Editing Eddie Cochran (section)

==Death==
[[File:Eddie Cochran Memorial, Rowden Hil, Chippenham - May 2021.jpg|thumb|Eddie Cochran Memorial, Rowden Hill, Chippenham]]
On the night of April 16, 1960, Cochran and his friend and fellow performing artist, [[Gene Vincent]], had just finished performing at the last of their scheduled concerts at the [[Bristol Hippodrome]]. They were traveling along the [[A4 road (England)#Chippenham to Bath (12.7 miles)|Bath Road]] in a taxi (a cream-coloured 1960 model [[Ford Consul#Ford Consul Mark II (1956–1962)|Ford Consul Mark II]] saloon) from [[Bristol]] towards [[London]] to [[Heathrow Airport]]. At about 11:50&nbsp;p.m. that night, the driver, George Martin lost control of the vehicle, which crashed into a concrete lamppost at Rowden Hill in [[Chippenham]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Simmonds|first=Jeremy|title=The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches|chapter=Introduction|page=xii|publisher=Chicago Review Press|location=Chicago|year=2008|isbn=978-1-55652-754-8}}</ref> In addition to Cochran and Vincent, the other passengers in the vehicle were [[Sharon Sheeley]], Patrick Tompkins (the tour manager, 29 years old), and Martin (the 19-year-old taxi driver).  At the moment of impact, Cochran (who was seated in the center of the back seat) threw himself over Sheeley to shield her. The force of the collision caused the left rear passenger door to open,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eddie-cochran.info/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060422182106/http://www.eddie-cochran.info/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 22, 2006|title=Link Alternatif SBOBET|website=Eddie-cochran.info}}</ref> and Cochran was ejected from the vehicle, sustaining a massive [[traumatic brain injury]] from [[blunt force trauma]] to the skull or a [[cerebral contusion]]. The road was dry, and the weather was good, but the vehicle was later determined to be travelling at an excessive speed.<ref name=Stanton2003>{{cite book|last=Stanton|first=Scott|edition=2|title=The Tombstone Tourist: Musicians|chapter=Eddie Cochran|pages=50–53|publisher=Simon and Schuster|location=New York|year=2003|isbn=978-0743463300}}</ref> No other vehicle was involved in the incident.<ref name=Stanton2003/>

The occupants of the vehicle were all taken to Chippenham Community Hospital and later transferred to St. Martin's Hospital in [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]. Cochran never regained consciousness, and he died at 4:10&nbsp;p.m. the following day – Easter Sunday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eddie-cochran.info/IMAGES/The%20Crash_files/CR_17.JPG|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140130114505/http://www.eddie-cochran.info/IMAGES/The%20Crash_files/CR_17.JPG|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 30, 2014|title=Certified Copy of an Entry of Death: Edward Ray Cochran|publisher=County Borough of Bath|date=July 2, 1960|access-date=April 14, 2020}}</ref> Sheeley suffered injuries to her back and thigh, Vincent suffered a fractured collarbone and severe injuries to his legs, and Tompkins sustained facial injuries and a possible fracture of the base of the skull. Martin did not sustain significant injuries. Cochran was 21 years old.

Vincent and Sheeley returned to the United States after the accident. Cochran's body was flown home, and after a funeral service was buried on April 25, at [[Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries|Forest Lawn Memorial Park]] in [[Cypress, California]].<ref name=Cochran2003/> In August 1960, Sheeley told ''[[Photoplay]] magazine'', that Cochran said to her on his last day, just before entering the taxi to the airport, "You know, Shari, I've got a queer feeling that Fate's not going to let us [be together]. Something awful is going to happen— I can feel it."<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Martin was convicted of dangerous driving, fined £50 (and in default of payment six months' imprisonment), and disqualified from driving for 15 years.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title=Gene Vincent & Eddie Cochran|last=Collis|first=John|date=August 19, 2011|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-0-7535-4783-0|language=en}}</ref> His driving disqualification was lifted on May 7, 1968, after the judge at [[Bristol Crown Court|Bristol Assizes]] determined that Martin "had suffered considerable financial hardship".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000560/19680508/009/0002?browse=False|title=15-year ban on driver lifted|access-date=February 26, 2020|newspaper=[[Daily Mirror]]|page=2|date=May 8, 1968}}{{subscription required}}</ref> The car and other items from the crash were impounded at the local police station until a coroner's inquest could be held. David Harman, a police cadet at the station, who would later become known as [[Dave Dee]] of the band [[Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich]], is said to have played on Cochran's [[Gretsch 6120]] guitar while it was held at the station.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seance with a Gretsch G 6120|url=http://www.gadflyonline.com/9-10-01/music-eddie-cochran.HTML|author=Kimmet, Ian|website=Gadflyonline.com|date=October 9, 2001}}</ref>

There is a plaque marking the site of the car crash on Rowden Hill.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-37195774 | title=Cochran fans plan statue in death town| work=BBC News| date=August 26, 2016}}</ref> There is also a memorial stone on the grounds of St Martin's Hospital in Bath, commemorating Cochran's death.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/49014779@N05/4531728845/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Eddie Cochran Memorial Plaque at St. Martin's Hospital in Bath]. Flickr. Retrieved February 13, 2013.</ref> The stone was restored in 2010 on the 50th anniversary of his death and can be found in the old chapel grounds at the hospital. A memorial plaque was also placed next to the sundial at the back of the old chapel.<ref>{{cite news|title=Remembering Eddie Cochran|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-31181923.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524095107/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-31181923.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 24, 2013|newspaper=[[The Bath Chronicle|Bath Chronicle]]|access-date=April 14, 2020|date=April 19, 2012 }}</ref> The Eddie Cochran Memorial Project spearheaded a fundraising campaign in 2018 to restore the plaque and install a brand new "Three Steps to Heaven" base at the Chippenham crash site.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-05 |title=Three steps to Eddie Cochran's tribute |url=https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/16962953.three-steps-eddie-cochrans-tribute/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald |language=en}}</ref>

While they were preparing to board their taxi, Vincent and Cochran rebuffed musician [[Tony Sheridan]]'s request to ride along with them, resulting in Sheridan's avoiding involvement in the accident.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/radio/doconone/771586-are-you-tony-sheridan|title=Are you Tony Sheridan?|date=February 29, 2016|website=Rte.ie}}</ref>