Eddie Cochran 50 yrs gone

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 19 Apr 2010 1:10 pm

My friend Bobby Cochran, Eddie's nephew and a great talent himself, sent me these links. The 17th was the 50th anniversary of Eddie's death in England, only 21 yrs. old. Eddie was a remarkable talent, to an extent I never knew before listening to these BBC shows.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... thin_Else/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00s1kls

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 19 Apr 2010 1:35 pm

Eddie is still the high bar to which any early guitar rock style is measured. Would have been the first recognized guitar hero during his lifetime had he stayed alive, but I'd say that went to Dick Dale whom suggested to Eddie that he get a Strat...
For somebody that was happy to jump on nearly any bandwagon that would provide him initial success he did the rock thing as convincing as anybody, he was the whole package.

Great to hear Joe Brown and his collection. Never actually heard George Harrison talk about his hero, I'd love to hear more of that! Once again it's the Brit's that give our disgarded talent the love.

I lived in Bell Gardens for a year near the old Cochran house, but it took me many more years to fully appreciate his greatness.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 19 Apr 2010 3:22 pm

A Salesman trying to sell me my last resting place at Forest Lawn in Cypress, Ca. informed me that Eddie Cochran is buried there. I live pretty close so one day I will try to look Eddie up there.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 19 Apr 2010 4:47 pm

With Timothy McVeigh back in the news, it reminds me of this sad bit of Cochran trivia - Eddie's boyhood home in Oklahoma was one of the many razed for the Murrah Federal Bldg., site of the worst US home grown terrorist attack.

May those innocents that perished forever rest in peace.

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 19 Apr 2010 4:51 pm

I was fortunate to get to see Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Gerry Stykes in Miami, Oklahoma in 1959. It was a package show and I was 16 years old. Now you talk about jaw dropping music, I was totally blown away. Good memories. Ray

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 19 Apr 2010 8:06 pm

You're one of the lucky few Americans that saw him in the US, Ray, he didn't do all that many gigs.
How long was his set?
What was the audience's reaction?
Who's Gerry Stykes?

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 19 Apr 2010 10:50 pm

One of the British musicians (Wildcats?) said in hindsight, that he thinks that they weren't good enough to play along with Eddie Cochran. I don't think so. I'm amazed how tight the groove was. Thanks for posting. Twenty Flight Rock at 1:33.07.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 19 Apr 2010 11:56 pm

From the first time I saw Eddie sing Twenty flight rock in the film The Girl Can't help it I was hooked.
I saw Him at the Glasgow empire on the tour with Gene Vincent.One of My great memories was after that show We were hanging about at one of the stage doors,they drove a decoy car around the corner and the girls all ran to catch it,the stage door opened and there was Eddie standing in front of Me,the crowd surged and I was pushed inside and landed in an awkward embrace with My idol,I was almost speechless,I blurted out "You are Eddie Cochran" He smiled and said "I guess so"Then the bouncers threw Me out but the memory will live with Me forever.
Thanks Eddie.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 20 Apr 2010 1:07 am

A CD was issued not too long ago with Eddie on guitar and Chuck Foreman on steel. Informal recordings from around 1953 when Eddie was in his mid-teens.

Some pretty cool stuff, including Gambler's Guitar and a vocal on "Steelin' The Blues"--done very authentically. I can't find out much about Foreman--he has been mentioned on this forum only a time or two.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 20 Apr 2010 1:13 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTpxJC4AAJ0

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 20 Apr 2010 3:21 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQqYimLd ... re=related

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 20 Apr 2010 4:43 am

Ron, at the time that I seen them, Gene Vincent was the headliner. I remember the crowd wanted him to sing "Woman Love". He wouldn't do it as he had a lawsuit going against him for the words if you know what I mean! He wore a bright green suit that almost blinded you looking at it! haha I remember Eddie came out and he looked just like a brown headed Elvis! Just that charizma about him that made him glow! I don't know anything about Gerry Stykes except that he had a version of Lawdy Miss Clawdy. Never heard anything about him after that. I know that Bobbe Seymore played with the BlueCaps(Gene Vincents Band) but don't know if he was with him at that time. Ray

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 20 Apr 2010 8:25 am

Ray:

You are probably thinking of Gary Stites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWmsYwbIlKk

ray qualls · Post by **ray qualls** » 20 Apr 2010 9:18 am

Mitch, you hit the nail on the head. Thanks for the videos too! Ray

Robert Mayo · Post by **Robert Mayo** » 20 Apr 2010 10:11 am

A little hijacking here....I have what is supposed to be Eddies Bass players P bass..anyone here know anyone that would know? Greg.

