Raymond Edward "Eddie" Cochran (October 3, 1938–April 17, 1960) was an American rock and roll musician and an important influence on popular music during the late 1950s, early 1960s. Unfortunately, time has not accorded him quite the same respect as other early rockabilly pioneers, such as Buddy Holly, Gene Vincent or even Ricky Nelson. This is partially attributable to his very brief lifespan as a star. He had only a couple of big hits before dying in a car crash during a British tour in 1960.

Early life and career: Cochran was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He took piano lessons in school, and then switched to guitar, playing the country music he heard on the radio. In 1955, Cochran's family moved to Bell Gardens, California. As his guitar playing improved, he formed a band with two friends from his junior high school. During a show featuring many performers at an American Legion hall, he met Hank Cochran (not related), and soon they started performing together as The Cochran Brothers. Eddie also worked as a session musician, and began writing songs, with Jerry Capehart, his future manager.

Solo success: In 1956, Boris Petroff, an American film director, asked Eddie if he would appear in the musical comedy film, [The Girl Can't Help It.] He agreed and sang the song, "Twenty Flight Rock," in the movie. The song was written by AMI{1} staff writer, Ned Fairchild. AMI granted Cochran a co-writer credit, which allowed him to re-write or add to the song as he saw fit and Cochran turned into a rock and roll song.

In 1957, Cochran starred in his second film, [Untamed Youth,] and also had his first recording hit with "Sittin' in the Balcony," one of the few songs he recorded that was written by another songwriter(s); in this case John D. Loudermilk.

His most famous hit, "Summertime Blues" (co-written with Jerry Capehart), was an important influence on music in the late 1950s, both lyrically and musically. Cochran's brief career included only a few more hits, such as, "C'mon Everybody," "Somethin' Else," "My Way," "Weekend," "Teenage Heaven," "Sitting in the Balcony," "Three Stars," "Nervous Breakdown," and his posthumous, #1 hit in the U.K., "Three Steps to Heaven."

Death: On Saturday, April 16, 1960, while on tour in the United Kingdom, the 21-year old Cochran died in a traffic accident traveling through Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. The taxi he was riding in crashed into a lamp post on Rowden Hill, where a plaque now commemorates the event (no other car was involved). Cochran was thrown through the windshield, suffered severe head injuries and was taken to St. Martin's Hospital in Bath, England. He died the following day and is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Cypress, California.

Songwriter, Sharon Sheeley, and singer, Gene Vincent, were with Cochran in the taxi, but they survived the crash. Vincent sustained injuries that would shorten his career and affect him for the rest of his life. The taxi driver, George Martin, was convicted of dangerous driving, fined £50, disqualified from driving for 15 years, and sent to prison for six months.

The British Label, Rockstar Records, has released more of his music posthumously than had been released during his life. The company is still looking for unpublished songs.

One of Cochran's posthumous releases was, "Three Stars," written and recorded by Tommy Dee, was a tribute to J.P. Richardson (better known as The Big Bopper), Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, who had all died together in a

plane crash on February 13, 1959.{2} Cochran recorded his version of "Three Stars" the next day.

In 1987, Cochran was inducted into the [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.] His pioneering contribution to the genre of rockabilly has also been recognized by the [Rockabilly Hall of Fame.]

Influence: One of the first rock & roll artists to write his own songs and overdub tracks, Cochran is also credited with the innovation of using an unwound third string on his guitar, in order to "bend" notes up a whole tone. The technique has since become an essential part of the standard rock guitar vocabulary.

Countless artists have covered Cochran's songs. Jimi Hendrix performed "Summertime Blues" early in his career, and Pete Townshend of, The Who, was heavily influenced by Cochran's guitar style. Cochran also a heavyily influenced the rockabilly guitar legend, Brian Setzer, from Stray Cats, who plays the same make and model of guitar as Cochran did. ____________________________________________________________________________ {1}American Media, Inc., is a publisher of a number of major United States-based magazines and supermarket tabloids.

{2}"Three Stars" is one of the most heartbreaking performances in rock history, with Cochran’s voice breaking while speaking of Holly and Valens, who were close personal friends. Cochran had actually been booked for the Winter Dance Party tour with Holly and Valens, but he was forced by a film committment to pull out of the gig. Cochran was reportedly so shaken up by the song that he refused to allow its release while he was alive. Fifty years later, the song still has the power to bring a tear to the eye. You can read more about this fateful crash the deaths of Holly, Richardson & Valens on mp3lyrics.org at: Waylon Jennings - A Long Time Ago