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AUGUST 2017 Volume 48 Number 8 Issue 570
Editor Duncan Warwick
Contributors David Allan, Janet Aspley, Donnie Ayers, Craig Baguley, Larry Delaney, Don Cusic, Julie Flaskett, Kelly Gregory, Michael Hingston, Spencer Leigh, John Lomax III,, Douglas McPherson, Stephen O’ Hanlon, Roland Purdy, Adrian Peel, Paul Riley, Wayne Smart, Chris Smith, Alison Stokes, Tom Travis, Walt Trott, Jack Watkins
Special projects coordinator Kelly Gregory
Photographers Helen Parish, Patricia Presley, Ian Tilbury, Barry Dixon, Billie McAleer
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News
Walt Trott in Nashville Duncan Warwick in London
Rockabilly Honours
The late Eddie Cochran was added to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Jackson, Tenn., July 1, 30 years after being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sharing that Rockabilly honour posthumously are Carl( Blue Suede Shoes) Perkins, 57, and Eddie’ s very-much-alive rockin’ nephew Bobby Cochran. Ironically, Perkins, who at 65 died in 1998, is a native of Jackson, home to the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
In Memphis, after signing with Sun Records, Carl recorded his composition Blue Suede Shoes, which became Sun’ s first rockabilly record to sell a million singles. It hit Billboard’ s country, pop and R & B charts, even scoring Top 10 in the UK. A 1956 automobile accident sidelined Carl awhile and brother Jay later died from injuries suffered in that tragedy. Later Perkins’ successes included Boppin’ The Blues, Matchbox, and appearing in the movie“ Jamboree.” Johnny Cash, who recorded Perkins’ # 1 Daddy Sang Bass, featured Carl on his hit TV series and as a regular on tour. Perkins is also a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and recipient of a Grammy Hall of Fame award.
Of course, Eddie Cochran departed the music scene in 1960, when his taxi overturned, en-route to London Airport, following a UK tour. He was 21 years old. A multi-instrumentalist, Eddie was Minnesota-born, but kicked off his career in California with a non-related entertainer Garland( Hank) Cochran as The Cochran Brothers, whose associates included fellow country newcomers Harlan Howard and Bobby Bare, as the duo did appearances on such programs as KTTV’ s Town Hall Party, and on tour supporting stars like Lefty Frizzell, before their split. Whereupon Eddie adopted a more rockabilly style, before it was even in vogue, scoring such teen-angst successes as C’ mon Everybody, Something Else,“ Twenty-Flight Rock and Summertime Blues.
A superb guitarist, Eddie helped define the 1950s’ rebel rock sound, inspiring such later legends as John Lennon, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page and Duane Allman. His hits were covered by rock acts like The Who, Blue Cheer and The Sex Pistols. Yet another guitarist who idolised Eddie was nephew Bobby Cochran, known for his mastery of the six-string. Like his uncle, Bobby was born in Albert Lea, Minn.( 1950), and earned his session spurs backing such stalwarts as Steppenwolf, Leon Russell, The Flying Burrito Brothers, as well as his own band The Midnites and more recently The Rhythm Rockers. Apart from Eddie, his early influences were Chet Atkins, B. B. King and Duane Eddy.
According to Bobby:“ Duane’ s style I could actually access. I got to meet him once and I told him how much he had influenced my playing. His tone and melody were amazing. He had a big impact on me as a young player.”
Rory Feek, 52, returns to performing come September in his hometown of Pottsville, Tenn., for a charity concert to benefit the Music Health Alliance. Previously part of the Joey + Rory country duo, he hasn’ t performed since before the death of his wife and vocal partner Joey, who succumbed to cancer in March 2016. According to Feek, Music Health Alliance is special to him because that nonprofit Nashville agency helped the family during her lengthy health battle. At a news conference, he confided,“ I could not navigate the barrage of medical bills that were coming in. What is covered? What is not covered? What isn’ t covered, but should be?”
The duo, known for the hits Cheater, Cheater and This Song’ s For You, won a best roots gospel album Grammy in Los Angeles last February. As writer, former Marine Rory penned hits like A Little More Country Than That( Easton Corbin), Chain Of Love( Clay Walker) and Some Beach( Blake Shelton).
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