Wayne Cochran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wayne Cochran
|
|
|---|---|
Cochran in 1969
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Talvin Wayne Cochran |
| Also known as | White Knight of Soul |
| Born | May 10, 1939 Thomaston, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | November 21, 2017 (aged 78) Miramar, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer, preacher |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | Chess Records, King Records, Epic Records, Raven Records |
| Associated acts | Wayne Cochran and the C.C. Riders, Jaco Pastorius |
Talvin Wayne Cochran (born May 10, 1939 – died November 21, 2017) was an American singer. He was famous for his wild outfits and his tall, white pompadour hairstyle. People sometimes called him The White Knight of Soul. Wayne Cochran is best known for writing the song "Last Kiss". He performed this song with his band, the C.C. Riders.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Music
Talvin Wayne Cochran was born in Thomaston, Georgia, on May 10, 1939. His father worked in a cotton mill, and his mother came from a farming family.
When he was a teenager, Wayne loved listening to country and rhythm and blues music on the radio. He started his first band, called the Rockin' Capris. He loved music so much that he left high school to become a full-time musician.
He moved to Macon, Georgia. There, he became friends with the famous soul singer Otis Redding. Wayne even played bass guitar on some of Otis Redding's early songs. Wayne recorded his first song, "The Coo," which caught the attention of King Records. They signed him to a record deal.
The C.C. Riders
Wayne Cochran became good friends with James Brown, another artist on the King Records label. James Brown's exciting stage shows inspired Wayne. Wayne decided to create his own big soul band, which he called the C.C. Riders. This band was huge! Sometimes it had as many as 14 musicians. It also featured two female backup singers called the Sheer Delights.
Wayne's songs like "Goin' Back to Miami" became popular in the southern United States. His band, the C.C. Riders, became very well-known because of their energetic live shows. They toured a lot and appeared on TV shows, including The Jackie Gleason Show.
In the mid-1960s, Wayne Cochran moved his base to Las Vegas. He performed regularly at many hotels, casinos, and theaters there. During this time, he met and became friends with Elvis Presley. Wayne even started wearing jump suits on stage, similar to Elvis's famous outfits.
Recording and Later Years
In 1967, Wayne recorded an album called Wayne Cochran! for Chess Records. This album showed off his unique blue-eyed soul and rhythm and blues style. Later, the C.C. Riders' guitarist and music director, Charles Brent, played a big role in their sound. Their music started to have a jazz influence, like bands such as Chicago Transit Authority and Blood, Sweat & Tears.
Wayne Cochran recorded his last album, Cochran, for Epic Records in 1972. After that, he continued to tour and appear on television. Later, he decided to stop making music. He became a preacher in Miami, Florida. Wayne Cochran passed away on November 21, 2017, in Miramar, Florida, at the age of 78.
Legacy
Wayne Cochran is most famous today for writing the song "Last Kiss". Even though it wasn't a big hit for him, other artists covered it. J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers had a hit with it in 1964. Later, Wednesday had a hit in 1974, and Pearl Jam had a very popular version much later.
Wayne Cochran and his band also influenced Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi's Blues Brothers musical group. Wayne Cochran is even mentioned in The Blues Brothers movie from 1980. A cover of his song "Going Back to Miami" is on the Blues Brothers' live album Made in America.
Wayne Cochran appeared as himself and sang in the 1970 movie C.C. and Company. A scene from the movie, showing Cochran and his band performing "I Can't Turn You Loose", was later used in the 2019 movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Discography
Albums
- Wayne Cochran! (Chess, 1967)
- High and Ridin' (Bethlehem, 1970)
- Cochran (Epic, 1972)
- Get Down With It! The White Knight of Soul 1959–72 (Raven, 2005)
- Love Strikes Again (Jukebox Entertainment, 2010)
- Goin' Back to Miami: The Soul Sides 1965–1970 (Ace, 2014)
Images for kids
-
Cochran (in white cape) with the C.C Riders (male backup group) and the Sheer Delights (female backup group), 1977.
See also
In Spanish: Wayne Cochran para niños
