37 Facts About Eddie Cochran

Ray Edward Cochran, known professionally as Eddie Cochran, was an American rock and roll musician.

Eddie Cochran was involved with music from an early age, playing in the school band and teaching himself to play blues guitar.

Eddie Cochran died in April 1960 in St Martin's Hospital, Bath, Somerset, after a car accident in Chippenham, Wiltshire, at the end of his British tour with Gene Vincent.

The other two passengers survived with major injuries, but Eddie Cochran, who had been thrown from the vehicle, suffered serious brain injuries and he died the following day.

In 1987, Eddie Cochran was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Eddie Cochran's songs have been recorded by a wide variety of recording artists.

Eddie Cochran took music lessons in school but quit the band to play drums.

In January 1955, Eddie Cochran dropped out of Bell Gardens High School in his first year to become a professional musician.

Eddie Cochran worked as a session musician and began writing songs, making a demo with Jerry Capehart, his future manager.

Eddie Cochran agreed and performed the song "Twenty Flight Rock" in the movie.

In 1957, Cochran starred in his second film, Untamed Youth, and had yet another hit, "Sittin' in the Balcony", one of the few songs he recorded that was written by other songwriters.

In 1958, Eddie Cochran seemed to find his stride in the famous teenage anthem "Summertime Blues".

Originally, Eddie Cochran toured with the Kelly Four as his backing band, guitarist Mike Deasy, saxophonist Mike Henderson, bassist Dave Shriver, and drummer Gene Riggio.

The line-up of Eddie Cochran's touring band would change over time, with saxophonist Jim Seals and bassist Connie 'Guybo' Smith, and the addition of pianist Jim Stivers.

In January 1960, Eddie Cochran recorded his last session at Gold Star Studios.

In late January 1960, Eddie Cochran appeared on two episodes and performed live an array of songs including a newly released cover of Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So".

In 1959, Eddie Cochran played lead for Skeets McDonald at Columbia's studios for "You Oughta See Grandma Rock" and "Heart Breaking Mama".

Eddie Cochran worked mainly as a guitarist, and sometimes as a vocalist and arranger for other artists, such as Mamie Van Doren, Baker Knight, Johnny Burnette, Wynn Stewart, and Al Casey.

Shortly after their deaths, Eddie Cochran recorded a song in tribute to them, "Three Stars".

Eddie Cochran was anxious to give up life on the road and spend his time in the studio making music, thereby reducing the chance of suffering a similar fatal accident while touring.

Financial responsibilities required that Eddie Cochran continue to perform live, and that led to his acceptance of an offer to tour the United Kingdom in 1960.

At the beginning of the tour, Eddie Cochran first performed a memorable show in Ipswich, Suffolk at the cinema venue Ipswich Gaumont.

Eddie Cochran was backed by Marty Wilde's band The Wildcats throughout the 1960 tour, exposing the British audience to live American rock 'n' roll.

At the moment of impact, Eddie Cochran threw himself over Sheeley to shield her.

Eddie Cochran's driving disqualification was lifted on May 7,1968, after the judge at Bristol Assizes determined that Martin "had suffered considerable financial hardship".

Eddie Cochran was a prolific performer, and the British label Rockstar Records has released more of his music posthumously than was released during his life.

Eddie Cochran's voice broke during the spoken lyrics about Valens and Holly.

In 1987, Eddie Cochran was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Eddie Cochran's pioneering contribution to the genre of rockabilly has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

The Very Best of Eddie Cochran was released by EMI Records on June 2,2008.

On May 23,2023, Eddie Cochran was honored with a blue plaque in Bristol, South West England, at the Bristol Hippodrome venue, the last place Eddie Cochran performed on his ill-fated tour in 1960.

In 1986, there was a planned biopic film titled Summertime Blues: The Eddie Cochran Story, produced by Cassian Elwes and starring Rob Lowe as Cochran.

Eddie Cochran was played by Brian Setzer of Stray Cats in the 1987 Ritchie Valens biopic La Bamba.

Eddie Cochran was one of the first rock-and-roll artists to write his own songs and overdub tracks.

Eddie Cochran was well known for playing the Gretsch 6120 guitar, with a Wild West "G" branded into the body's bass bout.

The glam rock artist Marc Bolan had his main Gibson Les Paul guitar refinished in a transparent orange to resemble the Gretsch 6120 played by Eddie Cochran, who was his music hero.

Eddie Cochran was an influence on the guitar player Brian Setzer, of Stray Cats, who plays a 6120 almost like that of Cochran, whom he portrayed in the film La Bamba.