Jackie Lee Cochran

Although not as instantly recognizable as certain other rockabilly artists, vocalist Jackie Lee Cochran was one of the genre's earliest supporters, issuing several overlooked singles in the late '50s. Born in Dalton, GA, in the early '30s, Cochran was raised in both Louisiana and Texas. He was attracted to music and singing via country artists he heard on local radio, and decided to relocate to Los Angeles in the mid-'50s, where he soon became a featured artist on Cliffie Stone's Hometown Jamboree. This eventually led to a contract with Decca Records, for whom Cochran cut several singles for. When rockabilly's popularity began to dwindle in the early '60s, Cochran continued to perform, as his live shows showcased a wide variety of musical styles: country, pop, blues, rockabilly, and rock & roll. During the '70s, Cochran adopted the nickname "Waukeen" (as a tribute to his American-Indian heritage), and continued to tour. Come the '80s, Cochran began issuing full-length albums on a somewhat regular basis: 1980's Swamp Fox, 1985's Fiddle Fit Man, and 1987's Jack the Cat. In 1997, a 20-track compilation of songs that Cochran recorded with renowned rockabilly producer Ronny Weiser back in the '70s was issued, titled Rockabilly Music. On March 15, 1998, Jack "Waukeen" Cochran died in his sleep in his Burbank, CA, apartment, at the age of 64.