Countryobit: Hank Cochran

Hank Cochran, country songwriter, has died.

Hank had started out as a performer, and briefly had an act with Eddie Cochrane, the Cochrane brothers. They weren't brothers. Despite achieving mild success in the early 1960s, it was a shift to crafting instead of singing which really made his success. A role at Ray Price's Pamper Music meant he was able to bring his friend into the company - and, since that friend was Willie Nelson, it worked out nicely for all parties.

He wrote for a number of country legends, including Patsy Cline and Burl Ives. His approach - "make it short, make it sweet and make it rhyme" - allowed his work to move easily across from the country charts to the main Top 40.

This, surely, is his golden moment:



Hank Cochran was 74.