WORDS B YBILL DAHL
Before he ever had a hit of his own and long after as well, Eddie Cochran was in demand as a session guitarist at Gold Star Recording Studios and other Los Angeles facilities. His rapid-fire licks became as instantly identifiable as the work of Joe Maphis or Merle Travis – and he was a whole lot younger, wide-open to the entire rock’n’roll experience. At the beginning of Cochran’s run as a session guitarist, he stuck pretty closely to straight country music, picking behind veteran vocalists Al Dexter and Riley Crabtree and newcomer Wynn Stewart. But as soon as rockabilly exploded, Eddie wasted no time in making the stylistic switch and got to rocking, quickly developing an arsenal of trademark licks that would suit him well in the years to come. 1956 was the year that Eddie assumed his rightful spot among the elite LA rockabilly pickers, thanks to his stunning solos on classic sides by Skeets McDonald and Gene “Bo” Davis. Even after he started posting hits of his own, Cochran lent his guitar mastery to other singers’ sessions, notably those of Lee Denson, Troyce Key, and Baker Knight. 12 bars of solo space was all Eddie required to make his mark. Here are some classic examples of Eddie’s exploits as a session guitarist…