Sharon Sheeley(1940-2002)

Sharon Sheeley holds the distinction of being one of the first and most successful female songwriters to hit the rock'n'roll scene during its burgeoning years in the late 50's. Sharon was born into an Irish family on April 4, 1940 in Los Angeles, California. Sheeley attended Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California and briefly worked as a teen model before becoming a songwriter. She was still a teenager when she penned "Poor Little Fool", which was a #1 smash for Ricky Nelson in 1958. This, in turn, made Sheeley the youngest woman to have ever written a major hit song at that time. Moreover, Sharon was the girlfriend of rockabilly singer Eddie Cochran, whom she was first introduced to by Don Everly of The Everly Brothers. She co-wrote Cochran's 1959 Top 30 hit "Somethin' Else". Other songs Sheeley either wrote or co-wrote for Cochran are "Love Again", "Think of Me", "Cherished Memories" and "Lonely". Among the songs she wrote for other artists are "Hurry Up" for Ritchie Valens and "Runnin' on Back" for Del Shannon. In 1960, Sharon and fellow rockabilly singer Gene Vincent survived the unfortunate automobile accident in England which killed Cochran. After returning to the United States, Sheeley formed a partnership with singer/songwriter Jackie DeShannon; the distaff duo collaborated on such songs as the Brenda Lee hits "Dum Dum" and "Heart in Hand", Irma Thomas's "Breakaway", 'the Fleetwoods'' "(He's) The Great Imposter", "The Kalin Twins"' "Trouble", DeShannon's "You Won't Forget Me" and "Can't Help Forgiving You", "Each Time", and "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" for The Searchers. In 1961, Sharon married Los Angeles disc jockey and Shindig! (1964) TV series emcee Jimmy O'Neill; the couple divorced five years later, but remained friends. She was also a mentor to singer P.J. Proby. Sheeley largely retired from the music business in the mid 60's. Sharon Sheeley died at age 62 from complications following a cerebral hemorrhage on May 17, 2002 in Los Angeles, California.