The Eddie Cochran Story

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

Post: # 46Post Robertjack »

THE EDDIE COCHRAN STORY

Ray Edward Cochran was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota on October 3, 1938 to Frank and Alice Cochran who were originally from Oklahoma City. He had four older brothers and sisters: Gloria, Bill, Bob and Patty. The Great Depression forced the Cochrans to move north to Minnesota. Eddie was the only one in the family really interested in music. At the age of 12, he wanted to join the school band as a drummer but opted for the trombone when he discovered he would have to take piano lessons in order to play the drums!

His musical career had another twist when the director of the school orchestra informed the family that Eddie didn’t have the “lip” for the trombone and suggested the clarinet instead. When he saw what the clarinet looked like, he refused to consider it stating that he would quit the orchestra if he could not play what he wanted. So, as his mother recalls, he asked his brother Bob to show him some chords on Bills old Kay guitar that was not played very often at the time. “Then he got a chord book and seemed to just naturally take it from there”.

In 1951, the Cochrans decided to follow the golden trail to California to join Bill that had already moved there after a hitch in the service. Two cars totally packed up, Eddie would not part with his guitar. “For pity’s sake Eddie, with all the other odds and ends we have to carry, that guitar isn’t the prized possession in this household, you know”. “Possession, Mom? This guitar is my best friend!”

In Bell Gardens, California, the new kid on the block focused his attentions on the guitar to compensate for the lack of companionship. In September 1951, he met Conrad “Connie” Smith. Connie shared the same musical interests as Eddie and played the upright bass in the school orchestra. He was also competent on the steel guitar and the mandolin. In late 1953, they formed a trio with another student on lead guitar. They often practiced in a rehearsal room in the back of a local music store (The Bell Garden Music Center) which owner Bert Keither was very interested in Eddie’s music and would later sell him his legendary sunburst Gretsch guitar. The trio started playing at parties, amateur gigs, supermarket openings and other local affairs that would help them gain experience, not to mention a few extra bucks!

After graduating from junior high school in 1954, Eddie actually enrolled in high school but spent all of his time hanging out with local musicians and jamming wherever he could, trying to realize his dream of quitting school and earning his living as a musician.

The great country picker Chet Atkins was one of Eddie’s favorites and mastering his complex bass-melody picking style with lightning speed helped build Eddie’s incredible dexterity and versatility. Eddie was also very bright and his natural curiosity drove him to research and experiment new sounds and techniques. His mother claims that everything came easily to him, that he was an honor student, and that there wasn’t anything he couldn’t play after hearing it once or twice. All of his associates confirm this last point; Chuck Foreman jammed with him in the early days: “When I met Eddie he couldn’t have been more than 15-16 years old, and we were listening to a lot of jazz in those days. I remember we had old Johnny Smith Royal Roost 78 rpm records; Smith was playing a lot of triads and this really fascinated Eddie. He’d say ‘I wonder how in the hell is he doing that” and in no time at all, he was playing it. Eddie was very aware, very astute, he retained things. He was playing a lot of Chet Atkins, Joe Maphis – he could duplicate all those Maphis high speed licks note-for-note very easily".
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Re: The Eddie Cochran Story

Post: # 47Post Robertjack »

In October 1954, Cochran walked into the American Legion Club to watch a semi-pro band called Richard Kay and The Shamrock Valley Boys run through their repertoire of Hillbilly standards. He coyly approached the members of the band between sets and asked to join them on stage for a few numbers. In such informal surroundings this was easily arranged and Eddie struck up a lasting friendship with Bob Bull, the band's rhythm guitarist. Bull Asked Eddie if he was related to a local singer named Hank Cochran who had recently gigged with the band. Eddie had never heard of the other Cochran and Bull suggested that the two should meet as Hank was trying to form a group.




Hank Cochran had come up the hard way which could explain why he had chosen to live his life out of the limelight. By the time he and Eddie met, he had turned professional and was working in clubs. Hank offered Eddie a job as his accompanying guitarist, and in January 1955, Eddie left school for good. He was only four months past his 16th birthday.

Fraternal duos were very popular in the country music field at this time and as they shared the same surname and vaguely looked alike, the two Cochrans decided to pool their talents and go on the road as the Cochran Brothers, with Hank singing and playing rhythm guitar and Eddie on lead guitar and vocal harmony. The group was augmented by an unknown bass player and Billy Watson on guitar and vocals.

