Editing Eddie Cochran (section)

==Career==
=== The Cochran Brothers (1955–1956) ===
[[File:The Cochran Brothers.jpg|thumb|The Cochran Brothers]]
During a show featuring many performers at an [[American Legion]] hall, Cochran met [[Hank Cochran]], a songwriter. Although they were not related, they recorded as the Cochran Brothers and began performing together.<ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Alan|title=Eddie Cochran|work=Rockabilly Legends|publisher=[[Rockabilly Hall of Fame]]|location=Nashville, Tennessee|year=2020|url=http://www.rockabillyhall.com/EddieCochran.html|access-date=April 14, 2020|archive-date=April 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411042315/http://www.rockabillyhall.com/EddieCochran.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> They recorded a few singles for [[Ekko Records]] that were fairly successful and helped to establish them as a performing act.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cochran Brothers |url=https://rcs-discography.com/rcs/search.php?type=acode&key=coch7500 |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=RCS-Discography.com}}</ref> Eddie Cochran also worked as a session musician and began writing songs, making a demo with [[Jerry Capehart]], his future [[music manager|manager]].

=== Solo and film appearances (1956–1959) ===
In July 1956, Eddie Cochran's first "solo artist" single was released by [[Crest Records]].<ref name=bigvjamboree>{{cite web|last=Vidal|first=Paul|title=The Crest Records Story|work=The Labels
|publisher=Paul Vidal Enterprises, Inc.|year=2020|url=http://www.bigvjamboree.com/CREST-RECORDS.html|access-date=April 14, 2020}}</ref> It featured "Skinny Jim", now regarded as a rock-and-roll and rockabilly classic. In the spring of 1956, [[Boris Petroff]] asked Cochran if he would appear in the musical comedy film ''[[The Girl Can't Help It]]'' (1956). Cochran agreed and performed the song "[[Twenty Flight Rock]]" in the movie. In 1957, Cochran starred in his second film, ''[[Untamed Youth]]'' (1957), and had yet another hit, "[[Sittin' in the Balcony]]", one of the few songs he recorded that was written by other songwriters (in this case [[John D. Loudermilk]]). "Twenty Flight Rock" was written by AMI staff writer [[Ned Fairchild]] (a pen name—her real name is Nelda Fairchild). Fairchild, who was not a rock and roll performer, merely provided the initial form of the song; the co-writing credit reflects Cochran's major changes and contributions to the final product.

==== ''Singin' to My Baby'' (1957) ====
In the summer of 1957, [[Liberty Records]] issued Cochran's only studio album released during his lifetime, ''[[Singin' to My Baby]]''. The album included John D. Loudermilk's "Sittin' in the Balcony". For the album, Cochran worked with manager and songwriter [[Jerry Capehart]], and wrote the songs "Completely Sweet", "Undying Love", "When I'm Mad", and Cochran original "One Kiss".<ref>{{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Eddie Cochran With The Johnny Mann Orchestra And Chorus – Singin' To My Baby |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/290087-Eddie-Cochran-With-The-Johnny-Mann-Orchestra-And-Chorus-Singin-To-My-Baby |access-date=May 25, 2024 |website=Discogs}}</ref>

In 1958, Cochran seemed to find his stride in the famous teenage anthem "[[Summertime Blues]]" (co-written with Jerry Capehart). With this song, Cochran was established as one of the most important influences on rock and roll in the 1950s, both lyrically and musically. The song, released by [[Liberty Records|Liberty]] recording no. 55144, charted at number&nbsp;8 in 1958.

Originally, Cochran toured with [[the Kelly Four]] as his backing band, guitarist [[Mike Deasy]], saxophonist Mike Henderson, bassist [[Dave Shriver]], and drummer [[Gene Riggio]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Kelly Four Discography {{!}} Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2874069-The-Kelly-Four |access-date=May 27, 2024 |website=Discogs}}</ref> They were known as the Hollywood Swingers, a reference to [[Dick D'Agostin]]'s band. The line-up of Cochran's touring band would change over time, with saxophonist [[Seals and Crofts|Jim Seals]] and bassist [[Connie 'Guybo' Smith]], and the addition of pianist [[Jim Stivers]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jimmy Seals session with Eddie Cochran |url=http://thompsonian.info/sealsec.html |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=thompsonian.info}}</ref> They were eventually joined by various members from Dick D'Agostin and The Swingers. In 1959, the Swingers line-up became [[Multi-instrumentalist|muti-instrumentalist]] with pianist Dick D'Agostin, pianist Jim Stivers (briefly on bass), guitarist [[Larry D'Agostin]], saxophonist [[Paul Kaufman]], and drummer Gene Riggio. However, D'Agostin left and was called up to enlist into the U.S. Army. Members from the Kelly Four returned, Deasy and Henderson, with Stivers and Riggio being accompanied by bassist Don Meyer (later replaced by Dave Shriver). This was the last line-up of Cochran's touring band, returning to the name of the Kelly Four.<ref name=":3" /> [[File:C'mon, Everybody - Billboard ad 1958.jpg|thumb|''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' advertisement, December 15, 1958]]

