Hank Cochran ("I Fall to Pieces") dies at 74

Garland Perry Cochran was born Aug. 2, 1935 in Isola, Miss. He had a difficult childhood marked by sickness, the divorce of his parents and running away from an orphanage.

His uncle, Otis, taught him how to play guitar while they hitchhiked from Mississippi to New Mexico to work in the oil fields. He later moved to California, forming The Cochran Brothers with Eddie Cochran, although the two were unrelated.

At 24, he moved to Nashville and wrote I Fall to Pieces with Howard. The song became a huge hit for Patsy Cline, who also recorded Cochran's She's Got You and Why Can't He Be You.

Cochran wrote Make the World Go Away after going to the movies. The song became a big hit for Ray Price and later Eddie Arnold.

Cochran also wrote songs for by Burl Ives (A Little Bitty Tear, It's Just My Funny Way of Laughin', The Same Old Hurt). He also wrote songs for George Strait (The Chair with Dean Dillon and Ocean Front Property with Dillon and Royce Porter), Merle Haggard (It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)), Don't You Ever Get Tired (of Hurting Me), a number one song for Ronnie Milsap, and Mickey Gilley (That's All That Matters).

Cochran also played a role in Nelson's career. While working at publishing company Pamper Music, Cochran hung out at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville. One of the singers showing up was Nelson. Cochran liked what he encouraged and encouraged management to sign him.