Tom Cochrane has achieved great success in the music industry, and it is reflected in his net worth. Tom Cochrane began his career in the late 70s with his band Red Rider. His career skyrocketed after he released the critically acclaimed album Mad Mad World in 1991, yielding multiple hit singles such as “Life Is a Highway” and “No Regrets”.
Tom Cochrane continues to tour extensively and has released numerous albums over the years, making him an estimated net worth of $15 million. Tom continues to be an influential figure in the rock music industry and because of his impressive body of work, Tom’s legacy lives on through his worshippers who appreciate classic Canadian rock.
What’s Tom Cochrane’s net worth?
Canadian singer-songwriter and musician Tom Cochrane has a net worth in excess of $10 million. Tom Cochrane is well-known for his solo work as well as being the frontman of Red Rider, a Canadian rock band. He recorded six studio albums as well as a live album with the band. At one time, they were known as Tom Cochrane & Red Rider. His 1991 solo debut album, “Mad Mad World,” was the beginning of Cochrane’s solo career.
The smash hit single “Life is a Highway” was the main reason that the album sold six millions copies. Country rock band Rascal Flatts had an instant hit in 2006 with a cover version of the song. Red Rider’s most well-known song is “Lunatic Fringe”, which reached #11 on US Mainstream Rock charts. Cochrane is a member of Canada’s Music Hall of Fame and has won seven Juno Awards. Inducted on the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2009, he is also an Officer of The Order of Canada.
Early Life
Cochrane was conceived in Lynn Lake, Manitoba on May 14, 1953. His family moved to Ontario when he was very young. His father was a bush pilot from various parts of Canada. Cochrane had always been interested in music. He wrote his first song when he was 11. He soon got his first guitar, and by the age of 11, he was already playing in many local bars and clubs.
Red Rider
At 21 years old, Cochrane issued his first solo album. “Resistance”, originally released by Daffodil Records at 21. However, it was later reissued by Capitol Records in 1987 as Cochrane became more famous.
After playing guitar for many years, Cochrane was invited to join Red Rider, a Canadian rock band. He met them at El Mocambo in Toronto in 1978. She was their primary songwriter and lead singer for more than ten years. The group also included Jeff Jones, Rob Baker, and Peter Boynton.
Bruce Allen managed them from the moment they formed the band to 1985. The band began calling itself Tom Cochrane & Red Rider in 1986. Cochrane was part of the band for six studio albums, a live CD, a box set and a best-of record. Although the band stopped performing together in 1990, some members, including Cochrane reunited in 2002 to perform occasionally together.
Life is a Highway
Cochrane’s solo career was also very successful, outside of his time with Red Rider. Cochrane was a household name in Canada because of his success with Red Rider. With the release of “Life is a Highway,” Cochrane decided to start his solo career. It was a worldwide hit. It reached number one in Canada, and was charted at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. It reached the top three in Australia and New Zealand. The song has been covered numerous times over the years by artists such as Chris LaDoux, Rascal Flatts, and others. It was also used on the soundtrack of the animated film “Cars.”
“Life is a Highway,” was released before Cochrane’s solo album “Mad Mad World”. It was both a commercial success and a critical success. The album won Cochrane four June Awards, including Single of the year, Album of the year, Male Vocalist and Songwriter the Year. It was certified Diamond status in Canada, where it was sold more than a million copies.
Cochrane released solo music for the rest of his life. In 1995, he released “Ragged ass Road”, followed by “Xray Sierra”, in 1999. He released “No Stranger” in 1995, followed by “Xray Sierra” in 1999. In 2015, “Take it Home” was released. In 2016, Mad Mad World was reissued in a deluxe edition. It also included a recording of a concert from Chicago’s 1992 Chicago stop. This release was made in celebration of the 25th th anniversary of the album. Cochrane released a coffee-table book on the history of the album the following year.
Cochrane received many awards and honors throughout his career. Cochrane was inducted into Canada’s Music Hall of Fame in 2003, for his outstanding contributions to Canadian Music. Cochrane was joined by Shania Twain, a fellow Canadian country artist, on stage at the end of the award ceremony to perform “Life Is a Highway”.
Cochrane was awarded the Order of Canada officer rank in 2008, one of the most prestigious honors for Canadian citizens. Cochrane was recognized for his contributions to the arts and lifetime of charity work. In 2009, he was inducted into Canada’s Wall of Fame. He was also awarded the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award (2013) and the Henry H. Knowles Humanitarian Award (2014).
As a tribute to his influence on Canadian music, the Manitoba government named a section along the highway that runs around Lynn Lake “Tom Cochrane’s Life is a Highway” in October 2016.
Personal life
In 1983, Cochrane started dating Kathy Cochrane and the couple later got married. They have two daughters, Cody and Evanne. They have a home in Oakville in Ontario and a cottage and studio at the Georgian Bay shores in Northern Ontario. Cochrane spends part the winter at his Texas home. He loves to golf, fly planes, and watch hockey.
