Ray Edward Cochran was an American rock and roll musician. Cochran's songs, such as "Twenty Flight Rock", "Summertime Blues", "C'mon Everybody" and "Somethin' Else", captured teenage frustration and desire in the mid-1950s and early 1960s. He experimented with multitrack recording, distortion techniques, and overdubbing even on his earliest singles. He played the guitar, piano, bass, and drums. His image as a sharply dressed and attractive young man with a rebellious attitude epitomized the stance of the 1950s rocker, and in death he achieved iconic status.
Vincent Eugene Craddock, known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-a-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He is sometimes referred to by his somewhat unusual nickname/moniker the "Screaming End".
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blues, leading to what is considered "classic" rock and roll. Some have also described it as a blend of bluegrass with rock and roll. The term "rockabilly" itself is a portmanteau of "rock" and "hillbilly", the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style. Other important influences on rockabilly include western swing, boogie-woogie, jump blues, and electric blues.
The Brian Setzer Orchestra is a swing and jump blues band formed in 1990 by Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer. In 1998, for their breakout album The Dirty Boogie, the group covered Louis Prima's "Jump, Jive an' Wail", which originally appeared on Prima's 1957 album The Wildest!. The BSO's follow up single, appearing on the album Vavoom!, was "Gettin' in the Mood."
"Summertime Blues" is a song co-written and recorded by American rock and rockabilly artist Eddie Cochran. It was written by Cochran and his manager Jerry Capehart. Originally a single B-side, it was released in August 1958 and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 29, 1958, and number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. It has been covered by many artists, including being a number-one hit for country music artist Alan Jackson, and scoring notable hits in versions by Blue Cheer, The Who, and Brian Setzer, the last of whom recorded his version for the 1987 film La Bamba, in which he portrayed Cochran. Jimi Hendrix performed it in concert.
"Somethin' Else" is a song by the rockabilly musician Eddie Cochran, co-written by his girlfriend Sharon Sheeley and his elder brother Bob Cochran, and released in 1959. It has been covered by a wide range of artists, including Johnny Hallyday, Led Zeppelin, and the Sex Pistols.
"Hearts of Stone" is an American R&B song. It became a #1 hit on two of the Billboard three lists, Best Sellers in Stores and Most Played in Jukeboxes in 1955 for The Fontane Sisters. It was written by Eddie Ray and Rudy Jackson, members of the San Bernardino, California-based rhythm and blues vocal group the Jewels which first recorded it for the R&B label in 1954. The Jewels began as a gospel group, then became the Marbles, recording for the Lucky label out of Los Angeles. According to Johnny Torrence, leader of the Marbles/Jewels, it was taken from a song they recorded in their gospel days.
Built for Speed is a studio album by American rockabilly band Stray Cats, released as the band's first album in the United States in June 1982 by EMI America Records.
"Pledging My Love" is a blues ballad. It was written by Ferdinand Washington and Don Robey and published in 1954.
"Twenty Flight Rock" is a song originally performed by Eddie Cochran in the 1956 film comedy The Girl Can't Help It, and released as a single the following year. The song was published in 1957 as written by Ned Fairchild and Eddie Cochran, by American Music Incorporated and Campbell, Connelly and Company. Cochran's contribution was primarily on the music. His version is rockabilly-flavored, but artists of a variety of genres have covered the song.
"That's My Desire" is a 1931 popular song with music by Helmy Kresa and lyrics by Carroll Loveday.
David Eugene Summers was an American rockabilly singer, songwriter and guitarist. His most famous recordings include the late 50s "School of Rock 'n Roll", "Straight Skirt", "Nervous", "Gotta Lotta That", "Twixteen", "Alabama Shake", "Fancy Dan" and his biggest-selling single "Big Blue Diamonds". Summers was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Southern Legends Entertainment & Performing Arts Hall of Fame in 2005. He still performed worldwide and celebrated his 50th anniversary as a recording artist in 2008 with the release of Reminisce Cafe.
Darrel Higham is an English rockabilly guitarist who performs with Kat Men. He was previously married to Imelda May and performed in her band.
"Cut Across Shorty" is a song written by Marijohn Wilkin and Wayne P. Walker, made popular by Eddie Cochran. It was the b-side of his number 1 UK hit "Three Steps To Heaven" and the last song he ever recorded.
Eddie Cochran Great Hits is the sixth album posthumously released in the US after Eddie Cochran's death in 1960.
"Weekend" is a song recorded by Eddie Cochran. The song was written by Bill and Doree Post and recorded in April 1959.
"Lonely" is a song written by Sharon Sheeley and recorded by Eddie Cochran. It was recorded in May 1958 and released posthumously as a single on Liberty F-55278 in August 1960. In the UK the single rose to number 41 on the charts. The U.S. release did not chart. The flip side, "Sweetie Pie", reached number 38 on the UK Singles chart.
"Drive In Show" is a song originally performed by Eddie Cochran and released on single by Liberty Records in July 1957. "Drive In Show" backed with "Am I Blue" rose to number 82 on the Billboard charts.
"My Way" is a song co-written and recorded by Eddie Cochran. It was recorded in January 1959 and released posthumously as a single on Liberty Records in April 1963. In the UK the single reached number 23 on the charts.
"Sweetie Pie" is a song written by Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart, and Johnny Russell and recorded by Eddie Cochran. It was recorded in 1957 and released posthumously as a single on Liberty F-55278 in August 1960. In the UK the single rose to number 38 on the charts. The U.S. release did not chart. The flip side, "Lonely", reached number 41 on the UK singles chart. Keld Heich has recorded the song in 2010.
