He Was Too Good To Last
Elvis Presley may have kicked down the door, but Eddie Cochran walked through it like he owned the place. With James Dean looks, guitar god swagger, and songs that nailed teenage angst, Cochran wasn’t copying anyone. He was the real deal, and even rock legends worshipped him. Mick Jagger called him “royalty,” and Jimi Hendrix requested Cochran’s music for his funeral.
Sadly, just as Cochran hit superstardom, he couldn’t shake an impending sense of doom—and fate proved him right.
1. His Beginnings Were Blurry
Like any rock legend, Cochran’s origin story is a bit hazy. For a while, he claimed Oklahoma City as his hometown, but the truth was that Albert Lea, Minnesota, is where he was born on October 3, 1938. The youngest of five, Eddie got lucky: his mom, Alice, and his dad, Frank, actually encouraged his obsession with music.
Or maybe it wasn’t so lucky—Cochran might’ve lived longer if he’d just become a mechanic like his old man.
Liberty Records, Wikimedia Commons
2. He Was About To Ignite
Eddie Cochran got lucky again at 14, when his family traded Minnesota’s big skies for California’s sunny ones. Out west, he caught the music bug for good. Headstrong from the get-go, he ended up quitting the school orchestra when his teacher wouldn’t let him play the instrument he wanted. His brother showed him a few chords on their dad’s old guitar, and the rest was history…well, almost.
Soon, Eddie would cross paths with the spark that really set his ambition on fire.
Liberty Records, Wikimedia Commons
3. He Was Born To Play
It didn’t take long for Cochran’s talent and wild new guitar tricks to start turning heads on the local scene. He was so good that he dropped out of high school to chase music full-time. By 1953, he was one half of a country music duo called the Cochran Brothers. Fun fact: His bandmate’s name was Hank Cochran, but the two weren’t related.
While the duo was touring, they heard whispers about a new artist who was setting the world on fire. Naturally, they had to see what all the fuss was about.
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4. He Had An Awakening
The artist who was causing all of the chaos? Elvis Presley. When Eddie and Hank caught one of his shows, their minds were blown—and not just by the music or the man himself. Eddie could not believe how wild the crowd was. One look at the screaming, swooning girls, and he thought, I want a bit of this. With a few tweaks to his style and sound, he would soon be on his way to stirring some mayhem of his own.
5. He Met The Man Who Moved The Needle
Sometimes it seems like fate has a heavy hand—especially when it comes to Cochran. In 1955, songwriter Jerry Capehart wandered into a music store in Bell Gardens, California. There, he met a 17-year-old Eddie Cochran, who was buying guitar strings. The store owner introduced them, and the chemistry was instant. Capehart needed someone to demo his songs, and Eddie had just formed the Cochran Brothers with Hank.
It was just a handshake in a music shop, but it would soon electrify the world of rock and roll.
Liberty Records, Wikimedia Commons
6. He Was Grinding His Way To Glory
Fueled by teenage energy, Elvis’s spark, and Capehart’s alchemy, Cochran’s hustle was unstoppable. When he wasn’t recording or touring with the Cochran Brothers, he was cutting demos, writing songs, and working as a session musician.
Before long, he was playing in the same circles as another rising star: Buddy Holly. The two hit it off, and when playing the same venues on back-to-back nights, they would leave each other cheeky notes. Anything from playful trash talk to warnings like “You’ll have your work cut out for you tonight—this audience is frosty”.
But like many rock-and-roll relationships, this one would not end well.
Brunswick Records, Wikimedia Commons
7. He Broke Free
That Elvis show changed everything. Namely, it inspired the Cochran Brothers to bottle some of that energy by mixing hip-shaking rock into their country twang—basically creating an early version of rockabilly. Crowds loved it, but the records tanked. Hank, ever the country purist (and more than a little spooked by screaming girls), wanted out. The two split up, and Eddie Cochran stepped onto the road that would make him a rock and roll legend.
Ekko Records, Wikimedia Commons
8. He Went Hollywood
Eddie’s solo career took off fast. His teen-idol looks caught the eye of a movie producer, and by 1956, he was strumming onscreen in The Girl Can’t Help It alongside blonde beauty Jayne Mansfield. For his scene, he performed “Twenty Flight Rock”. It didn’t do much for the movie’s plot, but it did wonders for Eddie’s career, especially in the UK, where his flashy, fun rock and roll helped lift British youth out of their post-WWII slump.
