Jani Lane Dead at 47

Jani Lane Gallery : Jani Lane (born John Kennedy Oswald, February 1, 1964 – August 11, 2011) was an American recording artist and the lead vocalist, frontman, lyricist and main songwriter for the glam metal band Warrant.

Jani Lane Gallery : Jani will be missed by all. Very unexpected and tragic news of his untimely death. Jani just wrote the updated bio (himself) and had been recording lots of new music. God bless him.

Jani Lane Gallery : Lane was born as John Kennedy Oswald on February 1, 1964 in Akron, Ohio, the youngest of five children of Robert and Eileen Oswald and youngest brother to Marcy, Eric, Michelle, and Victoria. Having an older brother (Eric Oswald) as an accomplished guitarist already, and having learned to play drums at the age of four with his brother guiding and teaching him, he was then introduced to bands by his sister Vicky (Ley) and his parents, Bob and Eileen. Lane played drums under the name "Mitch Dynomite" in clubs by age 11 ("Mitch Dynomite" is listed as the drummer in the credits for Warrant's Latest and Greatest CD). Throughout the years, Lane would sometimes jump behind the kit to play with his band, and he had played the drums in various formats and gigs.

Jani Lane Gallery :

Jani Lane Gallery : Graduating from Field High School in Mogadore, Ohio in 1982, Lane joined the band Cyren, featuring vocalist Skip Hammonds, guitarist John Weakland, bassist Don Hoover (and later, Rusty Fohner), with Lane on drums. After making a name for himself and his band in Ohio, he relocated to Florida in 1983, Lane played drums for Dorian Gray, before forming Plain Jane with future Warrant bandmate Steven (Chamberlin) Sweet. It was at this time that Lane adopted the stage name "Jani Lane." Lane got the name by his German grandparents' pronunciation and spelling of Johnny as "Jani." They said it as Yay-nee and that stuck. While playing drums with Dorian Gray, Lane began vocal training with Central Florida vocal coach/trainer Ron Feldman (who remained friends with Lane until his death, and remains connected to his immediate family to this day). Feldman introduced Lane to Creative Engineering, Inc. in Orlando where he worked as a programmer of the animatronic character, Dook LaRue, the drummer for the Rock-afire Explosion. His vocal debut was at Fern Park Station in Fern Park, Florida.

Jani Lane Gallery : After generating notoriety on the club circuit, Warrant began to attract the attention of record labels. Following an abortive deal with A&M records over a contribution to the soundtrack for the motion picture Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, the band signed with Columbia Records. The Columbia deal came via the partnering of Warrant and manager Tom Hullet (known for working with The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, and others). Tom became Lane's mentor and friend until his death from cancer in 1993.

Jani Lane Gallery : As lead vocalist with Warrant, Lane wrote three Top 40 hit singles: "Heaven," "Down Boys" and "Sometimes She Cries" for Warrant's debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200.[2] and another three Top 40 hit singles: "Cherry Pie," "I Saw Red," and "Uncle Tom's Cabin" from the second album Cherry Pie, which peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200.[3] Lane also co-wrote and performed with Warrant the song "The Power" in the 1992 movie Gladiator.

Jani Lane Gallery :

Jani Lane Gallery :

Jani Lane Gallery : Lane lent his vocals to numerous tribute CDs during the beginning years of 2000 and released his solo effort, Back Down To One in 2003 in Europe and (2006) in the US on Immortal/Sidewinder Records. Lane also had success with the VH1 Metal Mania Stripped discs where an acoustic version of "I Saw Red" is on disc 1, and an acoustic swinging version of "Cherry Pie" is on disc 2.

Jani Lane Gallery : Between 1997 and 2000, demos of Lane's solo material began surfacing on the Internet, with some bids on eBay reaching an estimated $US100.00 per copy.[citation needed] The project, titled Jabberwocky, represented a significant musical departure from Lane's previous work. The CD has never been officially released.

Lane's official debut solo album, Back Down to One, was released on June 17, 2003 through Z Records. It carried a "power pop" sound which was more closely aligned with the sound of Warrant than the unreleased Jabberwocky project.

Jani Lane Gallery : Lane cited his parents as the "go-to people" in his personal life. In speaking of his parents, he described his mother, who was a 2nd cousin of Clark Gable, as "his most trusted source of advice" and his father, a multilingual author, as having a "significant impact on my creative and spiritually, 'free thinking' side." Lane's parents have both passed away (Robert in 1995 and Eileen in 2004). In speaking of the passing of his mother Lane was quoted saying "I'm still, and never will be, over my mother's death."

Jani Lane Gallery : Jani met his mentor and manager, Tom Hulett (who also managed The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Moody Blues), in 1988. Tom was responsible for Lane's first record deal and played an almost "father-like" role in Jani's early career. Tom died of cancer in 1993 leaving Jani in a state of "career limbo" through the rest of the 90's. Jani publicly stated (in referring to his parents and Hulett), "I miss all three of them so much! They were all trusted friends, sources of unconditional love and support and helped keep my moral compass pointed in the right direction!"

Jani Lane Gallery : In 1990, during the filming of the videoclip for the Warrant single "Cherry Pie," Lane met model Bobbie Brown. By July 1991, the couple were married and in January 1992, they welcomed their first child, a daughter, Taylar Jayne Lane. In 1994, in the midst of band troubles, Jani and Bobbie divorced.[5] Lane married his second wife, Rowanne Brewer, in 1996. In 1997, the couple welcomed their daughter, Madison Michelle Lane. Brewer and Lane later divorced. Jani married his third wife, Kimberly Nash, on March 13, 2010 and was separated from her at the time of his death.

Jani Lane Gallery : On August 11, 2011, Lane was found dead at a Comfort Inn hotel in Woodland Hills, California. He was 47 years old.[6][7][8] Lane is survived by his estranged wife, Kimberly; a brother, Eric; three sisters, Marcine Williams, Michelle Robinson and Victoria Oswald-Ley; a daughter from his first marriage, Taylar Lane; a daughter from his second marriage, Madison Lane; and two stepdaughters, Ryan and Brittany.

Jani Lane Gallery : God Bless You Jani Lane