On this week's '50s R&B Show (Tuesdays, 7-10pm), hear "Somethin' Else: A Tribute to Eddie Cochran," as host Neil Pellegrin spotlights the brief but fruitful career of Eddie Cochran to mark the 60th anniversary of his death. It's available now on our 2-week archive.

Much more than just the originator of "Summertime Blues," Eddie Cochran packed an astonishing amount of musical productivity into his mere five years in the recording business. He wasn't simply a molded rock idol like many of his contemporaries. Led by ambition far beyond his years, he became highly skilled on the guitar at an early age, quit high school to become a professional musician (and within months landed a recording contract) and, over the course of the next five years, would be involved in hundreds of recordings as a frontman, session player and producer. His innovative and experimental approach to recording would leave a lasting impact on the music business.

On the night of April 16th, 1960, while wrapping up a very successful several-months-long tour of the UK, the taxi carrying the 21-year-old rock'n'roll sensation crashed into a lamppost in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. Eddie was thrown from the vehicle and succumbed to his injuries the following afternoon -- Easter Sunday. Also seriously injured in the crash were Gene Vincent and tour manager, Patrick Tompkins. Eddie's fiancée, Sharon Sheeley, who was also an accomplished songwriter, sustained minor injuries, as did the driver, 19-year-old George Martin.

This week's tribute will include rare demos, unreleased material, several "live" performances and, of course, the hits that made Cochran rock royalty in the late '50s. We'll also be hearing some interview clips from a certain British rocker who worked closely with Eddie during his fateful tour of England.