In the initial stages, the Cochrans lacked stagecraft. Eddie had not previously given much thought to singing and their harmonies were ragged while the difference in height between the two detracted from the visual appeal. Nevertheless, with practice their act came together and they began to make their presence felt on the West Coast country music circuit, which was much more receptive to newcomers that its’ cliquey Nashville counterpart. In practice, this meant making the rounds of country music dance halls and Western Jamborees which provided regular entertainment for the local blue collar workers.

The most prestigious event on the coast was Cliffe Stone’s “Hometown Jamboree” which was televised on KLAC every Sunday from the Legion Stadium in El Monte followed closely by “Town Hall Party” in Compton, 25 miles south of Los Angeles. Both shows featured visiting headliners supported by local acts and promising newcomers.

Cliffe Stone was a shareholder in the Americana Music Corporation, a booking agency run by Steve Stebbins, the leading country promoter on the West Coast and a powerhouse on the local scene. Other well-known country singers such as Eddie Kirk, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Merle Travis also held shares in the agency which monopolized California’s country music circuit and snapped any promising newcomers. The Cochran Brothers were added to its’ books in April 1955 at which point there was a dramatic improvement in their fortunes. They put in appearances in both “Town Hall Party” and “Hometown Jamboree” and also appeared on “Country Barn Dance” a more down market affair held in the 1000 capacity Jubilee Ballroom, just west of El Monte.

Steve Stebbins arranged an immediate audition with EKKO Records, one of the dozens of tiny independents scattered across Los Angeles. It was owned by Ed Bloodworth and two partners, and its’ ambitions outweighed its’ budget. Unable to sign up big names, it settled for small-time local acts such as the Cochrans, Jess Willard, and Western Swing veterans from the previous decade. EKKO’s A&R man, Charles “Red” Mathews was based in Memphis where the company had its main office, and would make periodic recording trips to California. Assuming a managerial role as best he could, given that he was not locally based, Mathews based his faith in the Cochrans and rehearsed them thoroughly prior to recording.

In May 1955, at Sunset Records in Hollywood, he produced 4 tracks by the duo in the plaintive hillbilly style popularized by Hank Williams and issued two of the titles, “Mr. Fiddle” and “Two Blue Singing Stars” as their debut single. Vocally, Hank is stronger on these recordings and is ably supported by Eddie who also plays some nice country-style guitar.

In the Autumn, Hank and Eddie were booked to appear on the “Big D Jamboree” in Dallas. Broadcast locally on KRLD, the “Big D” ranked alongside Nashville’s “Opry” as a prestigious country music showcase and was held every weekend in the Dallas Sportatorium, a huge corrugated iron building that played host to wrestling contests on weekdays.

Elvis Presley had stormed out of Memphis with an astounding fusion of country, R&B and pop and cut a swathe across the south with a stage act that had a galvanizing effect on audiences. Hank and Eddie arrived in Dallas only days after Elvis had appeared on the “Big D”.

The pandemonium which accompanied Elvis’ personal appearances was a phenomenon in country music and the Cochrans listened in awe as a security told them that he had nearly been torn apart by fans as he attempted to protect Elvis. Hank, who had heard some of Elvis’ sun records on the radio says that “He and Eddie knew right then that this new stuff was about to happen!”

The Cochrans traveled East through Texarkana and on to Memphis where EKKO had a small office on Union Avenue, not far from Sun. The unscheduled trip left the Cochrans virtually penniless forcing Eddie to hock his amplifier to boost their finances; in fact, they were only able to make it back to LA by hitch hiking!

Whenever he came home to Bell Gardens, Eddie would drop int the music center which was only a few blocks away. It was a popular hangout for local musicians and owner Ben Keither often brought customers together. Eddie was buying guitar strings there on a Saturday afternoon in October 1955 when Keither introduced him to the man who would become his mentor, manager and co-writer; Jerry Capehart.

Capehart, who had no singing voice, mentioned that he was looking for somebody to demo his songs. Eddie replied that he and Hank would be happy to oblige for a small fee. He introduced Capehart to Hank and a few days later they laid down some songs in a small recording booth equipped with a disk cutting lathe. Although nothing became of these dubs, Capehart adopted the Cochrans as his occasional backing band and offered to promote their career. Capehart knew he’d never make it as a singer and worked toward establishing a relationship with the Cochrans as a means to an end.