Cleat Wooley · Post by **Cleat Wooley** » 20 Apr 2010 11:58 am

Just listen to Eddie on my facebook acct. cleatwooley.com. If you guys want He,s under Oldies Vidioes. Man I can't get over how his slow songs sound like Elvis.there whole lot of good songs on Eddie C.

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 20 Apr 2010 12:54 pm

Eddie's bass player was Connie Smith, aka "Guybo". Deke Dickerson may have some way of authenticating any of the instruments.

Eddie cut a song called "Guybo". You can hear it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVR6qgbJ ... tube_gdata

That may be Guybo behind Eddie, with a bass. I have pictures of him, but none I can quickly look at for a comparison to confirm that is him.

Does your bass look like that?

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 20 Apr 2010 1:31 pm

Greg, very interesting that you may have Guybo's old Fender, that'd be cool to have and a museum piece for sure! How did you come upon it and what make's you question it's authenticacy? Here's Conrad/Connie/Guybo (whom also played steel!) playing it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX33Hxm9yeU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bkVL9rl9Ug I'm not sure who's still alive to verify it's pedigree. Deke may indeed be the best place to start.

Here's early Eddie w/steeler Foreman - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCO0JdWB ... re=related I have this cd and it's great.
And Eddie rockin' the Chicken Shot Blues - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJnmgCgX ... re=related pretty hot for the 50s.

Robert Mayo · Post by **Robert Mayo** » 20 Apr 2010 1:58 pm

[quote="Ron Whitfield"]Greg, very interesting that you may have Guybo's old Fender, that'd be cool to have and a museum piece for sure! How did you come upon it and what make's you question it's authenticacy? Here's Conrad/Connie/Guybo (whom also played steel!) playing it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX33Hxm9yeU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bkVL9rl9Ug I'm not sure who's still alive to verify it's pedigree. Deke may indeed be the best place to start.....

Thanks for the information ,here are the pictures that I have of the bass and Eddie's Band....

When the bass was originally purchased from "Boxcar Willie's " bass player ,he just matter of factually said" you know this was Eddie Cochran's bass players bass" and I have never been able to authenticate it.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 20 Apr 2010 7:06 pm

So far, different bass/different player.
That's deffinitely not Connie Smith in the photos, and unless an anodized pickguard was put on later, most probably not the same bass.

Doesn't mean your bass isn't as stated as he probably had more than one, and it's certainly to die for even if not Guybo's!

Then there's this..., it may indeed be the one in the pix, belonging to this mysteriously different bassist than Eddie's usual #1.

The search continues, keep us posted!

Robert Mayo · Post by **Robert Mayo** » 21 Apr 2010 3:21 am

Actually that is an anodized guard in the pics, it is the only way this bass came,for 1 year only it was a TWO TONE BURST, anodized guard, staggered poles.....

Cleat Wooley · Post by **Cleat Wooley** » 21 Apr 2010 7:38 am

If you guys go to facebook.com look up cleatwooley.com [profile ]under oldies Vidios, there a secstion on Eddie C.

. His slow songs sound just like , ELVIS. Up to you.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 21 Apr 2010 9:29 am

Yes, in the stills you provided, it look's like it could be the very same bass, but the player is not Eddie's bespectacled friend and usual bassist, Guybo.
In the video however, you can tell Guybo's bass has a white pickguard.

I'm hoping you have a piece of Eddie's history, however it plays out.

Robert Mayo · Post by **Robert Mayo** » 21 Apr 2010 2:58 pm

Yes Guybo played the "Tele" styled P bass with the white guard .

nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 22 Apr 2010 1:22 am

Just an odd piece of trivia - I have a DVD of the Town Hall Party shows, and whoever the bass player is on there (the guy with the glasses), he uses a capo on some tunes, so that he can play everything as if it was in "A" (I think, from memory...)
The only other time I've seen a capo on a bass was McCartney, in some studio photos...

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Eddie Cochran 50 yrs gone

Eddie Cochran 50 yrs gone

Thanx!

Thanx, Ray!

Re: Thanx, Ray!