Hank Cochran Dies

Songwriter Hank Cochran, who composed a string of country hits including “Make the World Go Away” for Eddy Arnold, died Thursday. He was 74. Cochran died at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He had been in declining health in recent years, and suffered an aortic aneurysm in March. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago. Cochran co-wrote several No. 1 hits, including Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces,” George Strait’s “Ocean Front Property” and “Set ‘em Up Joe” by Vern Gosdin. At one time, he was married to Jeannie Seely, for whom he wrote the country hit, “Don’t Touch Me.” According to his publicist, Cochran’s close friends Billy Ray Cyrus, Jamey Johnson and Buddy Cannon visited him Wednesday night and they sang songs together.