Cochran starred in his last film ''[[Go, Johnny, Go!]]'' (1959).<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051665/ |title=Go, Johnny, Go! (1959) ⭐ 5.8 {{!}} Drama, Music, Romance |language=en-US |access-date=2024-05-24 |via=m.imdb.com}}</ref> In January 1960, Cochran recorded his last session at [[Gold Star Studios]].<ref name=":4" /> His brief music career included a few more hits, such as "[[C'mon, Everybody]]", "[[Somethin' Else (song)|Somethin' Else]]", "[[Teenage Heaven]]", and "[[Three Steps to Heaven (song)|Three Steps to Heaven]]", which posthumously topped the charts in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom in 1960. He remained popular in the United States and United Kingdom through the late 1950s and early 1960s, and more of his records were posthumous hits, such as "My Way", "[[Weekend (Eddie Cochran song)|Weekend]]", and "Nervous Breakdown".

=== Television appearances ===
Throughout his music career, Cochran made a few television appearances. On October 22, 1957 in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], Cochran appeared on [[KPTV]]'s ''High Time'', hosted by Gene Brendler, and sang "Am I Blue?".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oregon Historical Society |date=March 24, 2018 |title=KPTV's High Time - Studio Outtakes (1958, MI# 09905) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aPORttAbs4&t=0s |access-date=May 24, 2024 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.facebook.com/thewheelgrinders/videos/on-this-day-62-years-ago-october-22nd-1957-eddie-cochran-guested-on-the-kptv-tee/411485446183229/ |title=On this day 62 years ago, October 22nd 1957, Eddie Cochran guested on the KPTV teenager's music show "High Time" in Portland, Oregon. This killer 16mm |last=The Wheelgrinders |type=Television production |language=en |access-date=2024-05-24 |via=Facebook.com}}</ref> During late 1957, Cochran was on the ''Biggest Show of Stars for '57'' tour with [[Buddy Holly]] and [[the Crickets]], [[Fats Domino]], [[Chuck Berry]], [[the Everly Brothers]], [[Buddy Knox]], [[Frankie Lymon]], and [[Paul Anka]], among others.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Biggest Show of Stars for '57 |url=https://rocktourdatabase.com/concerts/biggest-show-stars-57-3 |access-date=May 24, 2024 |website=rocktourdatabase.com}}</ref> In November 1958, Cochran performed on ''[[American Bandstand]]'',<ref>{{Citation |title=Episode #2.54 |date=1958-11-14 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067803/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |series=American Bandstand |others=Dick Clark, Eddie Cochran}}</ref> and ''[[The Dick Clark Show]]'' (''Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beech-Nut''),<ref>{{Citation |title=Episode #2.13 |date=1958-11-29 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1079091/ |access-date=2024-05-24 |series=The Dick Clark Show |others=Dick Clark, Eddie Cochran, Bobby Darin}}</ref> in which he played his hit song "C'mon Everybody".<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC Four - Arena, Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00jd1x2 |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NRRArchives |date=November 29, 1958 |title=Eddie Cochran "C'mon Everybody" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t78m1bceInw |access-date=May 25, 2024 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

On February 7, 1959, Cochran performed live on ''[[Town Hall Party]]'' with Dick D'Agostin and the Swingers. He played "C'mon, Everybody", "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You", "Don't Blame It On Me", "Summertime Blues", "School Days", [[Gene Autry]]'s "[[Be Honest with Me|Be Honest With Me]]", and "Money Honey". There was a brief interview segment on the show, and Cochran was asked about his prediction for the future of [[Rock and roll|rock 'n' roll]] music.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 7, 1959 |title=Town Hall party TV show 1959 starring Eddie Cochran.. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8sLAFNOApU |access-date=May 25, 2024 |website=YouTube}}</ref> On October 10, 1959, he appeared on ''The Dick Clark Show'' (''Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beech-Nut''),<ref>{{Citation |title=Episode #3.5 |date=1959-10-10 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067838/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |series=The Dick Clark Show |others=Dick Clark, Bill Black's Combo, Eddie Cochran}}</ref> and performed "Somethin' Else" and "Sittin' in the Balcony".<ref>{{Cite web |last=NRRArchives |date=October 10, 1959 |title=Eddie Cochran "Somethin' Else" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBiXkuMKnRw |access-date=May 25, 2024 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NRRArchives |date=October 10, 1959 |title=Eddie Cochran "Sittin' in the Balcony" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ1BmskTE6A |access-date=May 25, 2024 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

