A prominent country music songwriter who gained wide popularity with his highly distinctive songs, Hank Cochran was known throughout his creative career for his highly effective songwriting abilities and unique style. Born on August 2, 1935, in Isola, Mississippi, this talented man became famous for his highly creative songs that brought him wide fame and a reputation as an excellent songwriter.

Biography and career highlights

Coming from a Southern family and enjoying various types of music (country, gospel, and blues), young Cochran developed a great interest in performing and playing guitar. Moreover, during the 1950s he even issued several records under the name of the Cochran Brothers together with Eddie Cochran. Still, apart from gaining valuable performance experience, this period became a starting point for his future songwriting career.

It should be noted that this talented songwriter has always been known in the sphere of modern country music for the sincerity of his lyrics and rather unpretentious style. Therefore, this person tried to create songs with rather simple lyrics that would be easy for singers to perform and for their audience to believe.

Signature songs

Among the most famous songs by Cochran are the following titles:

  • "A Little Bitty Tear" (recorded by Burl Ives, 1961)
  • "I Fall to Pieces" (co-written with Harlan Howard, performed by Patsy Cline, 1961)
  • "She's Got You" (performed by Patsy Cline, 1962)
  • "Make the World Go Away" (later, the signature song of Eddy Arnold)

All of these songs are characterized by the main features of Cochran's songs, including rather simple and deep lyrics and an ability to evoke sympathy in listeners. While "I Fall to Pieces" tells the story of heartbreak with great sincerity, "She's Got You" gives Patsy Cline one more hit. "A Little Bitty Tear" has a rather delicate mood, whereas "Make the World Go Away" is considered one of the most melodious and emotional songs of the genre.

In addition to the songs written for the best country performers, Cochran also created songs for other talented artists and thus became well known even to people who did not know his songs. He has always been known for his talent for composing highly melodious songs and stories.

Legacy

Being a typical representative of the classic Nashville era when songwriters played a crucial role in shaping the genre, Cochran showed how a talented songwriter can make his mark not only through particular musical elements but also through the mood and atmosphere of the compositions. All his songs described rather ordinary situations but were highly melodious and thus could be covered by other musicians.

The importance of this talented person was officially recognized in 2003 when he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. This person died on July 15, 2010, but his songs will remain in the history of country music forever.