Anita Cochran
She broke through in country music with a chart-topping duet that became a late-90s radio staple, proving her skill as both a vocalist and guitarist.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist·Birthday: February 6·Generation X
Biography
Anita Cochran arrived in Nashville with a guitar and a dream, carving out a space for herself not just as a singer but as a formidable instrumentalist in a genre often dominated by male pickers. Her moment arrived with 'What If I Said,' a yearning duet with Steve Wariner that climbed to the top of the country charts in 1997, showcasing her warm, resonant voice and knack for emotional delivery. That success led to albums on Warner Bros., where she balanced radio-friendly ballads with songs that highlighted her bluesy guitar work. While major stardom proved elusive, Cochran maintained a loyal fanbase, continuing to write, perform, and record independently, embodying the tenacity of a working musician who earned her stripes on stage and in the studio.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Anita was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anita Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Anita's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her 1997 duet with Steve Wariner, 'What If I Said,' reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
- Released multiple studio albums on major labels including Warner Bros. Records Nashville.
- Established herself as a rare female country artist known for both lead vocals and lead guitar playing.
Did You Know?
She is left-handed but plays guitar right-handed.
She wrote or co-wrote every song on her debut album, 'Back to You.'
She opened for major acts like Alabama and Brooks & Dunn early in her career.
“I brought my Telecaster to Nashville to prove a woman could hold her own on that stage.”
