Editor Reviews:

Product Description:
Outrageously talented, remarkably handsome, internationally renowned, and dead at the age of 21. More than 40 years after the tragic car crash that killed him, Eddie Cochran remains one of rock and roll's most lamented "What Ifs." A trailblazing guitarist, gifted vocalist, hit-making composer and arranger, and budding whiz-kid producer, Cochran quickly ascended from Midwestern obscurity in the late '50s to become one of nascent rock and roll's leading lights. He penned or recorded many of the most recognized songs in rock history - "Summertime Blues," "Nervous Breakdown," "Somethin' Else," "C'mon Everybody," "Twenty Flight Rock," "Sittin' in the Balcony" - songs whose distinctive sound and defiant, often wryly humorous lyrics have been eagerly digested, analyzed and lovingly reinterpreted by generations of rockers after him, from The Beatles to the Sex Pistols, The Who to U2. Three Steps to Heaven: The Eddie Cochran Story - co-authored by Cochran's nephew, also a gifted musician - is the first American biography of this uniquely American rock legend, who was among the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The book is a detailed portrait of Cochran's personal and professional triumphs and travails, with fascinating insight into the rock pioneer's life that only a family member can provide. 33 B/W photographs; Hardcover.

Rating : - I Remember
The first Eddie Cochran recording I bought in 1972 was the double-LP Legendary Masters United Artists#9959. I now have all of his recordings, the 3 VHS movies Eddie appeared in, the DVD Buddy Holly Story with Gary Busey and Jerry Zaremba as Eddie; the DVD La Bamba with Brian Setzer and his Gretsch as Eddie. He is also portrayed in Renee Zellweger's "Shake Rattle and Rock!" Eddie first toured with Buddy Holly in the November 1957 show that included the Everlys, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, LaVern Baker and Paul Anka. Earlier in 1957 Eddie released his first UK single Twenty Flight Rock. On 7/6/57 Paul McCartney impressed John of the Quarry Men with his rendition of it after watching John's version of the Del-Vikings Come Go With Me. Lennon also hired Paul's friend George who played Raunchy note-for-note on the bus. 3 years later the trio attended Eddie's March 14, 1960 concert at the Liverpool Empire where the shrieking screaming fans drowned out most of the sound. This concert also persuaded them that they needed amps. There is something about the sound that Eddie generated on that $385 orange amber red 1956 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Western model serial#16942 with gold anodized Bigsby tremolo, which Eddie had modified. He replaced the front one of the pair of De Armond Dynasonic pickups with a black covered Gibson P-90 pickup to get the mellow Gibson L5 sound. Chet Atkins began designing Gretsches in 1955 and played guitar on Elvis's Heartbreak Hotel and the Everly's Wake Up Little Suzie / Bye Bye Love. When recording, increase the 'record' level during the guitar solos and instrumentals. This book has a lot of info on Eddie. For first time buyers I would recommend the May 3, 2005 double-CD Best of Eddie Cochran by Eddie Cochran; or the Eddie Cochran 4 CD box set on Liberty EMI UK which has more instrumentals. Also check out The Very Best Of Chet Atkins 2CD set, 30 of the 40 songs are instrumentals and Chet is pictured with a Gretsch 6120 on the cover.