In fact, “Twenty Flight Rock” was the bridge that brought two young British lads together.
Screenshot from The Girl Can’t Help It, 20th Century Fox (1956)
9. His Song Was The Catalyst
Luckily for music lovers, the fact that Cochran’s destiny-sourced manager, Jerry Capehart, thumped on a soup carton on one version of “Twenty Flight Rock” is not the song’s biggest bit of trivia. The real magic came when a 15-year-old Paul McCartney saw Cochran perform the song in The Girl Can’t Help It. He was so captivated that he went home and taught himself to play it.
Not long after, a friend dragged Paul to a celebration at a “posh” village to check out a skiffle group fronted by the friend’s mate, John Lennon. To call it fateful would be putting it mildly…
Eric Koch for Anefo, Wikimedia Commons
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10. He Made Magic Happen
Paul had no idea he was walking straight into his destiny. At that village party, he watched John Lennon performing on the back of a truck—swaggering, half-improvising the lyrics to a popular tune. Paul thought to himself, I’ve got to have a go at this. So, he borrowed a guitar and flipped it upside-down because he was left-handed, and then launched into “Twenty Flight Rock”. As he later recalled, “The great thing was that I knew all the words to it…and this was true status”.
When he looked up, Lennon’s face said it all: he’d just found his new bandmate.
Eric Koch for Anefo, Wikimedia Commons
11. He’s Beatles Canon
With a little help from Eddie Cochran, McCartney cracked Lennon’s cool-guy armor. Paul later remembered John looking at him like, “Wow, this guy’s got something here”. A few days later, one of Paul’s friends biked up to him and said, “Hey, they want you to join the group”. Paul, playing it cool, fired back, “Well, I’ll have to think about it”.
And just like that, thanks to a Cochran song and a flipped-over guitar, on July 6, 1957, one of the greatest songwriting duos in history was born.
United Press International, photographer unknown, Wikimedia Commons
12. He Had Fans In High Places
It’s wild to think about what those two rock and roll-obsessed teenagers went on to become. And on their way up, they didn’t forget Eddie Cochran. At their early gigs at Liverpool’s legendary Cavern club, the Beatles included several Cochran songs in their setlist. Paul later explained his fanboy status: “When you looked at Eddie, he could really play—and he was writing his own stuff”.
It wouldn’t be too long before the Beatles (two of them, at least) saw Cochran light up the stage. Tragically, it would happen just weeks before fate struck him down.
Associated Press, Wikimedia Commons
13. His Label Softened His Edge
Around the same time that McCartney was blowing Lennon’s mind with Cochran’s song, Cochran’s first and only studio album dropped. And let’s just say that if McCartney had played anything from Singin’ to My Baby, Lennon would have laughed. Cochran’s record label wanted to sand off his grit and mold him into a clean-cut crooner, so they dressed him up and handed him a stack of syrupy ballads. Let’s just say, it didn’t go well.
Ekko Records, Wikimedia Commons
14. He Was Corny
The late 1950s were a musical free-for-all, and Liberty Records was more interested in making money than changing the musical landscape. Even though they tried to stuff Eddie Cochran into a safe, marketable Pat Boone-meets-Elvis box, the album only rose to #18 on the charts. The biggest single? “Sittin’ in the Balcony”—a track about making out at the movies, which concluded with a campy, cartoonish smooch.
Hey, at least Eddie had cracked the charts. For his next act, he was about to rip off the cardigan and really let loose—in more ways than one.
15. He Made Magic Happen
The making of Cochran’s biggest hit is pure rock and roll alchemy. As his manager, Jerry Capehart, later admitted, they were desperately seeking “a hit that would give Eddie some identity”. One afternoon in Capehart’s apartment, inspiration struck. Capehart suddenly realized that there were tons of summer songs, but none focused on the hardships of being broke, bored, and bossed around. Just 45 minutes later, “Summertime Blues” was born.
