records. Cristy Lane started releasing singles on LS Records in the mid-1970s. In 1977, her song "Let Me Down Easy" became her first big hit. After that, she had many more top ten hits. In 1979, Cristy signed with United Artists Records. There, she recorded "One Day at a Time," which became her biggest song ever. This success led Cristy to record many Christian music albums in the 1980s. These included albums like One Day at a Time (1981) and Footprints in the Sand (1983).
In 1983, Lee Stoller published Cristy's biography, also called One Day at a Time. This book, along with her music albums, sold over a million copies. For many years, Cristy Lane's biography and recordings were sold through TV commercials and online. In the 1990s, Cristy and Lee opened a theater in Branson, Missouri. They put on shows there for several years.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Cristy Lane was born Eleanor Johnston in Peoria, Illinois. She was one of 12 children in her family. The Johnston family lived in a small two-bedroom home in East Peoria, Illinois. Her father gave her the nickname "Ellie," which she used during her childhood. As a child, Ellie loved listening to the family's kitchen radio. It often played soap operas and popular songs.
During her school years, Ellie took a special class for a speech impediment she had. Other kids sometimes teased her because of her lisp and small size. She graduated from East Peoria High School in the late 1950s.
Ellie learned about country music from her husband, Lee Stoller. She met him when she was a teenager. Her favorite country artists were Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, and Marty Robbins. After they married, the Stollers lived in an apartment. Later, they bought a small converted garage in the same area. By 1964, they had three children. Ellie Stoller worked at a printing company, and Lee worked as a salesman. In 1965, Lee heard Ellie singing Patti Page's "Tennessee Waltz" and was very impressed. From then on, Lee believed she could become a country music star. He encouraged her to sing for others.
Career Journey
1966–1972: Starting her Music Journey and Performing for Soldiers
Lee Stoller helped Cristy start her singing career. He made a recording of her voice in their living room. He even taped a microphone to a chair! Lee then arranged for a local nightclub owner to hear Cristy sing. Cristy was very shy and nervous about performing in public. She remembered thinking, "What am I doing up here?" But once the band started playing "Paper Roses," she was able to sing the song. After her performance, the audience clapped, and she sang more songs that night.
During this time, Lee changed her name from Ellie Stoller to "Cristy Lane." He also had her dye her hair. Performing publicly made Cristy feel scared and worried. Lee had her read self-help books and see a doctor to help with her shyness. Even so, they continued her singing career. She found more work performing in nightclubs. She also got a chance to sing on a local country music TV show in Chicago called National Barn Dance. The Stollers also opened two nightclubs in the late 1960s where Cristy could perform regularly.
In 1966, the Stollers went to Nashville. Cristy recorded several songs there. She recorded "Janie Took My Place" and other songs like "I'm Saving My Kisses." But major country record labels were not interested in Cristy's music. Even though Lee met with famous producers, they didn't want to sign her. Finally, a small independent label called K-Ark Records signed Cristy. In 1966, K-Ark released "Janie Took Place" as her first song. Lee paid to make the records and promoted them himself.
Cristy's early music was described as a "country-pop sound." Lee called her "the female Jim Reeves" and "the Sweetest Voice This Side of Heaven." Despite his efforts, Cristy's early country music career was not successful. She recorded more songs for K-Ark and other small labels until 1972, but they didn't become hits.
In 1969, Cristy and her husband traveled to Vietnam to perform for American soldiers during the Vietnam War. This tour was planned very quickly. Cristy performed 120 concerts, sometimes very close to where fighting was happening. She performed even when she heard bombs and fighter jets nearby. Sometimes, she had to hide to stay safe. After returning to the United States, Cristy recorded her first album, Cristy Lane Salutes G.I.'s of Viet Nam, in 1969. It was dedicated to the soldiers fighting overseas.
After coming home from Vietnam, Cristy felt very unhappy. She continued performing at "The Flame" nightclub, but her schedule was too busy. She was also constantly thinking about the difficult experiences she had seen during the war. Cristy thought about quitting music. But after thinking about it for several days, she changed her mind. She decided she wanted to keep singing. In 1972, the Stollers moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to try again to make Cristy a country music star.
1972–1981: Becoming a Star and "One Day at a Time"
After moving to Nashville, Lee Stoller learned more about the country music business. He arranged for Cristy to record several songs. He also regularly visited Nashville to try and get major record labels interested in Cristy's music. But all the big labels said no. So, Lee decided to start his own record company. He named it LS Records. LS Records began releasing Cristy Lane's songs in 1976. Her first two songs to appear on the American country charts were "Tryin' to Forget About You" and "Sweet Deceiver."
In 1977, Cristy recorded "Let Me Down Easy." This song became her first major country hit, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Cristy's success continued with her next three songs. Between 1977 and 1978, she had top ten hits with "I'm Gonna Love You Anyway" and "Penny Arcade". Her song "Shake Me I Rattle" also reached the top 20. These songs were on her second album, Cristy Lane Is the Name, released in 1978. Billboard magazine liked the album.