In October, EKKO had issued a second single “Guilty Conscience” which had not fared any better that the first, and with Red Mathews spending most of his time in Memphis, Capehart’s burgeoning entrepreneurial instincts began to come into play. Capehart had an infectious enthusiasm which made for convincing salesmanship.

Compromised by his own limitations as a singer and the fact that the Cochrans were already under contract to EKKO, Capehart concluded that any deal was better than no deal and began casting his net. In November 1955 he drove to the Watts district to confer with a black entrepreneur name John Dolphin who ran a thriving record shop in the heart of the black community. Dolphin was notable for having a DJ named “Huggy Boy” broadcasting from a booth in the record shop window. Dolphin operated two R&B labels from his shop and made his own masters in a small studio housed in the rear of the premises; he could cut a record in the morning, give Huggy Boy an acetate in the evening and having customers asking for pressings the following day.

Capehart pitched Dolphin the idea of cutting some “Hillbilly” sounds and came away with the promise of a one record deal although he had to give away his sons to get it – Dolphins name routinely appeared as the writer of any songs released on his labels. Backed by four black musicians with Hank and Eddie on guitars, Capehart recorded “Rollin and Walkin Stick Boogie” just before Christmas 1955.
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Robertjack
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Re: The Eddie Cochran Story

Post: # 48Post Robertjack »

In January 1956, the Cochran Brothers went on the road to San Francisco and beyond to Oregon and Washington. KOVR-TV in Stockton, California had recently introduced a television show called “The California Hayride”. The visiting Cochrans were invited to join the resident cast or performers which prompted Hank and Eddie to make the Bay Area their stomping grounds during the early part of 1956 and to take up residence in Napa, California. Thanks to their TV appearances, The Cochrans enjoyed a busier work schedule. On March 10th, 1956, they appeared with Jerry Capehart on “Hollywood Jubilee”.

On April 4th 1956, Capehart and the Cochrans went into Goldstar Studios to make demos for a batch of songs written for American Music. Of the half dozen or so songs recorded, “Pink Peg Slacks” stands out as an early Eddie Cochran tour-de-force. Modeled after Carl Perkins’ Blue Suede Shoes”, it was the first rockabilly song Eddie had recorded and it showed his peculiar mush-mouthed enunciation, mis-timed phrasing and popped consonants. Yet there were definite hints of things to come in the voice and guitar interplay and overall dynamic impulse of the performance.

Elvis had shattered the cozy equilibrium of country music and Hank knew that he wasn’t cut out to be a Rock n’ Roller though he had shown he was prepared to make made a token effort. Eddie, however, embraced the idiom with a passion matched only by Capehart’s aggressive opportunism. Married and set in his ways, Hank was too much of his own man to fall under Capehart’s spell whereas Eddie, still only 17 was ready and poised for the call.

Eddie began to pick up more session work as his reputation as a versatile guitarist grew among California’s closely-knit country music fraternity.

Capehart was aware that most major labels were searching for another Elvis and took some dubs to Liberty Records. Formed by Sy Waronker and Al Bennett in 1955, Liberty records had made rapid strides when torch singer Julie London enjoyed a massive hit with “Cry Me A River”, but what they didn’t have was a Rock n’ Roll singer. Waronker was already half sold on the idea of Cochran before Capehart had finished his pitch, and when he actually met the boy, he was impressed by his good looks and obvious musicianship.

Capehart had been doubly fortunate in his timing. He was vaguely acquainted with Boris Petroff. In July 1056, Cochran and Capehart were in the studio recording some background music for one of his low budget movies when Petroff asked Eddie if he would be prepared to appear in a film which a friend was directing. “I thought he was joking and asked him to call me” Cochran explained in an interview shortly before his death. The next day he called and asked Eddie to make a demo of a song called “Twenty Flight Rock”. Capehart and Cochran could scarcely believe their luck. Within the space of a few weeks, they were moving in film circles and had a bona fide record deal thrown in for good measure.

Cochran went back into Goldstar Studio with Connie Smith on the bull fiddle and Capehart thumping a soup carton and emerged three hours later with “Twenty Flight Rock” and “Dark Lonely Street”.

