Chris Lane Celebrates First No. 1, "Fix," With Song’s Co-Writers
A veritable galaxy of “firsts” drew a large crowd of celebrants to the BMI building in Nashville Monday afternoon (Oct. 10). At the center of the festivities was the song “Fix,” which was singer Chris Lane’s first No. 1, songwriter Abe Stoklasa’s first No. 1 and the first No. 1 for Big Loud Records, Lane’s label. "Fix" also added to co-writer Sarah Buxton's string of hits.
“Fix” was, however, the fourth chart-topper for the song’s third co-writer, Jesse Frasure, and the umpteenth one for producer Joey Moi, who also helms sessions for Florida Georgia Line and Jake Owen, among others.
“It was not that long ago that I was mowing lawns every day,” Lane said, still looking a bit overwhelmed by his good fortune. “Lyrically, [“Fix”] fit my style and everything I was looking for.”
“This is just huge for us,” said Carla Wallace, partner and general manager of Big Yellow Dog Music, Stoklasa’s publisher. “I know you guys [at the label] worked really hard.”
“My publishers have always encouraged me to be fearless with my writing,” Stoklasa said.
Formerly a pedal steel and sax player for Billy Currington and David Nail, Stoklasa recalled the hard times after leaving the road to focus on songwriting.
He said he was living in a decrepit $500-a-month apartment in those early days and stealing toilet paper from Big Yellow Dog to get by. Before concluding his remarks, he called Wallace and Big Yellow Dog partner Kerry O’Neil forward and presented them with an enormous box of toilet paper.
“This town is quirky,” said Frasure. “Lots of times you write songs and they fall on deaf ears.”
Recalling the birth of “Fix,” he continued, “We didn’t sit down to write a country song. We didn’t sit down to write a pop song. We just sat down to write a song.”
Buxton effusively thanked Lane, the label and her co-writers. BMI, as is its custom for first-time No. 1 writers, presented her a guitar. At the urging of BMI’s David Preston, she brought her two young children to the stage to allow them to view the world from her perspective.
They seemed to like it.
