On Thursday, January 15, Chris Lane will take the stage in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a special performance. Although a special night for Lane, fans are in for a treat as the country singer announced he would be performing his newest song, “FRIEND.” Having teased the song over the last few days, it appeared that Lane had gained some inspiration for the new song from the classic hit “Just a Friend” by Biz Markie.
While Lane spent the last decade exploring a career in country music with songs like “Fix” and “Big, Big Plans”, the singer’s upcoming show acted as a moment of reflection. Born in Kernersville, North Carolina, Lane’s love for the state was a driving force behind attending the University of North Carolina to play baseball. But due to injuries, he turned his attention to music.
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Kicking off the Life is a Highway tour with Rascal Flatts, Lane promised to take fans back to the ‘90s. Sharing only a teaser on his Instagram page, the singer revealed, “Can’t wait to play ‘FRIEND’ for the first time in Raleigh on Thursday for the start of the Life Is a Highway tour…”
[RELATED: Chris Lane Embraces Songwriting on New EP ‘From Where I’m Sippin’’]
Chris Lane Starts The Weekend With “FRIEND”
For those who missed the chance to snag a ticket to the show, don’t worry – Lane wasn’t about to leave them empty-handed. Posting another teaser of “FRIEND”, he announced the release date. “I always knew my kids’ playroom would come in handy one day for content. Hahaha. ‘FRIEND’ out January 16.”
The Connection Between Chris Lane, Biz Markie, And Freddie Scott
It didn’t take long after Lane dropped the teaser that fans noticed a similarity to the 1989 hit “Just a Friend.” Released on The Biz Never Sleeps album, the song climbed to No. 5 on the US Hot Rap Singles and became a classic in the rapper’s discography and his most successful single.
But the history of “FRIEND” goes beyond Markie and “Just a Friend.” When Markie developed the idea, he decided to use an interpolation of Freddie Scott’s “You Got What I Need.” Just like Lane, Markie gained inspiration for his song from a previous hit.
As for Lane, his newest song, which hits streaming platforms on Friday, already received praise from fans. “We had the best music back in the day! So happy to hear this!” Another person added, “Can always count on you to sample the best throwbacks.”
While fans count down to the release of “FRIEND,” Lane’s latest teaser suggests the singer has found a sweet spot between honoring classic hits and putting his own country spin on them.
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
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