During his UK Tour in 1960, Cochran performed on the [[BBC]] radio show [[Saturday Club (BBC Radio)|''Saturday Club'']] and the British [[ABC Weekend TV|ABC]] TV programme ''[[Boy Meets Girls]]'', hosted by [[Marty Wilde]]. In late January 1960, 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]]".<ref name=":3" /> 
{{Quote|text=I think actually rock 'n' roll will be here for quite sometime. But I don't think it's going be rock 'n' roll as we know it today...I think it has been around for a long time, but nobody actually recognized it. The way I look at it, [[rhythm and blues]] y'know, and [[blues]] has been around for so long, and then they kind of blended [[country and western music]] in with it y'know. I think it's going to be here for a long time, but changing.|author=Eddie Cochran|source=Town Hall Party, February 7, 1959}}

=== Session musician and producer ===
Another aspect of Cochran's short but brilliant career is his work as a session musician and producer.<ref name="bigvjamboree" /> In 1959, Cochran played lead for [[Skeets McDonald]] at Columbia's studios for "You Oughta See Grandma Rock" and "Heart Breaking Mama". In a session for [[Gene Vincent]] in March 1958, he contributed his trademark bass voice, as heard on "Summertime Blues". The recordings were issued on the album ''A Gene Vincent Record Date''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eddiecochran.info/Sessions/IV.htm|title=Remembering Eddie Cochran|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810005803/http://www.eddiecochran.info/Sessions/IV.htm |access-date=March 4, 2024|archive-date=August 10, 2016 }}</ref>

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 (rock guitarist)|Al Casey]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eddie Cochran: In Session |url=https://propermusic.com/products/eddiecochran-insession |access-date=2024-05-27 |website=Proper Music |language=en}}</ref> 

=== The Day the Music Died (1959) ===
{{Main article|The Day the Music Died}}
In early 1959, two of Cochran's friends, [[Buddy Holly]] and [[Ritchie Valens]], along with [[the Big Bopper]], were [[The Day the Music Died|killed in a plane crash]] while on tour on February 3, 1959. Cochran's friends and family later said that he was badly shaken by their deaths, and he developed a morbid premonition that he also would die young. Shortly after their deaths, Cochran recorded a song (written by disc jockey Tommy Dee) in tribute to them, "[[Three Stars (song)|Three Stars]]". He 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, however, required that Cochran continue to perform live, and that led to his acceptance of an offer to tour the [[United Kingdom]] in 1960.

=== United Kingdom tour (1960) ===
Organized and promoted by [[Larry Parnes]], Cochran and [[Gene Vincent]] toured the United Kingdom from January through to April 1960.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.americanrocknrolluktours.co.uk/tour/eddie-cochran-jan-april-1960/ |title = Eddie Cochran – Jan / April 1960 « American Rock n Roll the UK Tours|website=Americanrocknrolluktours.co.uk}}</ref> On the bill, they were accompanied by British acts [[Billy Fury]], [[Joe Brown (musician)|Joe Brown]], [[Vince Eager]], and [[Tony Sheridan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Edwardian Teddy Boy - 1960 Tour of Vincent & Cochran |url=https://www.edwardianteddyboy.com/page64.html |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=www.edwardianteddyboy.com}}</ref> At the beginning of the tour, Cochran first performed a memorable show in [[Ipswich]], [[Suffolk]] at the cinema venue [[Regent Theatre, Ipswich|Ipswich Gaumont]]. Cochran was backed by [[Marty Wilde]]'s band The Wildcats throughout the 1960 tour, exposing the British audience to live American rock 'n' roll. [[Georgie Fame]], then a member of the Beat Boys and the backing band for Vincent, recollected, "I remember Eddie playing guitar and we were astounded."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2022-07-05 |title=MOJO Time Machine: Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran Join First All-Star Tour |url=https://www.mojo4music.com/time-machine/1960s/mojo-time-machine-gene-vincent-and-eddie-cochran-join-first-all-star-tour/ |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=Mojo |language=en}}</ref> During the progression of the tour, Cochran's fiancé [[Sharon Sheeley]] had flown in from America and joined them in late March. From a distance, Sheeley had kept track of Cochran's performances in [[England]], when he had sent her postcards and letters. Using a map, she tried to pinpoint exactly where he was each day on the tour.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/photoplayjuldec100macf_15 |title=Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1960) |date=1960 |publisher=New York, MacFadden Publications, Inc. |others=Media History Digital Library |series=August 1960 |pages=140-141, 184-187 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Borie |first=Marica |date=August 1960 |title=He Died in My Arms |url=https://archive.org/details/photoplayjuldec100macf_15/page/n185/mode/2up?view=theater |work=Photoplay |pages=32-33, 76-79 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> However, their tour ended abruptly.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 12, 1960 |title=Interview with Eddie Cochran (Saturday Club: 12th March 1960) (Live) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhiXMKIIVKw |access-date=May 26, 2024 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

{{Quote|text=Not quite as long as Gene [Vincent]. I'll be here until April 17th, and then I go home for seven days, and then I'm back near the end of April and stay here for ten more weeks.|author=Eddie Cochran|source=Interview on [[Saturday Club (BBC Radio)]], March 12, 1960}}