Getting it recorded? Well, that would come with a snag or two…
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16. He Almost Lost It
Capehart was so hyped about “Summertime Blues” that he booked three hours of studio time so they could lay it down. There was just one problem: the drummer couldn’t keep time to save his life. Eddie Cochran—already a pro despite his age—was livid. “Eddie was about to go nuts,” Capehart recalled. After 35 takes, three hours, and $350 spent (about $4,000 today), they finally got one take they could use.
They’d walked in thinking they were recording a B-side. They walked out with an anthem that would go down in history.
17. His Songwriter Was Down Bad
The Beatles weren’t the only ones blown away by Eddie Cochran in The Girl Can’t Help It. A 15-year-old named Sharon Sheeley saw him on the big screen and was instantly smitten. By 18, the former teen model was already a music prodigy—the youngest woman ever to write a #1 hit in America, Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool”. So when Capehart asked her to write the B-side for “Summertime Blues,” she jumped at the chance.
She called it “Love Again”—and maybe she hoped Eddie would do exactly that.
Photographer not credited, Wikimedia Commons
18. His Admirer Was Determined
For years, Sharon Sheeley tried every trick in the book to catch Eddie’s eye. She bought a new wardrobe, went blonde—and still nothing. Then, finally, a glimmer of hope came in the form of an invite to Eddie’s 1958 New Year’s Eve party. Cue the movie montage of Sharon in front of her closet, frantically trying on all the outfits that hadn’t worked before. She was out of cash and fed up. Something snapped—it was time for Plan B.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
19. He Had No Idea What Was Coming
When Sharon got ready for Eddie’s party, she pulled a move that was downright radical for the time. She shed the pick-me energy, and instead of donning a pretty party dress, she put her hair in pigtails, threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt, and walked in like she owned the place. It was genius. Eddie did a double-take. Then, grinning, he said, “Are you in love with me, Charlie Brown?”—his nickname for her.
Sharon froze.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
20. He Broke The Spell
Once Sharon recovered from the shock of Eddie’s sudden honesty, she managed to say, “That is no question to ask”. Eddie just smiled. “You’d better be,” he told her, “because I’m sure in love with you”. Somewhere in the room, you could almost hear the angels sing. Years later, Sharon laughed about it: “I’d spent two years chasing him, probably to much embarrassment in the record industry, and he noticed me in jeans! I felt like hitting him over the head with my shoe!”
This story, accompanied by Cochran’s song “C’mon Everybody,” even made its way into a 1988 Levi’s ad.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
21. His Girl Was More Than A Pretty Face
By now, Eddie Cochran was one-half of a bona fide rock ‘n’ roll power couple. Sharon Sheeley wasn’t just some starstruck fan—she was a hitmaker. At just 18, she’d written a number-one smash for Ricky Nelson. Eddie? No chart-toppers yet. His “Summertime Blues” peaked at #8. That’s OK, though—the kid was only 20 and his career was just catching fire.
The buzz grew after his next single, “C’mon Everybody,” and he was even making TV appearances. He’d also just agreed to join the ill-fated Winter Dance Party tour with his pals Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly…
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
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23. He Hit A Dark Spot
Right around this time, the cruel hand of fate started looking at Cochran and cracking its knuckles. Eddie had just booked a spot on The Ed Sullivan Show—and even in the pre-Beatles era, everyone knew that Sullivan could make you a star overnight. To make it happen, Eddie reluctantly pulled out of the Winter Dance Party with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper.
Then, out of nowhere, everything that had been shiny and golden in Eddie’s world was about to turn dark fast. Cochran never made it to either show.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
24. His Life Took A Brutal Turn
February 3, 1959, was the day the sky fell on rock and roll. The small plane carrying Eddie’s friends—Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper—went down in a frozen Iowa cornfield, claiming the lives of everyone on board. Sure, Eddie had dodged destiny thanks to Ed Sullivan, but that didn’t make it any easier. This was one of those moments where the world takes a wrong turn and never quite comes back.
Civil Aeronautics Board, Wikimedia Commons
25. He Lost It
Eddie’s life story had just slammed down hard on side B. When he heard about the crash, he was gutted. His mind must have been spinning—grief, survivor’s guilt, gratitude, and raw fear. After all, his next move was supposed to be boarding a plane to New York for The Ed Sullivan Show. Not gonna happen. Instead, like something out of a noir film, Eddie pointed his station wagon toward the desert and disappeared into the dust—trying to outdrive his demons.
