Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Eddie Cochran

Role / Field:

Pioneering American rock and roll musician whose style defined the 1950s rocker.

Born:

1938-10-03

Died:

1960-04-17

Century / Era:

1938s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Edward Ray Cochran ( KOK-rən; October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an American rock and roll musician. His songs, such as "Twenty Flight Rock", "Summertime Blues", "C'mon Everybody" and "Somethin' Else", captured teenage frustration and desire in the mid-1950s and early 1960s. He experimented with multitrack recording, distortion techniques and overdubbing, even on his earliest singles. Cochran played the guitar, piano, bass, and drums.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His image as a sharply dressed and attractive young man with a rebellious attitude epitomized the stance of the 1950s rocker, and in death, he achieved iconic status. Cochran was involved with music from an early age, playing in the school band and teaching himself to play blues guitar. In 1955, Cochran formed a duo with the guitarist Hank Cochran (no relation) and became known as the Cochran Brothers. When they split the following year, Eddie began a song-writing career with Jerry Capehart. His first success came when he performed the song "Twenty Flight Rock" in the film The Girl Can't Help It, which starred Jayne Mansfield.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Soon afterward, he signed a recording contract with Liberty Records and his first record for the label, "Sittin' in the Balcony...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahn Chang Ho — Contemporary (Died in 1938) (1938): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.
• Alan Bond — Contemporary (Born in 1938) (1938): Australian businessman known for high-profile dealings, the America's Cup, and founding Bond University.
• Alan Dershowitz — Contemporary (Born in 1938) (1938): Prominent American lawyer and constitutional law scholar known for high-profile defense work.
• Adam Clayton — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Irish-English bassist and founding member of the globally renowned rock band U2.
• Adam Schiff — Contemporary (Born in 1960) (1960): Long-serving Democratic politician, former Congressman, and current U.S. Senator from California.
• Albert Camus — Contemporary (Died in 1960) (1960): Philosopher and writer known for Absurdism, The Stranger, and The Plague.
• Akio Morita — Shared historical date (10-03 · Died) (1999): Visionary Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony.
• Albert Günther — Shared historical date (10-03 · Born) (1830): Pioneering zoologist and ichthyologist, renowned for massive contributions to taxonomy.
• Adam František Kollár — Shared historical date (04-17 · Born) (1718): Pioneering Slovak jurist, historian, and coiner of the term ethnology.
• Alexander Cartwright — Shared historical date (04-17 · Born) (1820): Founding member of the Knickerbockers and developer of early baseball rules.
• 1938 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1938
• October 3 (10-03) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 3
• 1960 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1960
• April 17 (04-17) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 17

Frequently Asked Questions about Eddie Cochran