Duane Eddy is an American guitarist known for his pioneering work in rock and roll and instrumental music. With his twangy guitar sound and innovative use of techniques like tremolo and echo, Eddy helped define the "surf rock" genre in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Style
Indeed, he’s the guy who added a new term to the American music dictionary - TWANG. The sound he created, using his trademark red Gretsch 6120 guitar, is easily identifiable and uniquely his own. Often copied, never bettered.
Combining strong, dramatic, single-note melodies, along with bending of the low strings, he produced a sound that was unlike anything yet heard - the sound that would be featured on an unprecedented string of thirty-four chart singles and sales of over 100 million worldwide.
Hits
"Rebel Rouser", "Forty Miles of Bad Road, "Cannonball", "The Lonely One", "Shazam", and "Some Kinda Earthquake". They were filled with rebel yells and brilliant sax breaks. The worldwide popularity of these records, beginning with "Moovin' and Groovin" in 1958, broke open the doors for Rock and Roll instrumental music. His band, The Rebels,
Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings Tracks were recorded by Paul McCartney, Jeff Lynne, Ry Cooder, Art of Noise, and Duane. The "band" included John Fogerty, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ry Cooder, James Burton, David Lindley, Steve Cropper,
Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers used "The Trembler", a track written by Duane
Legacy
Among those who have acknowledged his influence are George Harrison, Dave Davies, Hank Marvin, the Ventures, John Entwistle, Bruce Springsteen, Bill Nelson, and Mark Knopfler
Hits like "Rebel Rouser" and "Peter Gunn" propelled him to stardom, earning him a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and influencing generations of guitarists to come. Eddy's contributions to the evolution of rock music continue to be celebrated, with his timeless recordings remaining as influential as ever.
Songs: Peter Gunn, Rebel Rouser
Gear: Fender amplifier Gretsch 6120