Spoiler: They knew how to keep up.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
26. His Heart Was Broken
If anyone ever doubted how deeply Eddie mourned his fallen friends, “Three Stars” makes it heartbreakingly clear. California DJ Tommy Dee wrote the tribute as the news of the crash sputtered out of his newsroom teletype. As soon as Eddie heard Tommy’s rough cut, he was in tears. “Let’s cut it right now,” he said. But when he stepped up to the mic, the grief was too raw. He broke down mid-song. You can still hear that pain etched into the final recording.
In less than a year, there would be four stars shining in the sky.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
27. He Needed A Reboot
1959 wasn’t kind to Cochran. Even “Somethin’ Else,” written by his now-girlfriend Sharon Sheeley, barely cracked the US charts. America had traded its leather jackets for lounge suits, and Elvis was crooning in the movies instead of causing chaos. But, across the pond, the kids were still hungry for danger. In Britain, “Somethin’ Else” broke into the top 30, and fans wanted more.
For Eddie, it looked like the perfect way to reignite his career—there was just one problem.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
28. He Ignored The Warning Signs
All Eddie had to do was white-knuckle it through one transatlantic flight, and he’d be back where rock and roll was still king. The final push to go came from Cochran’s pal, rocker Gene Vincent, who hadn’t had a hit stateside in years, but the Brits thought he was the cat’s pajamas. Adoring fans and sold-out shows were waiting…it only took one flight (the rest of the UK tour would be over road or rail).
Still, as Eddie packed his bags, a familiar unease crept in—the ghost of the plane crash. He brushed it off, but it wouldn’t be the flight that he needed to worry about.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
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29. His New Song Was A Little Too On The Nose
Before setting out on his UK tour, Eddie Cochran popped into the studio to lay down one more track. He brought a few pals along—including Jerry Allison from Buddy Holly’s band—and teamed up with his brother Bob as co-writer. The result was “Three Steps to Heaven,” a breezy tune that describes the shortcut to heavenly bliss. It was cool enough for David Bowie to sample a riff from years later.
For Eddie, though, heaven was closer than anyone imagined.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
30. He Was About To Make History
We don’t know how Eddie Cochran coped with the terror of that transatlantic flight (Booze? Pills? Visions of screaming fans?), but we do know that on January 10, 1960, just two days after recording “Three Steps to Heaven,” he touched down—safely—in England. The Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran show (AKA the biggest rock and roll tour in British history, up until that point) was about to begin.
Turns out Cochran made a big impression before even picking up his instrument.
Evening Standard, Getty Images
31. He Was The OG Clean Girl
Apparently, the fearsome flight didn’t ruffle Cochran’s feathers. When British rocker Marty Wilde met him at the airport, Wilde was awestruck by Eddie’s…glow? “We British lads had acne, and Eddie walked in with the most beautiful hair and the most beautiful skin,” Wilde later recalled. “His skin was a light brown, a beautiful color from all that California sunshine, and I thought, ‘You lucky devil’”.
He may have looked like sunshine, but his fancy finger-style playing was like lightning. A true musician’s musician, within a few days, he had his young British backing band sounding sharp.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
32. He Had The Crowd Eating Out Of His Hand
The Swinging 60s had officially arrived, and Eddie was the one ushering them in. Onstage, he dialed the charm and humor up to 11, playing like every night might be his last. His swagger, his smile, that wild finger-work—it was rock and roll magic. British audiences went wild. One night, two scruffy Liverpool lads named John Lennon and George Harrison even caught a show.
Years later, George couldn’t stop talking about it…
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
33. He Blew Half The Beatles’ Minds
When Eddie and company hit Liverpool, the crowd went feral. And somewhere in the pulsing throng, taking notes, were John Lennon and George Harrison—just months away from officially becoming the Beatles. Years later, George recalled, “Eddie blew me away…he looked good, sang good…He pushed his hair back, and a girl yelled, ‘Eddie!’ He said, ‘Hi, Honey!’ I thought, ‘Yes! That’s it—rock ’n’ roll!’”
The next wave of British rock had found its first crush.
