It’s not often you see an autobiography appear from someone who’s been dead for eight years— especially when the work is as important to music fans as a first-hand account of the fatal accident that took the life of Eddie Cochran. So when “Summertime Blues: A True Rock & Roll Adventure With Eddie Cochran” as written by Eddie’s fiancé, songwriter Sharon Sheeley (Ravenhawk Books; ISBN: 978-1-893660-18-2) appeared, it was easy to be a little surprised— and excited.

The book is seeing the light of day now through the efforts of Sharon’s son, Shannon Burg, who told me the accounts came from Sharon’s journal, which she had intended to publish in book form before her death.

The main theme of the book is the love affair between Sharon and Eddie, whom she termed her “soulmate.” The first time she met Eddie (in the Everly Brothers’ hotel room), she said to herself, “One day, I’m going to marry that boy.” Sadly, it was not to be. While traveling to the London airport on Easter Sunday, 1960 for a return to the States during a break in his British tour, Eddie was killed when their car blew a tire and crashed into a lamppost. Headliner Gene Vincent, Eddie’s good friend, suffered a broken collarbone and ribs. Sharon's legs and back were broken and she credited her faith and a miracle that, despite doctor’s opinions to the contrary, she ever walked again. In fact, she was clinically dead herself for three minutes and had what she said was an out-of-body experience. Her painful efforts to come to grips with her husband-to-be’s death and her ultimate forgiveness of the driver responsible for the accident are poignantly expressed.

But while the two lovers set the tone for the book, there are countless other great tales in “Summertime Blues.” We hear how Sharon wrote “Poor Little Fool” after dating Don Everly, then being warned by Phil that his brother was married. She then conned Ricky Nelson into recording the song by claiming Elvis was planning to do so upon his return from the Army. Speaking of the King, Sharon recounts a date with Elvis to see the movie, “Pajama Game,” that ended abruptly when he was spotted by the theatregoers. The arrogant Paul Anka gets “tarred” (with cold cream) and feathered by LaVern Baker when “Little Miss Sharecropper” has enough of Paul’s antics. There’s also the story of how Eddie, Freddie Cannon and Jack Scott rescued Sharon from a lecherous hotel house detective. The book shows us the real Johnny and Dorsey Burnette, Buddy Holly and even a side of Chuck Berry most have never seen. Plus there are seventy pages of photographs and memorabilia.

Unfortunately, though there’s a small epilogue, the book ends shortly after Eddie’s death, leaving the reader craving more. For example, though disk jockey and “Shindig” TV host Jimmy O’Neill is a part of Sharon’s story, their five year marriage in the sixties is absent from the book, as is her songwriting collaboration with Jackie DeShannon on hits like “Dum Dum” by Brenda Lee. Sharon’s son tells me a sequel may yet see the light of day and, with the care he’s shown in preserving Sharon and Eddie’s story, I’m hopeful that will indeed happen.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1893660184/ref=nosim/oldiesmusicA/

- RON SMITH
Http://www.OldiesMusic.com