Eddie Cochran

When rock n roll exploded across America in 1956 there was an immediate demand for young white rockers cast in the mould of rocks great progenitor Elvis Presley whose dynamic fusion of hillbilly and rb had revolutionised postwar music within the space of a few months Eddie Cochran had the looks talent and ambition to make him a prime contender When Cochran died at 21 he was only beginning to realise ambitions which went far beyond the scope of most of his contemporaries in terms of studio activity He was not merely a singer and a talented guitarist and songwriter he was also an arranger and A R man Moreover considering him only as a singersongwriter if some of his records seem a little slick now the wit of his running commentary on teenage life seen from within puts him only a couple of notches below Chuck Berry Rob Finnis