Final answer:
Eddie Cochran's hits like "Summertime Blues" capitalized on blending electric instrumentation with various musical genres, contributing to the rise of rock and roll, which was also influenced by the musical styles of African American artists.
Step-by-step explanation:
Eddie Cochran's successful recordings such as "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody" can be attributed to his experiments with a new sound that combined electric instruments with the influences of gospel, blues, country, jazz, and R&B. This innovative blending gave birth to the distinctive sound of rock and roll, which became immensely popular with American teenagers across various demographics, much like the success achieved by his contemporaries such as Carl Perkins with "Blue Suede Shoes" and Elvis Presley with his first record.
The rise of rock and roll was also highly influenced by African American artists and their musical styles, as seen in the fusion of genres by artists like Chuck Berry and the pioneering performances of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. This cross-cultural exchange and the adoption of new technologies like the "45" record and solid-body electric guitar were key in propelling rock and roll to the forefront of the American music scene.