Rock 'n' roll songwriter Jerry Capehart grew up in Goodman
Jul. 26—As baby boomers became teenagers and AM radio stations began to adopt the Top 40 format in the 1950s, the stage was set for a new type of youth-oriented music. The new music, called rock 'n' roll, characterized by electric guitars and a drum kit, was an amalgamation of gospel, rhythm and blues, jazz, boogie woogie and country.
Jerry Capehart, of Goodman, made a name for himself as a composer and manager for rock 'n' roll singer Eddie Cochran in the 1950s.
Capehart was born to Averil and Rachel Capehart in Goodman on Aug. 22, 1928. Music was always a part of his youth as his father was a musician in the district around Goodman playing guitar or violin at dances. His mother was a poet who published four books of poetry.
The family later moved to Neosho, where Capehart attended Field Elementary School. They then moved to Jasper County, where he attended Webb City High School before moving once more to Belle Gardens, California.
Songwriter and manager
After high school, Capehart was interested in aviation as well as music. He was a member of the Pacific Fliers, which flew out of Vail Field in Los Angeles. In the years between World War II and the Korean War, Capehart tried to get into the music industry.
In 1946, he wrote a Christmas song titled "My Favorite Season," though it didn't sell.
In 1951, he reworked the lyrics of a fiddle tune, "Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes," for up-and-coming singer Rosemary Clooney. Her version hit No. 11 on the Billboard charts in 1951. He served as her manager for a short while. Jimmy Wakely's cover of the song hit No. 5 on country charts.
When the Korean War started, Capehart served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He returned to civilian life in 1955. His attempt at a singing career was unsuccessful. So he turned to composing and publishing for American Music Publishing. All the while, he sought someone to make demo recordings of his songs.
In 1955, he happened to be in a music store in Belle Gardens and met a 17-year old, Eddie Cochran, who was buying guitar strings. According to Capehart, "I heard him tuning up, and I asked him if he had any songs. He was one of the best guitar players I had ever heard. I saw him learn to play steel guitar in one night and learn to play it well. Eddie was a tremendously talented kid. I thought he could make it. He had star quality.
"I said I wanted to manage him. I was with American Music Publishing at that time. We started to get some songs together. A little later we got on Liberty Records."
Capehart arranged for Cochran to team up with the unrelated Hank Cochran as the Cochran Brothers. They recorded Capehart's songs to be pitched to record companies. They recorded the "Walking Stick Boogie"/"Rollin'" for Cash Records in 1956. However, Hank Cochran favored country more than rock and left the duo.
Eddie Cochran's manager
Though the duo broke up, Capehart felt he had a star in Eddie Cochran. So he continued to work with him — composing, writing lyrics and recording tracks and overdubbing them, as they learned studio techniques. Meanwhile, Capehart managed his two record labels, Silver and Capehart Records. Cochran supplemented his income working as a studio guitarist.
His first solo single, "Skinny Jim," was released on Crest in 1956. Capehart landed Cochran a recording contract with Liberty along with an Elvis look-alike role in the classic rock 'n' roll film "The Girl Can't Help It," in which he performed "Twenty Flight Rock." However, the studio released the less racy "Sittin' in the Balcony," which hit No. 18 on the national charts.
In 1957, Cochran appeared in another campy teen film, "Untamed Youth," only notable for the blonde bombshell Mamie van Doren.
Musically, Capehart and Cochran released Cochran's only album, "Singin' to My Baby," in 1957. They co-wrote the songs and covers.
The next year was the breakthrough moment for Cochran and Capehart. As they went through a list of submitted songs, nothing seemed to work. Capehart remembered, "I told Eddie there had never been a blues song about summertime. Eddie said, 'Hey, I've got this lick on the guitar.' He'd give a line. I'd give a line. Next thing we knew, the song was written.
"We recorded it the next day. It was the only song we did (that day). We made it as a demo record. ... The song was released, and it was an overnight smash hit. It became the biggest song of the summer."
"Summertime Blues" hit No. 8 on the charts in 1958 and has been covered scores of times.
It seemed Capehart's protege was on the road to stardom. Their song "C'mon Everybody" was another hit. Cochran and The Kellys with manager Capehart toured the country.
One-hit wonder novelty songs were common in the 1950s, such as "The Chipmunk Song." Capehart tried his hand with one titled, "I Hates Rabbits," with his own vocals sped up. It bombed. Liberty gave Capehart a subsidiary label, Freedom Records in 1958 for other artists. When it produced no hits, the label closed after a year.
Meanwhile, Cochran was touring Britain drawing adoring crowds. He rivaled Elvis Presley in popularity. In 1960, on the way to Heathrow Airport, his limousine blew a tire and crashed. He died the next day from injuries he received.
Despite the shock, Capehart kept on track. He released some of Cochran's instrumental tracks the next few years. He discovered a new singer, Glen Campbell. He set Campbell up with one of his songs, "Turn Around Look at Me." It was Campbell's first hit in 1961. He managed Campbell for some time afterward. He also managed the singer and impressionist Frank Gorshin, famous for playing the Riddler in the Adam West "Batman" TV series.
He branched out to other fields. He worked for a time as a marine surveyor and studied law. The law study served him well in later years as he gave lectures on composing and copyright law. Campbell's hit was covered by The Vogues in 1968, reaching No. 7 in the Hot 100.
Back to Missouri
His catalog of over 75 songs produced royalties through records and performances. He and his first wife, Elaine, moved back to Neosho in 1973. In a Neosho Daily News interview, he talked about wanting to move out of the "big city."
He had business commitments in Los Angeles and Nashville through his work with Warner Brothers Music. He continued to write songs for his publisher, which were assigned to particular artists. He mentioned making friends with actors such as Robert Conrad, Burt Reynolds, Connie Francis, Gorshin and Mike Connors.
His income from music royalties supported the family. In 1989, a chance meeting with Jim Martin, former keyboardist with Cochran's band, led to a project to rerecord Cochran's hits with former band members. Cochran's nephew, Johnny, a rock star in his own right, played lead guitar and sang. Capehart accompanied the reunion band when it performed at Albert Lea, Minnesota, Cochran's hometown. But the recording project was not completed, due to Martin's untimely death.
By 1991, he had remarried, to Jeanie Arndt from Pineville.
Capehart was surprised to learn that Alan Jackson released a cover of "Summertime Blues" in 1994. Jackson's version was nominated for song of the year at the Music City News Country Songwriters Awards in 1995.
The same year, he and his wife moved to Tennessee where he began pitching "Summertime Blues No. 2."
Three years later, on June, 7, 1998, he died from brain cancer at age 69. He is buried in Howard Cemetery in Goodman.
Capehart reflected on the influence Cochran had on his own career: "Primarily, I was a lyricist, but Eddie also contributed words from time to time. He would start playing a lick on guitar and we'd bring the song together from a collaboration of ideas.
"Eddie was one of the innovators of rock 'n' roll. He set standards that people are still trying to achieve."
Cochran's untimely death cut short what had begun as a powerful musical collaboration, one that left its mark on Capehart for the rest of his life.
Bill Caldwell is the retired librarian at The Joplin Globe. If you have a question you'd like him to research, send an email to [email protected] or leave a message at 417-627-7261.