Propelled by the magnificent bass work of Connie Smith who had mastered the percussive “slapping” style pioneered by Bill Black on Elvis’ Sun recordings, “Twenty Flight Rock” was essentially a pastiche of early Elvis mannerisms and came to be regarded as a minor classic of the early Rock era, especially in Europe where it was released as a single and sold steadily over a long period. Smith developed a telepathic music rapport with Cochran and went on to play on virtually all of his recordings until late 1958.

Cochran’s cameo part in “Do-Re-Mi” was filmed on August 14, 1956 at the Fox Studios. Jayne Mansfield and Edmund O’Brien are seen watching a television variety show on which an exciting new talent has just been announced. Cochran appears on the screen heavily made up to look like Elvis and sings “Twenty Flight Rock” to rapturous applause. “Do-Re-Mi” was still in the early stages of production and by the time it reached screen six months later, its’ title had changed to “The Girl Can’t Help It” after the song by Little Richard.

Liberty was readying the film version of “Twenty Flight Rock” for release in December 1956, but before the record could be pressed a new priority had developed. Sy Waronker had been trying to purchase the rights to a record on the Colonial label owned by Jack Bentley. The song “Sittin’ in the Balcony” by Johnny Dee was attracting strong regional sales and was shaping up to be a smash. Bentley was being courted by several other labels and eventually placed his master with ABC Paramount. Not to be outdone, Waronker decided to record a cover version of the song for Liberty using Cochran as the proposed artist. Capehart and Cochran were summoned to Liberty’s offices where Waronker gave then Dee’s original and a day to make up their minds about covering it. Capehart remembers that on the ride home, he asked Eddie what he thought of the song. Eddie turned to him and said “Well dad, I think it’s a hit!” When they got back, they called liberty and told them to prepare a session. “Sittin’ in the Balcony” was recorded three days later and took several hours to perfect – a long time in the 50’s!

“Sittin’ in the Balcony” was a perfect teen ballad for the times and in the ensuing chart battle between Dee’s original and Cochran’s more polished facsimile, the rival had a canceling effect on each others sales. Both versions entered the “Hot 100” in March 1957, but while Dee’s faltered at No.38, Cochran’s went all the way to No.18 and might have made the top 10 had there not been another version of the song available. Cochran evidently lacked faith in his singing ability because when the NME asked him to describe his biggest disappointment, he replied “Hearing the playbacks after my first recording session. I cut ‘Sittin’ in the Balcony’ and didn’t like it at all. But it went on to sell a million – and I was the most surprised of all.”

“Sittin’ in the Balcony” established Cochran as one of the most exciting newcomers on the Rock n’ Roll scene and could not have come at a more fortuitous moment since its’ chart progress coincided with the release of both “The Girl Can’t Help It” and “Untamed Youth” on the movie circuits. Suddenly, it seemed that Eddie , unknown at the beginning of the year was everywhere to be seen.

Cochran began the inevitable round of touring. In April, he spent a week at the Mastbaum Theater in Philadelphia on a package show with Al Hibbler, Nappy Brown, George Hamilton IV and Gene Vincent. It was there that he and Vincent met for the first time. In August, Capehart took Eddie on a promotional tour across the Mid-West and on through to the Eastern States. In the 50’s, it was an established practice for artists riding on a hit to make such trips to meet the DJ’s and thank them for their support.

Behind every hit record lurks the demanding specter of the follow-up record and the attendant agonies of choice to be made. “Sittin’ in the Balcony” had strengthened Waronker’s hand in the selection of material and was reflected in Cochran’s next few singles.

While filming “Untamed Youth”, Eddie befriended Johnny Russell and in the Spring of 1957 they collaborated in writing a handful of songs including Eddie’s follow-up single “One Kiss” and “Sweetie Pie”, a track which recorded at the same time but was shelved until 1960. A hollow facsimile of “Sittin in the Balcony”, “One Kiss” was one of the first pop singles to be packaged in a color picture sleeve – a touch of luxury only accorded to Elvis’ singles. Released in May 1957, it flopped disastrously, failing to even dent the “Top 100”.
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Re: The Eddie Cochran Story

Post: # 49Post Robertjack »

Most of Cochran’s sessions took place at the Goldstar Studios at the busy intersection of Santa Monica and Vine. In 1956 it was a very small studio housed in a one story shop and very popular as a demo studio with the pre-rock songwriters of the day. When the hosiery shop next door went out of business, Goldstar expanded by taking over the premises and constructing a larger “A” studio in which an echo chamber was installed that was so deep that the studio’s future reputation would center around it.

