.jpg) Cochrane in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Thomas William Cochrane (1953-05-14)May 14, 1953 (age 72) |
| Origin | Toronto,Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, harmonica |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Capitol,Universal Music |
| Member of | |
| Website | tomcochrane |
Thomas William CochraneOC OM (/ˈkɒkrən/KOK-rən; born May 14, 1953) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician best known as the frontman ofrock bandRed Rider and for his work as a solo singer-songwriter.[1] Cochrane has won eightJuno Awards.[2] He is a member of theCanadian Music Hall of Fame,[3] an officer of theOrder of Canada,[4] and has anhonorary doctorate fromBrandon University. In September 2009, he was inducted ontoCanada's Walk of Fame.[5]
Cochrane was born in the mining town ofLynn Lake, Manitoba. His father was abush pilot. When he was four years old, he and his family moved toActon, Ontario and then toEtobicoke (present-dayToronto).[6]
After meeting at theEl Mocambo tavern in Toronto, Cochrane joined the Canadian rock bandRed Rider in 1978 and served as their lead singer and main songwriter for more than ten years. Red Rider includedKen Greer,Jeff Jones, Peter Boynton, Rob Baker, Arvo Lepp,Steve Sexton, Bjorn Anderson,Ken Spider Sinnaeve, Kier Brownstone, Randall Correall and Bill Bell.Bruce Allen managed the band from their debut until 1985. Cochrane recorded six studio albums with Red Rider plus a live album, a best-of album, and a box set. By 1986, the band was billed as "Tom Cochrane & Red Rider". He would later refer to this period of his career as a stretch of "manageable success" before the release ofMad Mad World.[7]
In 2002, Cochrane reunited with his former Red Rider bandmates Greer and Jones and continues to perform with them.
Already a household name in Canada from his time withRed Rider, Cochrane launched his solo career in 1991 with the release of the song "Life Is a Highway". The single became a global success and was followed by the release of his albumMad Mad World, which would reach the six million mark in worldwide sales. The albumsRagged Ass Road,Songs of a Circling Spirit,Xray Sierra andNo Stranger followed. Cochrane’s current band consists of Bill Bell,Jeff Jones, and Davide Direnzo.
An avid golfer, pilot, and hockey buff, Cochrane lives inBritish Columbia, and spends summers at his cottage/studio on the shores ofGeorgian Bay inNorthern Ontario. Cochrane has two daughters.[8]
Relationship; M. 1981- 2020: Kathleen Cochrane.
Cochrane continues to tour and perform in Canada. In 2006, the groupRascal Flatts charted in the top 10 of the Hot 100 with a cover of "Life Is a Highway", which they recorded for thePixar filmCars. Although the song was not originally released to country radio, several country stations began playing the song, causing it to chart within the top 20 of Hot Country Songs.Chris LeDoux also had a country hit with "Life Is a Highway".
In October 2016, Cochrane celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of his albumMad Mad World with an announcement of the release of a special edition of the album, featuring a demo recording of "Love is a Highway", the working title of "Life Is a Highway", as well as a second disc featuring a live performance from a 1992 Chicago stop on the tour supporting the album.
In 2016, the Manitoba provincial government renamed a section of a highway near his hometown of Lynn Lake after the hit "Life Is a Highway". A stretch of Highway 391 was renamed Tom Cochrane's Life is a Highway.[9]
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame: Cochrane was inducted into theCanadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2024 for his achievements as a songwriter and his contributions to Canada and around the world.[10]
Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction: Cochrane was inducted into theCanadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003 for outstanding contribution to the greater recognition of Canadian music.[11] The ceremony took place April 5, 2003, at Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec. The following night, Cochrane was honoured for his induction in a speech byJeff Healey at theJuno Awards at the Corel Centre (nowCanadian Tire Centre in Ottawa). Cochrane closed the show by performing a medley of his hits and was joined onstage by hostShania Twain for the final song, "Life Is a Highway".[12]
Order of Canada: In April 2008, Cochrane received one of the highest honours for a Canadian citizen when he was invested as an officer of theOrder of Canada (the level companion of the Order of Canada is the highest honour, and several people originally invested as officers have been promoted to companions for continued contributions to charity and the arts, among other fields).[13] Cochrane was honoured for a lifetime of charity work, his contribution to the arts and for being unabashedly Canadian.
Canada's Walk of Fame: In September 2009, Cochrane was inducted ontoCanada's Walk of Fame.[14] The induction was highlighted by a two-hour nationally televised gala at Toronto's Four Season's Center for the Performing Arts.Anne Murray hosted the event which also included the inductions ofKim Cattrall,Raymond Burr,Blue Rodeo,Dsquared2,Howie Mandel,Robert Munsch andChantal Petitclerc.
Honorary colonel: In November 2007, Cochrane was formally invested as an honorary colonel (HCol) by theRoyal Canadian Air Force's 409 "Nighthawks" Tactical Fighter Squadron. As part of his investiture weekend, Cochrane experienced his second flight in a CF-18.