In November 1978, the song "I Just Can't Stay Married to You" was released. It reached the top five on the Billboard country chart. It also became a top ten hit in Canada. Her third album, Love Lies, came out in December 1978. As Cristy became more popular, music critics noticed her. One critic, Greg Adams, described her voice as "light," "pretty," and "distinctive." He gave her Love Lies album four stars and called it "among her best." Her success was recognized by the Academy of Country Music Awards. They named her their "Top New Female Vocalist" in 1979.
After Cristy won the ACM award, Lee Stoller faced some challenges with their record distribution. Lee arranged for Cristy to sign with United Artists Records in 1979. The label released her 1979 song, "Simple Little Words." This song became her fifth top ten hit. United Artists agreed to use the LS record label logo on Cristy's recordings. They also put songs from her previous albums onto her next album, Simple Little Words. This album was released in September 1979 and reached number 38 on the Billboard Top Country Albums list. It also included two other top 20 country songs, "Slippin' Up, Slippin' Around" and "Come to My Love".
In the late 1970s, Cristy started singing the Christian song "One Day at a Time" in her live shows. Fans loved the song, so Cristy decided to record it. Cristy and Lee wanted to release it as a single. However, United Artists was unsure. They thought the song was too religious for country radio stations. But Cristy eventually got approval to release the song. At first, some radio DJs weren't sure about "One Day at a Time." But Lee Stoller worked hard to promote the song by calling radio stations all the time. In 1980, the song became number one on the Billboard country singles chart. It was Cristy Lane's first and only song to reach the top spot! The song was included on her album Ask Me to Dance (1980). This album was Cristy's highest-charting country album, reaching number 14.
Cristy's career continued to grow, and she appeared on television often. In the early 1980s, she was on shows like The Dinah Shore Show and The Merv Griffin Show. Her next song was a cover of ABBA's "I Have a Dream" (1981). This song was her last to reach the top 20. An album with the same name followed. Cristy continued to record country and pop songs. Between 1981 and 1982, she had top 40 country hits with "Love to Love You", "Cheatin' Is Still on My Mind", and "Lies on Your Lips".
1982–Present: Christian Music and New Adventures
In 1982, Cristy Lane's country music success started to slow down. Her songs didn't reach as high on the charts. Her album Here's to Us (1982) only reached number 42 on the country albums list. This decline in sales was partly because Lee Stoller was unable to handle his usual responsibilities of promoting and managing her career. For the first time, Cristy had to tour without her husband. When she wasn't on stage, she spent most of her time reading in her bus. She tried to stay cheerful for her band.
While he was away, Lee wrote Cristy's life story, also called One Day at a Time. In 1983, the book was published and sold over one million copies. Advertisements for Cristy's music and life story were placed in magazines. Lee also used cable television to sell the album, often with her 1981 gospel album of the same name. The increase in sales for her Christian music led Lee to focus Cristy's career more on that genre.
In 1983, Cristy's musical version of the poem "Footprints in the Sand" became popular on Christian radio. A Christian album with the same name followed in 1983. This album also appeared on the Billboard country albums list. The album was re-released several times, which helped its sales. Cristy left Liberty Records in 1985 and began recording only for LS Records. Her next album was Harbor Lights, which featured classic pop songs. In 1986, she released a patriotic song for Vietnam veterans. In 1987, she released a holiday album called White Christmas.
In 1987, a couple of her songs reached minor positions on the Billboard country chart, including a cover of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands". In 1988, LS Records released Cristy's album All in His Hands. This album, which featured more Christian songs, was sold on television. In 1991, she released an album of secular cover songs. In the 1990s, Cristy and Lee opened the "Cristy Lane Theater" in Branson, Missouri. Cristy was one of the first country artists to use Branson as a place for music fans to visit. The theater also helped new music acts get started. The theater was sold after Cristy had an accident in 1995 and injured her leg.
When the internet became popular in the late 1990s, Cristy and Lee started selling her music through her official website. Her older Christian songs were put into new collections during this time. This was very successful! In 2003, her collection One Day At A Time: 22 All Time Favorites Vol. I & II was her first album since 1983 to appear on the country albums chart, reaching number 62. In August 2003, the Veterans of Foreign Wars in San Antonio, Texas, honored her for her support of the military. She was inducted into their hall of fame, becoming the first female country performer to receive this honor. There were also plans to make a movie about Cristy's life, but it has not been made yet.
Discography
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top New Female Vocalist | Won | |
| 1983 | 26th Annual Grammy Awards | Best Inspirational Performance – "I've Come Back (To Say I Love You One More Time)" | Nominated |
Images for kids
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Cristy Lane
