One of the pioneers of rock and roll, Eddie Cochran, had an invaluable influence on the formation of this musical genre. The constant striving for perfection has made his compositions perfectly tuned (in terms of sound). The work of this American guitarist, singer and composer left a mark. Many famous rock bands have covered his songs more than once. The name of this talented artist is forever included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Childhood and youth of Eddie Cochran
On October 3, 1938, in the small town of Albert Lee (Minnesota), a joyful event occurred in the family of Frank and Allice Cochran. Their fifth son was born, whom happy parents named Edward Raymond Cochran, later the guy was called Eddie.
Until the moment when the growing boy had to go to school, the family remained in Minnesota. When the guy was 7 years old, he moved to California. In a town called Bell Gardens, one of Eddie's brothers was already waiting for them.
First attempts at music
The love of music in the future rock and roll star began to manifest itself from an early age. Eddie's first desire was to become a real drummer. At the age of 12, the guy tried to “break through” his place on the stage. However, in the school ensemble, the place of the drummer was taken.
Prolonged disputes with the leadership of the school did not lead to anything. The guy was offered tools that were not interesting to him. And he had almost parted with the dream of becoming a musician, but his older brother Bob suddenly corrected the situation.
After learning about the problem of the younger, he decided to show the guy a new way and showed him some guitar chords. From that moment on, Eddie did not see other musical instruments for himself. The guitar became the meaning of life, and the novice musician did not part with it for a minute.
Around the same time, the young guitarist met Connie (Gaybo) Smith, with whom he quickly found a common language regarding his love of rhythmic music. The guy's taste was shaped by such famous musicians as BB King, Jo Mefis, Chet Atkins and Merl Travis.
At the age of 15, friends organized the first real group, The Melody Boys. Until the end of their studies at school, the guys gave concerts in local bars, honing their skills.
Eddie was predicted to have a great future in science, because the guy was very easy to study, but he decided to connect his life with music. In 1955, he managed to fulfill his dream and acquire a Gretsch guitar, with which he can be seen in all surviving photographs.
In the company of a namesake
Acquaintance with the namesake, Hank Cochran, led to the creation of The Cochran Brothers. Western bop and hillbilly became the main direction. The musicians performed at concert venues located in the Los Angeles area.
In 1955, the group's first studio recording, Mr Fiddle / Two Blue Singin' Stars, was released under the Ekko Records label. The work received positive reviews from music critics, but was not a commercial success. In the same year, Eddie got to the concert of the already popular Elvis Presley. Rock and roll completely changed the consciousness of the musician.
Discord began in the team of namesakes. Hank (as a supporter of traditional trends) insisted on a country direction, and Eddie (fascinated by rock and roll) followed new trends and rhythms. After the release of the third single Tired & Sleepy / Fool's Paradise in 1956, the band disbanded. For a whole year, Eddie worked on solo material, performed as a guest musician in other bands.
The heyday of Eddie Cochran's career
In 1957, the musician signed a contract with the Liberty label. Then immediately recorded the track Twenty Flight Rock. The song became an instant hit. Thanks to the song, the musician gained well-deserved fame. The time for tours began, and the singer was even invited to star in a big movie dedicated to rock and roll. The film was called The Girl Can't Help It. In addition to Eddie, many rock stars took part in the filming.
For the musician, 1958 was one of the most successful years. Eddie recorded several more hits that increased his popularity to unprecedented heights. Among the new compositions are Summertime Blues, which deals with the difficult life of teenagers who are unable to fulfill their dreams, and C'mon Everybody, which deals with the issues of growing up teenagers.
For Eddie, 1959 marked the shooting of the new musical film Go Johnny Go and the death of his friends, the famous rockers Big Bopper, Baddie Holly and Richie Vailens, who died in a plane crash. Shaken by the loss of close friends, the musician recorded the track Three Stars. Eddie wanted to donate the proceeds from sales of the composition to the relatives of the victims. But the song came out much later, appearing on the air only in 1970.
By the early 1960s, the musician moved to the UK, where, unlike the United States, the public's mood regarding rock and roll remained unchanged. In 1960, Eddie toured England with his friend Jin Vinsent. They planned to record new compositions, which, unfortunately, were not destined to be released.
Sunset of the life of the artist Eddie Cochran
On April 16, 1960, Eddie was in a car accident. The driver's mistake led to the fact that the guy was thrown through the glass onto the roadway. And the next day, the musician died from his injuries in the hospital without regaining consciousness. He never had time to make a marriage proposal to his beloved Sharon.
The singer's name will forever remain associated with the heyday of classic rock and roll. His work marked the spirit of the 1950s, remaining in the hearts of guitar music fans. Modern colleagues are happy to include the musician's tracks in their performances, paying tribute to the talent of a person who has made a significant contribution to the development of rock music.