Honorary doctorate: In May 2005, Cochrane received an honorary doctorate fromBrandon University inBrandon, Manitoba. In addition, musicianJames Ehnes, journalist Henry Champ and actressShirley Douglas received honorary doctorates from the university at the spring convocation held May 28, 2005.
Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame:Cochrane was inducted on May 9, 2014, Gil Moore formerly of the band Triumph made the presentation.[15]
Canadian Music Industry Humanitarian Award: In March 2005, Cochrane received the Humanitarian Award at the Canadian Music Industry Association's (CMIA) gala dinner in Toronto during the annualCanadian Music Week Festival.
Allan Waters Humanitarian Award: In April 2013, Cochrane received the award at the2013 Juno Awards gala dinner.
Henry H. Knowles Humanitarian Award: In May 2014, Cochrane received this award from OPSEU.
Order of Manitoba: In July 2015, Cochrane received the Order Of Manitoba.[16]
On October 31, 2016, the provincial legislature of Manitoba announced a 322-kilometre section ofProvincial Road 391 connecting Lynn Lake and Thompson would be designatedTom Cochrane's Life Is a Highway.[17]
In 2024, Cochrane was inducted into theCanadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.[10]
| Year | Title | Chart peak | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN [18] | US [19] | US Rock [20] | AUS [21] | |||
| 1973 | "You're Driving Me Crazy (Faith Healers)" | 71 | — | — | — | Hang on to Your Resistance |
| 1974 | "Hang On to Your Resistance" | — | — | — | — | |
| "I Wish I Could See You Now" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | "Gabriella" | — | — | — | — | My Pleasure Is My Business soundtrack |
| "Softly Walk Away" | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| 1976 | "Sail On" | — | — | — | — | |
| 1989 | "Big League" | — | — | — | 155 | Non-album single |
| 1991 | "Life Is a Highway" | 1 | 6 | 6 | 2 | Mad Mad World |
| "No Regrets" | 3 | — | 7 | 26 | ||
| 1992 | "Sinking Like a Sunset" | 2 | — | — | — | |
| "Mad Mad World" | 25 | — | — | — | ||
| "Washed Away" | 7 | 88 | — | 129 | ||
| "Bigger Man" | 45 | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "I Wish You Well" | 1 | 101 | — | 138 | Ragged Ass Road |
| "Wildest Dreams" | 5 | — | — | 199 | ||
| 1996 | "Dreamer's Dream" | 4 | — | — | — | |
| "Crawl" | 11 | — | — | — | ||
| 1997 | "Lunatic Fringe" | 70 | — | — | — | Songs of a Circling Spirit |
| "Good Man Feeling Bad" | 46 | — | — | — | ||
| 1999 | "I Wonder" | 86 | — | — | — | X-Ray Sierra |
| "Willie Dixon Said" | 30 | — | — | — | ||
| "Stonecutter's Arms" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Heartbreak Girl" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005 | "Christmas All the Time" | — | — | — | — | Non-album single |
| 2006 | "Didn't Mean" | — | — | — | — | No Stranger |
| "The Party's Not Over" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | "Out of My Head" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Northern Star" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014 | "Sunday Afternoon Hang" | — | — | — | — | Take It Home |
| "Diamonds" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018 | "Big League" | — | — | — | — | Non-album charity single |
| "—" denotes a single that didn't chart | ||||||
| Year | Title | Chart peak | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN[22] | US | US Rock | |||
| 1979 | "White Hot" | 20 | 48 | — | Don't Fight It |
| 1980 | "Don't Fight It" | 75 | 103 | — | |
| 1981 | "What Have You Got to Do" | 42 | — | — | As Far as Siam |
| "Lunatic Fringe" | — | — | 11 | ||
| 1983 | "Human Race" | 29 | — | 11 | Neruda |
| "Power (Strength in Numbers)" | — | — | 13 | ||
| "Crack the Sky (Breakaway)" | — | — | 39 | ||
| 1984 | "Young Thing, Wild Dreams (Rock Me)" | 44 | 71 | 13 | Breaking Curfew |
| "Breaking Curfew" | 93 | — | — | ||
| 1986 | "Boy Inside the Man" | 25 | — | 17 | Tom Cochrane and Red Rider |
| "The Untouchable One" | 70 | — | 48 | ||
| 1987 | "One More Time (Some Old Habits)" | 85 | — | — | |
| "Ocean Blues (Emotion Blue)" | 88 | — | — | ||
| 1988 | "Big League" | 4 | — | 9 | Victory Day |
| 1989 | "Good Times" | 2 | — | — | |
| "Victory Day" | 32 | — | — | ||
| "Different Drummer" | 67 | — | — | ||
| "White Hot" (Live) | 50 | — | — | The Symphony Sessions | |
| 1990 | "Bird on a Wire" (Live) | 88 | — | — | |
| 2002 | "Just Like Ali" | 39 | — | — | Trapeze: The Collection |
| "Pictures from the Edge" | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes a single that didn't chart | |||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
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