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1960

Eddie Cochran killed
On April 17th 1960, Eddie Cochran was traveling along the M4 near Chippenham, Wiltshire after a concert at the Colston Hall, Bristol, the last concert of a successful UK tour. The car left the road and hit a tree after a tyre blow-out, Cochran was thrown through the windscreen, and died in an ambulance on the way to Bath Hospital. The driver and Cochran's fiancée, Sharon Sheely were injured, as was Gene Vincent, on the same tour and traveling in the same car. The policeman attending the incident was David Harman, later to become Dave Dee of Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick and Titch.

1960 is often considered a low point in pop history. The excitement of rock'n'roll had subsided and it's heroes were absent: Buddy Holly was dead, Little Richard gave it up for religion and Elvis joined the army, reappearing as an all-American boy. The new pop heroes were clean-cut and acceptable like Fabian, Bobby Vee and Brian Hyland whilst the songs were more melodic and innocent. But there were some greats in 1960:

The Drifters - Save The last Dance For Me
Formed in 1953, The Drifters started as a back-up group for Clyde McPhatter but carried on after the singer's call up to the armed forces. The group were later disbanded and the name given to the Five Crowns, a group which included Ben E. King. Save The Last Dance For Me was written by Brill building team Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and was a hit in America and the UK, where it reached No. 2.
 artist link to cdnow

Bryan Hyland - Itsy Bitsy, Teeny Weeny, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
 Bryan Hyland started his career in a vocal group called The Delphis before being signed up to Kapp records. His first record, Rosemary failed to chart but the follow up, Bikini eventually sold over two million copies and was the first hit of many for the then 16 year old.
 Artist link to cdnow

Jimmy Jones - Handy Man
 Born in Birmingham Alabama in June 1937, Jimmy Jones sang in many doo wop groups and actually started his career as a tap dancer. He became a rock'n'roll star in 1960 with Handy Man, which he co-wrote with Otis Blackwell. Sang in a falsetto style, the song reached no.3 in the US r'n'b chart and no.2 in the British charts. Good Timin' was a successful follow up, but subsequent chart entries That's When I Cried and I Told You So, did not sell as well and his popularity declined. Handy Man has been successfully covered by Del Shannon (1964), and James Taylor (1977).
 artist link to cdnow

Buddy Holly - The Buddy Holly Story
 Album rushed out after Buddy Holly's death, (a year later in Britain). This is a compilation of well known hits by Holly and The Crickets.
Tracks: It's Raining in My Heart | Early in the Morning | Peggy Sue | Maybe Baby | Everyday | Rave On | That'll Be the Day | Heartbeat | Think It Over | Oh Boy | It's So Easy | It Doesn't Matter Anymore
 artist link to cdnow | Rave On website

 

1961

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1962

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1963

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1964

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