Cochran's family may join event

The event, which for the first time this year will be held in a purpose-built indoor concert venue in Monkton Park, Chippenham, has already attracted rock 'n' roll superstar Little Richard, who is heading the line-up.

Now Eddie Cochran's brother Bill and sister Pat are also considering an invitation to attend the festival weekend.

The festival is being filmed for an international documentary based on the life and the music of the tragic musician.

Eddie Cochran was on a British tour with Gene Vincent when their taxi crashed in fog in Chippenham in 1960.

The duo were on their way from a concert at Bristol Hippodrome to London Airport and were flying to the US for a brief visit because Eddie was homesick.

The 21-year-old rock 'n' roll star and actor threw himself across his girlfriend Sharon Sheeley to protect her in the crash, but he plunged through the windscreen, suffering severe head injuries.

He died later in St Martin's Hospital in Bath.

The 10th annual Eddie Cochran Rock 'n' Roll Festival takes place from September 24 to September 26.

It boasts an all-star line-up including The Comets, The Crickets, Charlie Gracie, Dave Edmunds and his band, Albert Lee and Hogans Heroes, Marty Wilde and the Wildcats and, keeping it in the family, the Bobby Cochran band,

The Eddie Cochran Appreciation Society was formed in 1995 with the aim of raising funds for a memorial to Eddie Cochran to be erected in the town.

Each year hoards of fans converge on Chippenham for the festival from as far afield as the USA and the Netherlands.

During the weekend, fans also visit the memorial plaque situated at the place where Cochran was in the crash on Rowden Hill.

Organiser John Knight said he is looking forward to this year's festival being the biggest and best ever.

"Signing Little Richard is a huge coup," he said. "And it would be a real honour to have Eddie's brother and sister along too."