Raymond Edward "Eddie" Cochran (October 3, 1938[1] – April 17, 1960[2]) was an American rock and roll musician and an important influence on popular music during the late 1950s, early 1960s.
Cochran was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota, as Edward Ray Cochran.[1] His parents were from Oklahoma and he always stated in interviews that he was from Oklahoma. He took music lessons in school, but quit the band to play drums. Also, rather than taking piano lessons, he began learning guitar, playing the country music he heard on the radio. In 1955, Cochran's family moved to Bell Gardens, California. As his guitar playing improved, he formed a band with two friends from his junior high school. During a show featuring many performers at an American Legion hall, he met Hank Cochran (later a country music songwriter). Although they were not related, they recorded as The Cochran Brothers and began performing together.[3] Eddie Cochran also worked as a session musician, and began writing songs, making a "demo" with Jerry Capehart, his future manager.
When playing with Hank Cochran, Eddie Cochran played a Gibson electric acoustic guitar with a single florentine.