34. He Was The Real Deal
For all his star power, Eddie Cochran didn’t just win over audiences—he lifted up the people around him, too. Cochran noticed that his tourmate, the rockabilly heartthrob Billy Fury, was struggling with stage fright. Always the charmer, Eddie told him to look in the mirror and say, “I am the greatest performer in the world”. Just when Fury started to believe it, Eddie grinned and said, “No, you’re not—I am!”
It seemed that no one could get enough of Cochran’s winning ways—unfortunately, that became part of his problem.
Allan warren, Wikimedia Commons
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35. He Was Crumbling
The tour was such a smash that they extended it. But what looked like success from the outside was quietly breaking Eddie Cochran down. He wasn’t bowl-cut-Justin Bieber young, but he was only 21—and tired. “Ed was so homesick and desperate to get back,” recalled tour manager Hal Carter. “He’d talk to his mom for hours, and these [huge overseas charges] were on their hotel bill”.
Haunted by the ghosts of Holly and Valens, Eddie feared that he’d be next. When the calls home didn’t dampen the dread, he turned to the bottle.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
36. He Was Nearing His Fat Elvis Era At 21
It wasn’t very rock and roll to be on the phone with your mom every night, but Eddie still knew how to party like a legend. Problem was, the legend was catching up with him. His drinking spiraled until he was downing as much as two-fifths of hard booze a day. At one show, he was so out of it that he had to cling to his mic stand just to stay upright. You can see it in some of the photos from that time: he looks puffy, pale, and wrecked. Inside, he felt even worse.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
37. He’d Had Enough
By now, Eddie’s sparkle had faded along with his California tan. Performing was fun, but the bone-chilling British winter was not. He missed the warm sunshine and cold brews, fast food, and faster cars. His pal Gene Vincent was a little dose of home, but he had his own problems. So, Eddie got on the phone and begged his girlfriend, Sharon Sheeley, to cross the ocean and join him.
Sharon, who was desperate to become Mrs. Cochran, flew over for her 20th birthday. But when she got there, she couldn’t believe her eyes.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
38. He Was Losing Grip
When Sharon saw Eddie, her jaw hit the floor. The golden-skinned heartthrob she’d fallen for was gone—replaced by a pale, bloated wreck. But it wasn’t just his looks that had changed. Eddie had moved from booze to pills—uppers and downers—and it was messing with his mind. Convinced that fate had it in for him, he even started visiting fortune tellers just to find out how much time he had left.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
39. His Girl Was Getting Scared
You’d think Eddie Cochran would be thrilled to have his girlfriend Sharon by his side again, but the first thing he did was send her on a bizarre errand. Eddie told Sharon to go to the record store and buy every Buddy Holly album they had. For days, Eddie sat alone, listening to Buddy’s voice on repeat like he was trying to reach him through the static. Finally, Sharon asked, “Doesn’t it upset you hearing Buddy this way?” His response shook her to the core: “Oh, no, because I’ll be seeing him soon”.
Something had to change—fast.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
40. He Had No Idea What Was Coming
For Sharon, it must have felt like divine intervention. Hope arrived in the form of a recording obligation—Eddie needed to get back to Los Angeles to cut some tracks for his second album. It was the perfect excuse for a 10-day break to rest his frayed mind and body. His last show before the break was on April 16, at the Hippodrome in Bristol. But because it was Easter weekend and there was an anti-nuclear march happening, the trains had stopped running. Eddie, Sharon, and Gene Vincent needed to get to Heathrow Airport fast.
Fate already had other plans.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
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41. He Was (Almost) Outta There
There was so much more riding on getting to Heathrow than just catching a flight—Eddie’s sanity was at stake. The trio checked with the opening act, Johnny Gentle, but his car was full. With few options left, they hired a private cab and were joined by his tour manager in the front seat. Sharon, Gene, and Eddie piled in the back, with Eddie wedged in the middle. Around 11:00 pm, they sped off toward London.
This time, it was Sharon who had the bad feeling…
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
42. He Trusted The Wrong Ride
As the headlights cut through the dark countryside, Sharon’s stomach twisted. Their 19-year-old driver was showing off for the American rock stars even though Eddie kept telling him to slow down. Sharon later said, “For the whole journey, I just sat there waiting…waiting for that car to crash”.
