Eddie Cochran: In Person!

Book excerpt: In the golden era of rock 'n' roll, there was one name who rivaled Elvis Presley, both in style and talent: Eddie Cochran. In his short 21 years, Eddie Cochran changed the face of music forever—despite his life being cut tragically cut short when he died in a car crash on his 1960 tour of England. Born in a small town in Minnesota to humble beginnings, Eddie unleashed a wave of raw talent and energy that defied the norms of the era, becoming a trailblazer of the rockabilly sound and look. His smash hits “Summertime Blues,” “C’mon Everybody,” and “Three Steps to Heaven” are still entertaining audiences and being covered by musicians today, some sixty years after they were first recorded. Cochran’s guitar style and songwriting not only landed him in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it has influenced nearly every major rock ‘n’ roll musician, from Paul McCartney and Marc Bolan, to Bruce Springsteen and Joan Jett. Eddie Cochran: In Person! not only details the life and career of a rock 'n' roll icon, it tells the extraordinary story of how a collector came into possession of the contents of Eddie’s childhood bedroom, which had remained undisturbed and unseen by anyone outside of the Cochran family since his death. Cochran’s fascinating story, lavishly illustrated with personal mementos, scrapbooks, and even a mockup of his never-released second album, all thought lost for more than sixty years, as well as exquisite performance and portrait photography, paints a picture of what it was like to be a rock ‘n’ roll superstar on a meteoric rise. NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN COLLECTOR’S PIECES: All the images and ephemera collected in this book are being published for the first time. ONE OF A KIND: Eddie Cochran: In Person! is the first photographic biography to chronicle the life and times of Eddie Cochran, immortalizing the artist in stunning high-resolution photos and ephemera. BEST-SELLING AUTHOR Lee Bullman (Blowback, Twenty Sixteen) provides expert insight into the life and times of Eddie Cochran, giving an intimate glimpse into the man behind the music.