Talvin Wayne Cochran (May 10, 1939 – November 21, 2017) aka, The White Knight of Soul.
Influenced by the country and RNB, Cochran fronted his first band – a group called the Rockin’ Capris – as a teenager, and eventually left high school to pursue music as a full-time career. He relocated to Macon, GA where he befriended Otis Redding (playing bass guitar on Redding’s early recording of “Shout Bamalama” and its B-side, “Fat Girl”) and recorded his first single, “The Coo”, which attracted the attention of King Records. Cochran became close friends with King labelmate James Brown, whose stage show and road band influenced his own performing style and inspired him to assemble his own soul revue, the C. C. Riders, which occasionally featured as many as 14 musicians plus two female backing vocalists, the Sheer Delights.
Wayne is best known for writing the song “Last Kiss” that would years later become a hit for Pearl Jam (?!) and of course his mile high hair. Wayne spent his final days as an evangelical minister in Miami FL. passing away in 2017 at the age of 78
With a bearded Elvis Presley
The very frightened Mrs. Cochran
Wayne and Jackie Gleason
Wayne and James Brown. What is up w/ yer junk, man?
Praising the lord – Reverand Wayne Cochran