Even before they left, she’d felt it. “It was a very strange feeling. The minute the car door shut, it felt like I was shutting a tomb”.
43. He Had Been Right All Along
The nightmare was real. Sharon later said, “I remember seeing the trees zipping by because we were going too fast, and thinking there was nothing I could do to stop this”. They were careening through the dark at over 60 mph (around 100 km/h) down narrow English roads. Gene, knocked out by a sleeping pill, was blissfully unaware. So, Sharon and Eddie did the only thing they could: they started singing “California Here I Come”.
And then the music stopped.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
44. His Worst Fear Came True
Suddenly, the sounds of screeching metal swallowed their song as the driver misjudged a curve and their car slammed into a concrete lamppost. In a flash, Eddie threw himself over Sharon to protect her, but the force of the impact tossed him around like a rag doll. First, he hit the Ford’s ceiling, and then he went through a door that popped open. Eddie then skidded 250 yards (228 m) down the asphalt on the back of his head.
Nothing would ever be the same.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
45. His World Was Torn Apart
A grim silence hung over the scene before the locals arrived. One recalled the heartbreaking aftermath: “I went outside and saw the wrecked car, several people lying about, a large guitar, and scattered photographs, which had come from the open [trunk]”. Paramedics took them to the hospital. The two in the front seat were unhurt. Gene broke his collarbone, several ribs, and his leg. Sharon suffered injuries to her back and thigh.
Eddie, however, had been right all along—the nightmare he’d feared had come true…
46. He Had Played His Last Lick
Eddie was the hardest hit. He never regained consciousness. The following day, April 17, 1960, at 4:10 pm, St. Martin’s Hospital in Bath became the last stop on his too-short journey. He succumbed to his catastrophic head injuries at just 21 years old. His family flew his body home and laid him to rest in Cypress, California.
Ironically, shortly after his passing, “Three Steps to Heaven” climbed to the top of the UK charts. Eddie finally had his first number-one hit.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
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47. His Guitar Was Like A Limb
After the crash, Eddie’s iconic Gretsch 6120 was strewn to the side of the road. Young law enforcement rookie David Harman, an Eddie superfan and fledgling musician, couldn’t resist its pull. He carefully took it back to the station. While Eddie’s guitar sat in storage, David would secretly play it every now and then until Eddie’s estate finally collected it.
David would later become Dave Dee of the band Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, and today the guitar rests in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, humming with Eddie’s electric spirit.
Joel Ryan - PA Images, Getty Images
48. He Didn’t Fade Away
Eddie Cochran got that Gretsch at 16—and in just five short years, he changed rock forever. Fearless and inventive, he pioneered overdubbing, proved artists could write their own songs, and blurred genres like a mad genius. He was so explosive that even the future biggest names in rock—the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The Who—took notes.
Snuffed out too soon? Yes. Faded away? Never.
Atlantic Records, Wikimedia Commons
49. He Could Have Been Cursed
After Eddie’s passing, some people couldn’t shake the feeling that something bigger was at play. He’d been obsessed with Buddy Holly—and eerily convinced he’d meet his maker the same way. Was it the Buddy Holly curse or something darker? Did he pull a Robert Johnson and sell his soul to the devil in exchange for his otherworldly guitar skills?
Whatever the truth, it’s hard not to feel a chill when you uncover what came next…
50. He Had Something Dark In His DNA
The family tragedy didn’t stop at Eddie’s sudden passing. Eddie’s nephew, guitarist Bobby Cochran, was only 10 when his legendary uncle passed. Bobby said that Eddie communicated with him from beyond the grave. “Eddie was my idol since I was a little kid,” Bobby said. “After he passed, Eddie started to appear to me in lucid dreams, in effect teaching me how to play guitar”. Maybe it was Eddie’s way of helping the legend live on.
Sadly, fate wasn’t done with the family. On April 17, 1999, Bobby’s daughter, Breeannon Mikalia Cochran, lost her life in a car crash—the exact same date that Eddie had perished, at the exact same age: 21. Coincidence? Perhaps. Or maybe Eddie was right to be afraid.
Hollycochran, Wikimedia Commons
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