Cristy Lane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cristy Lane
Born	Eleanor Johnston (1940-01-08) January 8, 1940 (age 85) Peoria, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1966–present
Spouse(s)	Lee Stoller ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	3
Musical career
Genres	Country Christian
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	K-Ark Spar Extremely Brave United Artists Liberty LS

Cristy Lane (born Eleanor Johnston on January 8, 1940) is an American singer known for her Christian and country songs. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she became famous for hit songs like "Let Me Down Easy" and "I Just Can't Stay Married to You". Her most famous song was the number one hit, "One Day at a Time". This song was so popular it inspired a book about her life, which brought even more fans to her music.

Lane grew up in Peoria, Illinois. She married Lee Stoller when she was 19 and they had three children. One day, Stoller heard his wife singing at home and believed she could be a star. He became her manager, and by 1966, she released her first song. For years, she recorded music but didn't have much success. In 1969, Lane and Stoller traveled to Asia to perform for American soldiers during the Vietnam War. The trip was very difficult, and she considered quitting her music career.

In the early 1970s, the family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to focus on Lane's singing. After being turned down by major record companies, Stoller started his own label called LS Records. In 1977, Lane had her first big hit with "Let Me Down Easy." More hit songs followed, and in 1979, she signed with United Artists Records. It was there she recorded "One Day at a Time," which became the biggest hit of her career. The song's success led her to record more Christian music in the 1980s.

In the early 1980s, Lane's career slowed down after her husband faced serious legal problems. When he returned, he published her life story in a book, also called One Day at a Time. The book and her albums were sold on television and became very popular. For many years, her story and music have been sold through TV, online, and in stores. In the 1990s, she and her husband opened a theater in Branson, Missouri, where she performed for several years.

Early Life and Family

Cristy Lane was born Eleanor Johnston in Peoria, Illinois. She was one of 12 children in her family. Her family lived in a small two-bedroom house in the nearby town of East Peoria, Illinois. Her father gave her the nickname "Ellie," which she was called when she was young. As a child, Ellie loved listening to the radio. She had a lisp (a type of speech difficulty) and was sometimes teased at school for it.

She met her husband, Lee Stoller, in her late teens. He introduced her to country music artists like Eddy Arnold and Jim Reeves. After they got married, they had three children. Ellie worked at a printing company, and her husband worked as a salesman. In 1965, Stoller heard her singing the song "Tennessee Waltz" and was very impressed. He thought she had a beautiful voice and encouraged her to become a professional singer.

Beginning a Music Career

First Steps as a Singer

To start her career, Lee Stoller recorded his wife singing in their living room. He then invited a local nightclub owner to hear her. Ellie was very shy and was nervous about performing in front of people. At her first show, she was scared to go on stage. But once the band started playing, she sang the song "Paper Roses" and the audience loved it.

Lee changed her name from Ellie Stoller to Cristy Lane. He also became her manager. Performing in public was still hard for Lane because of her shyness. She continued to sing at nightclubs and even appeared on a country music TV show in Chicago called National Barn Dance. The Stollers also opened their own nightclubs so Lane would have a place to perform regularly.

Trying to Get a Record Deal

In 1966, the Stollers went to Nashville to record some songs. Lane recorded "Janie Took My Place" and a few others. But every major record label in Nashville said no. Even famous producers like Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins were not interested. Finally, a small independent label called K-Ark Records signed her. In 1966, K-Ark released "Janie Took My Place" as her first single.

Stoller worked hard to promote her music, but her early songs were not successful. She recorded for a few other small labels until 1972, but none of her songs became hits. Stoller described her as "the female Jim Reeves" because of her smooth singing style.

Touring in Vietnam

In 1969, Lane and her husband traveled to Vietnam to perform for American soldiers during the war. The tour was planned very quickly. She performed over 100 shows, sometimes very close to the fighting. It was a dangerous and difficult experience. She saw many sad things that made her unhappy for a long time after she returned home.

When she got back to the United States, she recorded her first album, Cristy Lane Salutes G.I.'s of Viet Nam. The album was dedicated to the soldiers she met. After the tour, she felt overwhelmed and thought about quitting music. But after some time, she decided to continue. In 1972, the Stollers moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to try again to make her a country music star.

Rise to Country Music Stardom

Breakthrough with LS Records

After moving to Nashville, Lee Stoller learned more about the music business to help his wife's career. He paid for her to record more songs, but the major labels still weren't interested. So, Stoller decided to start his own record company, LS Records. He began releasing Lane's singles in 1976. Her songs "Tryin' to Forget About You" and "Sweet Deceiver" were the first to appear on the American country music charts.

In 1977, Lane recorded "Let Me Down Easy". The song became her first major hit, reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. This success was followed by more top ten hits, including "I'm Gonna Love You Anyway" and "Penny Arcade". These songs appeared on her 1978 album, Cristy Lane Is the Name.

Cristy Lane in Billboard magazine, 1977

Becoming a Top Female Vocalist

In late 1978, her song "I Just Can't Stay Married to You" reached the top five on the Billboard country chart. With her growing fame, music writers started to notice her. They described her voice as "light," "pretty," and "distinctive." In 1979, the Academy of Country Music Awards named her "Top New Female Vocalist."

After winning the award, Lane signed with a major label, United Artists Records, in 1979. Her first single with them, "Simple Little Words", became another top ten hit. The label released her album Simple Little Words, which included some of her older songs and some new ones. It was a popular album and had other hit singles like "Slippin' Up, Slippin' Around".

The Success of "One Day at a Time"

In the late 1970s, Lane started singing a Christian song called "One Day at a Time" in her shows. Fans loved it, and she wanted to release it as a single. Her record label was worried that a religious song wouldn't be played on country radio. But Lane and her husband insisted.

At first, not many radio stations played it. But Lee Stoller called them again and again to promote the song. In 1980, "One Day at a Time" went to number one on the Billboard country chart. It was her first and only number one hit. The song was included on her album Ask Me to Dance, which became her best-selling album. Her next single, "Sweet ... Eyes", was also a top ten hit.

Later Career and Christian Music

New Music in the Early 1980s

Lane's success continued with frequent appearances on TV shows. In 1981, she released a cover of ABBA's song "I Have a Dream". It was her last song to reach the top 20 on the country charts. She continued to record country and pop songs, and had several more top 40 hits.

In 1982, Lane's career slowed down. Her husband had to step away from his work for a while due to legal troubles. This made it difficult to promote her music. For the first time, Lane had to tour without him. She felt lonely and sad during this time.

Focus on Christian Music

While he was away, Stoller wrote a book about Lane's life, also called One Day at a Time. The book was published in 1983 and sold over a million copies. It was sold on TV along with her Christian music album of the same name. The success of her Christian music led her to focus more on that genre.

In 1983, her song "Footprints in the Sand" was a hit on Christian radio. She released more Christian albums and inspirational music throughout the 1980s. She also opened the "Cristy Lane Theater" in Branson, Missouri, where she performed for many years.

Today, Lane continues to sell her music through her official website. Her inspirational songs have been put together in different collections. In 2003, she was honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars for her support of the military.

Discography

Awards and nominations