Duane Eddy

Duane Eddy (April 26, 1938 – April 30, 2024) was an American guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records produced by Lee Hazlewood which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" guitar sound, including "Rebel-'Rouser", "Peter Gunn", and "Because They're Young". He had sold 12 million records by 1963. His guitar style influenced the Ventures, the Shadows, the Beatles (particularly lead guitarist George Harrison), Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, and Marty Stuart. Eddy's father drove a bread truck and later became the manager of a grocery store.

In 1951, his family moved to Tucson, and then to Coolidge, Arizona. Eddy left school at 16 and played in local bars.

Eddy was not happy with his singing voice, His backing band included saxophonist Steve Douglas, pianist Larry Knechtel, and bassist Al Casey.

Eddy had a succession of hit records over the next few years. His band members, including saxophonists Steve Douglas and Jim Horn, and keyboard player Larry Knechtel, were later members of Phil Spector's Wrecking Crew. According to writer Richie Unterberger, "The singles, of which 'Peter Gunn', 'Cannonball', 'Shazam', and 'Forty Miles of Bad Road' were probably the best, also did their part to help keep the raunchy spirit of rock and roll alive during a time in which it was in danger of being watered down." His biggest hit came with the theme of the movie Because They're Young in 1960, and became his second million-selling disc. In 1961, he signed a three-year contract with Paul Anka's production company, Camy, whose recordings were issued by RCA Victor.

The following year, the album Duane Eddy was released on Capitol. Several of the tracks were produced by Paul McCartney, Jeff Lynne, Ry Cooder and Art of Noise. Eddy performed at the Glastonbury Festival on June 26, 2011. Eddy later expressed disappointment that some of his guitar playing was cut from the two songs, which he assumed happened because it may have interfered with the orchestral focus of the album project.

In 2016, Eddy participated in an extensive interview with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as part of their "Nashville Cats" series. and October 30 at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

In 2020, Eddy participated in overdubbing sessions for the Johnny Cash and RPO remix album (titled Johnny Cash and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), adding guitar to the gospel song "Farther Along". Eddy was survived by his third wife Deed and his children (four, according to an obituary by Billboard, or three, according to an obituary by The Guardian). and he was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2008. In 1997, Eddy was inducted into Guitar Center's "Rockwalk", an honor similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame bestowed exclusively to legendary rock and pop musicians.

In 2000, at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, the title "Titan of Twang" was bestowed upon Eddy by mayor Bill Purcell.

In 2004, Eddy was presented with the Guitar Player Magazine "Legend Award". He was the second recipient of the award, the first having been presented to Les Paul. John Fogerty, and Ben Vaughn. Eddy's playing inspired some of the lead guitar playing on Springsteen's 1975 hit "Born to Run". On 1959's The "Twangs" the "Thang" LP he also used a Danelectro six-string bass.

Eddy became the first rock and roll guitarist to have a signature guitar when, in 1961, the Guild Guitar Company introduced the Duane Eddy signature models DE-400 and the deluxe DE-500. A limited edition of the DE-500 model was reissued briefly in 1983 to mark Eddy's 25th anniversary in the recording industry. In 1997, 40 years after he bought his Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120, Gretsch started production of the Duane Eddy Signature Model, the Gretsch 6120-DE. In 2004, the Gibson Custom Art and Historic Division introduced the new Duane Eddy Signature Gibson guitar. A new Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature model was released in spring 2011 and in 2018 Gretsch released the G6120TB-DE Duane Eddy 6-string bass model.

Awards Number One World Musical Personality in the NME Poll (UK: 1960) Grammy Winner – Best Rock Instrumental – "Peter Gunn" (1986) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member (1994) Rockwalk Induction (1997)

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations Year Title USBillboard

Singles

Film appearances Because They're Young (1960) A Thunder of Drums (1961) The Wild Westerners (1962) The Savage Seven (1968) Kona Coast (1968)