In a genre of music where survival of the fittest is not just a cliché but a way of life, Jani Lane embodied the spirit of a decade of excess, hedonism, and rock & roll. As the lead singer of Warrant, he helped to propel the band into the upper stratosphere with such hits as "Heaven," "Down Boys," and "Cherry Pie."
Born John Kennedy Oswald in Ohio, he played in several local metal bands in the late '70s before landing in Los Angeles in the mid-'80s. His band Plain Jane became a staple on the wild L.A. glam rock circuit. He and bandmember Steven Sweet were invited by Erik Turn...