Cochran had also recorded another fine rocker titled “Pretty Girl” (co-written with Capehart) which stayed in the can for a couple of months before being released as the B side of his next single. Numerous takes of this number were made in a variety of tempos and shading before it was finally discarded. It eventually surfaced on a variety of European releases during the 60’s.

“Jennie, Jennie, Jennie” was Cochran’s first release of 1958 and came out at a time when competition in the field was more intense than it had been a year earlier. The winter of that year was probably one of the most exciting and most competitive seasons ever for new singles with hundreds being issued every week. It would take more than an honest to goodness rocker such as “Jennie, Jennie, Jennie” to re-establish Cochran although the record did sufficient business to scrape up to No.94 for one week in March. Cochran followed up with “Theresa”, a graceful and melodic rock ballad that traded off Cochran’s ever-so-earnest vocals against a softly cooing girly chorus, but time had been kinder to the B-side, “Pretty Girl”, a savage rocker which picked up where “Jennie, Jennie, Jennie” had left off.

Although Cochran was working steadily doing studio dates and public appearances, he needed a hit record to lift his career. “Theresa” has bombed out.
“Love Again” c/w “Summertime Blues” was rush-released on June 11, 1958 – only one month after the single “Theresa” had bombed. Some of the biggest hits of the 50’s and 60’s started out as B-sides, “Summertime Blues” was another record destined to confound its’ birthright. In any event, it didn’t stay a B-side for long! Most of the trade reviews chose it in preference to “Love Again”, as did DJ’s. Something of a “sleeper”, it entered the “Hot 100” two months after its’ release and eventually peaked at No.8. But it was more than a hit, it was a classic!

After “Summertime Blues” had run its course, Cochran and Capehart turned their thoughts to a follow up. An infectious guitar figure again formed the basis of the new song which was similar to “Summertime Blues” yet different enough to be regarded as a classic in its’ own right. The master was again built up in layers, with lashings of acoustic guitar, a folksy tambourine beat and a few well placed foot stomps to emphasize pauses in the song. In their search for the ultimate commercial denominator, Cochran hedged his bets by recording two slightly different sets of lyrics set to the same backing track. Opinions were canvassed and a decision was made to release “C’mon Everybody” (which made No. 35 in the States and N0.6 in the UK).

“Summertime Blues” and “C’mon Everybody” established Cochran as a durable talent and brought him back into the limelight at a time when the American pop scene was entering a transitory stage.

In December 1958, Eddie went to New York with Sharon Sheeley, now his steady girl. He had been booked to appear at Loews State Theater in a package show promoted by DJ Alan Freed and featuring a dazzling array of chart names

Connie Smith had married and came off the road and Eddie had to put together a semi-permanent band which he named “The Kelley Four”. Members of “The Kelley Four” played on most of his 1959 sessions including “Weekend” and his idiosyncratic version of Ray Charles’ “Hallelujah, I Love Her So” , which had a commercial string line added prior to release. In between, he cut “Something Else”, his most enduring record since “Summertime Blues”. Sharon Sheeley co-wrote the song with Eddie’s brother Bob which reached No.58 on the charts in the summer of 1959 and helped keep Eddie’s name in the limelight.
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Re: The Eddie Cochran Story

Post: # 50Post Robertjack »

In April 1959, British TV director Jack Good, whose weekly show “Oh Boy!” had revolutionized television pop in the 50’s, announced that he was seeking to recruit top-line American stars for “Oh Boy!”. He was evidently frustrated by the limited selection of British acts available to him and longed to feature the Real American McCoy. Unfortunately, all of the “hot” American acts were busy cashing in on their home territory to consider a trip to England.

After an 8 month run, “Oh Boy!” was superceded by a new Jack Good TV pop extravaganza called “Boy Meets Girl”. At Good’s behest, the search for American acts continued. Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Ronnie Hawkins would be available towards the end of 1959 and in October it was confirmed that Vincent had been booked to appear on “Boy Meets Girl” sometime in December.

