Karl Cochran, a talented guitarist who worked with renowned musicians like Ace Frehley, Eric Singer, Joe Lynn Turner, and Bob Daisley, passed away on February 19 at the age of 61 in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
Cochran was riding as a passenger in a car driven by his 90-year-old mother when the vehicle crashed into a tree, causing him to be ejected. He was immediately airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he later succumbed to severe injuries.
Upon hearing the tragic news, Joe Lynn Turner, former vocalist for Rainbow and Deep Purple, shared a heartfelt tribute on social media. He expressed, “The passing of Karl Cochran is an unbelievable loss not only to me but to the music world in general. Karl was an incredibly talented guitarist and songwriter. He worked with some of the biggest names in rock.”
He went on to say, “Karl’s passing is our misfortune because he blended technical skill with a soulful, artistic delivery in his music. Everyone who knew him personally, or heard his passionate performances, whether live or on record, could easily recognize the greatness and expertise in his playing.”
Cochran’s career began to soar in 1992 when he joined Joe Lynn Turner’s band and contributed to several of his solo albums. Two years later, he auditioned for Ace Frehley’s band, securing the position and touring extensively with the legendary Kiss guitarist between 1994 and 1996.
However, his ties to Kiss didn’t end there. In 1996, when the original Kiss lineup reunited, Cochran co-wrote “Into the Void” with Frehley, a track featured on the 1998 album Psycho Circus. Cochran also toured with the Eric Singer Project in the late ’90s alongside former Mötley Crüe vocalist John Corabi and ex-Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick. They even released the classic rock covers album Lost and Spaced in 1998.
In addition to his work with Kiss, Cochran revived his own band, Voodooland, releasing an EP in 2000 and a debut album titled Give Me Air in 2004.
In 2014, Cochran suffered a stroke that left him in a coma with limited mobility and speech. Despite this, he fought through the recovery process, eventually returning to music production, engineering, and teaching guitar and bass, as well as playing again.
Paying tribute to Cochran, the band Kiss shared their condolences on social media, posting a photo of the guitarist with Paul Stanley. They wrote, “Our dear friend Karl Cochran passed away in a car accident on February 19th. Karl was an exceptional vocalist and guitarist who endured a massive stroke but never stopped fighting to return. He was loved by fans worldwide through his appearances and was an enduring inspiration as a guest on our KISS Kruises.”
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