TOBEY LANE

In 1964 Night Train Lane, the famous basketball player and widower of Dinah Washington, got to see Tobi back in Detroit and commented how much he liked her voice as it reminded him so much of Dinah. Later that year in an article in the Michigan Chronicle Tobi was using the surname Lane.

Jim Cleaver wrote in October 1964.

"Several years ago a young singer was doing backgrounds singing for a recording at United Sound Studios in Detroit and her voice was so outstanding Cannonball Adderley, who was producing the session became immediately interested.

Finding she had never done any professional work other than religious music he undertook to groom her and sign her to a contract. This young lady's name was Bess Watson.

After the grooming and the training took place, there was still another change to be made, this of the name. The tall attractive young woman became Tobey Lane and Tobey Lane she remains.

Her first taste of popularity came when she was a member of The Washington Singers, a religious group, and it was while she was a member that Adderley first heard her. He was so impressed with her that after signing her to a contract, he immediately took her to New York to record. Her first offering on the Riverside (sic) label was "Never Alone" backed with "I'm In Your Corner". 

material courtesy of Graham Finch 

She came back home to work in the local clubs and found that in a short period she had acquired a reputation that opened many doors in the theatrical world. She found herself in demand from coast to coast.

Since that fateful day in 1961, Tobey Lane has become one of the top entertainers in the country.

With the demise of the Riverside label, Tobey has been signed to a contract by Palmer Records and has a new release coming within the next few weeks. The title of her new waxing is "Talk To An Angel" with "I'll Steal Your Heart" on the flipside. These two tunes promise to make the country sit up and take notice of the sound of the name Tobey Lane.

Although she is content singing popular music and feels she has a tremendous future in the field, she does not hesitate to admit her love of the music of the church and never lets an opportunity go to explain that since she got her start in the religious field she will never completely stop singing it.

She explains 'This (church music) is a part of my life and I don't ever want to get so big I can forget where I got my start. Whenever I get a chance to sing in the church, I do so and will continue as long as I am able.'

This side of Tobey Lane shows the remarkable amount of humility she has to go with a wonderful talent. A talent that is becoming more and more of a by-word in musical circles."

ON THE ROAD

Those early days were particularly tough for Tobi as she recalls painfully.

“I was working all the studios, helping with demos, touring with the likes of Choker Campbell. It was hectic but I just wanted to sing.

I had to get out there and perform, even though my son was just a baby. He was either sleeping on the couch in dressing rooms or being watched by babysitters in Hotel rooms.

I worked in a lot of small clubs in Detroit and Ohio. Then I got 'lucky' and landed a date in a reputable place in Louisville, Kentucky. I had $16 in my purse when I jumped on the bus. When I got there, I discovered that the place had burned to the ground the night before. I just stood in front of that ruined building and cried my eyes out.

I hung around though and picked up a good paying job across the road. I was singing from 9 'til 4 for $150 a week."

material courtesy of Graham Finch and David Meikle 

But there continued to be more lows than highs as evidenced by a spell in Cleveland, Ohio. 

"I was singing with a band downtown. The bandleader was a womaniser and one night blew all our money and fled town.  Nobody got paid. My mother and Father had to drive all the way from Detroit to pick up me and my son. It was awful.

Then in Saginaw, somebody stole my pay envelope and all my clothes out of my dressing room. I ended up finishing the show in my street clothes. 

In Toledo a girl got jealous and marked all my gowns with lipstick. Those gowns cost four weeks wages and I was mad as hell. So, I put her in hospital and gained a reputation as someone you don't mess with. 

Then I had to contend with those small time club owners who were expecting the ladies to 'show a leg' when they performed.

Well this girl didn't comply, I was a singer, period."

music : "I'll Steal Your Heart" - Tobi Lark (Palmer 5000a)

Continued 

© David Meikle : All Rights Reserved