Vincent was quite unprepared for the impressive reception which awaited him and in effect, his arrival at Heathrow Airport on December 5, 1959 had all the comic overtones of a blind date. Capitol had gone to some lengths to take commercial advantage of the impending visit. In an early attempt of “pop hype”, they had even sponsored the formation of a nominal fan club to bolster interest in their star and on the morning of Vincent’s arrival, a coach load of fans was driven to Heathrow Airport at EMI’s expense.

Gene Vincent presented Jack Good with his greatest challenge yet. Handicapped by a marked limp, a braggy countenance replete with bad teeth and unruly hair, Vincent was the antithesis of the 50’s pop stereotype. As nothing could be done to disguise these imperfections, Good decided to exaggerate them by persuading Vincent to discard his homely woolen sweaters in favor of a creaky leather suit complete with gauntlets and topped off with a large silver medallion.

Vincent’s initial 12 day tour proved so successful that fresh bookings were quickly arranged announcing “The Gene Vincent Show”, an 11 week nationwide tour in which Gene would co-star with Eddie Cochran who was coming to Britain for Jack Good on January 10. Cochran had recently completed a tour of the American Mid-West and managed to squeeze in a recording session at Goldstar Studio on the eve of his visit, which produced three titles: “Cut Across Shorty”, “Cherished Memories” and “Three Steps to Heaven”.

Cochran flew into London on Sunday January 10th, and was given an official reception at the Albert Embankment headquarters of Decca Records on the 11th. While Vincent continued his concert schedule, Cochran was in Manchester rehearsing for two appearances on “Boy Meets Girl” which were transmitted on January 16th and 23rd. Cochran and Vincent played their first show together at the Gaumont, Ipswitch on January 24th before taking a three day break to rehearse with their British backing group, The Wildcats, on loan from Marty Wilde.

Now, the big moment had arrived. “And now … direct from the U.S.A., the recorder of “C’mon Everybody” and “Summertime Blues”, the great EDDIE COCHRAN!!!”

A wall of sound greeted the opening of the curtain and then came the familiar driving opening of “Something Else”. Wearing a white shirt with grey leather jeans, the star was playing a light brown guitar. With the Wildcats providing a driving backing, he rocked through “Something Else”, “Hallelujah”, “Sweet Little Sixteen”, What’d I say”, “Fever” and “C’mon Everybody”.

His Singing was strong, gritty and powerful, just like the records: his guitar playing superb, flowing through his arms into his guitar. His fingers seemed to glide over the instrument. As he sang and played, he was up on his toes, all the while playing the most driving rock imaginable. Throughout his act, there was a pandemonium, screaming and cheering with the audience on their feet from start to finish. An unforgettable tour-de-force by this incredible artist. Peter Jamieson, Manchester Hippodrome, April 1st, 1960.

Cochran and Vincent were seen together on “Boy Meets Girl” on February 20th. The following day at the annual NME Poll winners Concert at the Empire Pool, Wembly. The month closed with a second appearance on “Boy Meets Girl” followed by a series of one week engagements in Leeds, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester which took them into early April.

“Eddie and I were as close as two guys can get without being queer” Vincent once revealed, adding that the few short weeks spent touring with Cochran were probably the happiest of his life. Not since the heady days of 1957 had he enjoyed such acclaim and the money that went with it. On a personal level, the self-doubt which loomed large in the Vincent psyche was offset by the reassuring presence of Cochran who Gene regarded as his fraternal alter-ego. If Vincent’s pained rough-hewn looks set him apart from the mainstream, Cochran’s stocky, well-scrubbed demeanor symbolized the pop idol of the time; and whereas Vincent was hesitant and fey in his dealing with the media, never uttering more than a few barely audible words, Cochran spoke with a relaxed, eloquent manner which came over well in interviews. He was brighter and more musicianly than Vincent who worked strictly by ear, and was held in high regard not only by Gene, but all musicians who came into contact with him. For his part, Cochran looked on Gene as a drinking buddy whose disregard for the conventional mores of showbiz distinguished him from the dozens of ingratiating showbiz types Cochran normally met in his travels.

The ground-breaking tour took place during a transitory period in British pop music. As the rock n’ roll era drew to a close hits such as “Save The Last Dance For Me” signaled the arrival of more sophisticated production techniques and the emergence of A&R men and arrangers as the inspirational force behind pop music. This kind of recorded chicanery did not translate at all well to the live stage and Cochran and Vincent came as revelation to British audiences to whom they were the keepers of the sacred flame of rock n’ roll.

