Robin Lane
- Folk
- Rock
“Though Blondie’s Deborah Harry and the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde have had more hits and better press, Robin Lane looms large as the most talented female artist to come out of New Wave Rock.” – Geoffrey Himes, The Washington Post
“FIRST, AND FOREMOST, there is that voice. It freezes you in your tracks, makes you forget what you were doing and where you were going, an unearthly and yet earthy alto that is equal parts longing, laughter, and lust.” Amazon Review, 2003
Whether arena- rockin’, rockin’ the cradle with a lullaby or, most often, somewhere in between, she invests each syllable with the entirety of her authentic, guileless, wide-open heart. To listen to Lane is to hear an all-revealing, all-giving friend.”— Paul McComas, Shepherd Express
Robin Lane grew up in Los Angeles and was a Valley Girl before there were actual “valley girls.” During high school, Robin became immersed in the music scene and the alternative lifestyle of the late 60’s and was inspired to write her own songs. She began informal collaborations with the band Crazy Horse. This association led to her more formal debut – singing with Neil Young on his album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.
Robin left LA behind, moving to Boston in the late 70’s. In Boston’s environment of cultural and intellectual experimentation, Robin integrated punk and new wave influences, West Coast folk, and East Coast rock in her songs and her band — the legendary Robin Lane and The Chartbusters. The band included ex-Modern Lovers Asa Brebner and Leroy Radcliffe, who infected Lane’s songs and sensibilities even further with their garage rock sound.
Robin Lane and the Chartbusters recorded three albums for Warner Brothers Records: Robin Lane and the Chartbusters (1980), the live EP 5 Live, and Imitation Life (1981). Two singles from her first album, “When Things Go Wrong” and “Why Do You Tell Lies?” received extensive national airplay. The New Rolling Stone Record Guide gave the first album a prestigious four-star rating. “When Things Go Wrong” became the 11th music video played on MTV on its first broadcast day in 1981.
In late 2021, Robin signed with indie label Red on Red Records, a cool new imprint out of Boston featuring Americana, powerpop, punk, and alt-rock music, focused on supporting strong women creators. Label owner Justine Covault says, “Robin writes unflinchingly honest songs that reflect the light and the dark in the world. Her voice is distinctive and gorgeous. And she is absolutely riveting as a live performer — when she plays and sings, the audience is spellbound. I’m honored and thrilled that she is joining the Red on Red roster family.” Robin’s song All I’ll Ever Need has been released as a single and Hard Life from the new Dirt Road To Heaven album will be released as a single July 28, as well as the Dirt Road To Heaven album itself.