The continued success of the tour prompted arrangement of further concerts with an almost indecent haste although allowances had to be made for Cochran’s American commitments; he was scheduled to the States on Sunday, April 17th for recording sessions.
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Re: The Eddie Cochran Story

Post: # 51Post Robertjack »

Cochran and Vincent’s work permits had been extended to enable them to play one further week at the Hippodrome in Bristol, beginning April 11. This done, Cochran and Vincent traveled to Bristol and checked into the city’s largest hotel, the Royal. Cochran was experiencing depression and he and Vincent continued to drink heavily. They were joined in Bristol three days later by Sharon Sheeley who seemed unwilling to let Eddie to let him out of her sight for long.

They went through their familiar twice-nightly stage routine, but Cochran seemed to have lost some of his enthusiasm and west-country audiences were treated to perfunctory rather than inspired performances.


When the tour manager delivered the plane tickets to the singer’s hotel room on the last morning of the tour, Cochran ripped open the envelope while sitting in bed and exclaimed – “Take a look at these, boy, real genuine tickets to the USA.”

On the last day, British pop singer Johnny Gentle arrived in Bristol by car to deputize for one of the support acts who was taken ill. He was accompanied by his girlfriend and another couple. Immediately after the curtain fell on the last show, at 10:30 PM on Saturday night, Gentle met Cochran in the corridor outside his dressing room: “The rest of the show were traveling by coach but because I was only standing in for somebody, I had come by car. Eddie knew this and asked me if I was going back to London and could I take him, Gene and Sharon. Sharon was standing next to him and said “please”, but I had a full load and couldn’t take more than two. I really would have driven them otherwise. Eddie said he would take a cab”.

Cochran was booked on the one o’clock flight from Heathrow on Sunday and had originally intended to catch a train to London after the show but abandoned the idea after learning that services from the West Country shut down at night. Instead, a cab was hired for the 100 mile journey.

The Ford Consul which arrived was littered with confetti and the driver, a 19 year old named George Martin, explained that it had been used for a wedding earlier in the day. After packing most of their baggage, Vincent, Cochran, Sheeley and Pat Thompkins left the Grand Hotel at 11 PM. The cab hurtled through the dark Wiltshire night at 70 MPH winding its’ way through a series of small towns. At approximately midnight, they reached the outskirts of Chippenham, a small town 20 miles from Bristol. Passing under the narrow Chippenham railway viaduct, the car had to negotiate a gradual curve in the road leading up to a gentle uphill gradient called Rowden Lane. “The road had recently been re-graveled” explains Hal Carter, who heard the story first hand from Pat Thompkins, “and the driver was racing like a madman to get Eddie back and he had taken a wrong turn and was doubling back on himself to Bristol. When Pat saw the road signs, he said, “You’re going the wrong way, mate, and you should have turned left there somewhere. We’re going back where we came from. So the driver hit the brakes”.

Martin misjudged the curve of the road as the car emerged from the viaduct, lost control and hit the curb on the far side with his brakes locked. The impact spun the car around and it went into a backward skid, bouncing uncontrollably of the curb on both sides of the road, careening crazily for about 150 yards before impacting a concrete lamp standard. The impact snapped the rear left roof support away from the body and badly buckled the left rear panel which bore a perfect imprint of the lamp post. Cochran had been thrown upwards against the roof of the car by the force of the crash then propelled on to the road as the door burst open on contact. Vincent sustained a broken collar bone while Sheeley received back injuries; Martin and Thompkins emerged unscathed.

The injured passengers were rushed to St. Martin’s Hospital in Bath where they were treated by emergency staff. Cochran did not regain consciousness and died of severe brain lacerations at 4 PM Easter Sunday, sixteen hours after the crash. Although his death made headlines in Britain, the news received only minor coverage in the USA.

On Wednesday, April 20th after less than three days in the hospital, Vincent discharged himself with the apparent intention of flying back to Los Angeles with Cochran’s body. He immediately rang his mother in Norfolk, Virginia. Gene said “Eddie and I started together and we’re coming home together”.

Eddie Cochran was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Cypress, California on Monday April 25, 1960
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