Duane Eddy, twangy guitar hero of early rock, dead at age 86

Duane Eddy, a guitar legend who was instrumental in creating the iconic sound of early rock 'n' roll with his electric guitar solos on iconic tracks such as "Rebel Rouser" and "Peter Gunn", has died at the age of 86. His style of playing influenced a number of famous musicians such as George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, and many others.

On Tuesday, Eddy passed away at Williamson Health hospital in Franklin, Tennessee following a battle with cancer, as shared by his wife, Deed Abbate.

Eddy was able to sell over 100 million records globally thanks to his lively beats and supporting screams and clapping. He perfected a unique sound by believing that a guitar's lower strings had a superior sound quality when recorded compared to the higher ones.

In a 1986 interview with The Associated Press, the musician stated that he had a unique sound that was easily recognizable, and he consistently maintained it. He confesses that he is not amongst the most proficient technical players when compared to others who excel at playing the guitar. He further asserts that a lot of what these skilled players do with the guitar is beyond his comprehension. However, some of it is simply not his preferred style of guitar playing.

Duane Eddy's distinctive sound, referred to as "Twang," was evident in his music from his debut album "Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel" all the way to his extensive 1993 anthology titled "Twang Thang: The Duane Eddy Anthology."

"It may seem like a funny name for something serious," Eddy shared with the AP back in 1993. "However, it has stuck with me for 35 years, so it holds a special meaning to me - even if it may not seem important to anyone else."

He was honored with membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 1994.

In the 1950s, Eddy and producer Lee Hazlewood teamed up to develop the distinctive "Twang" sound. This sound was later utilized by Hazlewood in the production of Nancy Sinatra's hit song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" in the 1960s. Eddy's music career reached its highest point commercially between 1958 and 1963. However, in 1993, he revealed that he decided to take a break from the music industry after scoring a hit with "Freight Train" in 1970.

He remembered that it was a popular song that was easy to listen to. He had been ahead of his time six or seven years earlier.

Eddy made over 50 albums, including some that were released again. He didn't work as hard after the 1980s and instead relied on the money he earned from previous sales. He mentioned this in 1986.

Regarding "Rebel Rouser," he informed the AP that it was a favorable heading and the most rock 'n' roll sound of all. It was unique compared to other tunes during that period.

Eddy created background music for several films, such as "Because They're Young," "Pepe," and "Gidget Goes Hawaiian." However, he declined to compose the James Bond theme song due to the lack of guitar presence in it.

During the 1970s, he was employed behind the curtains in music production endeavors, chiefly situated in Los Angeles.

Eddy originated from Corning in New York, but he grew up in Phoenix where he commenced playing the guitar at the age of 5. During his teenage years in Arizona, he had longed for a chance to sing on the Grand Ole Opry and in due course, he secured an agreement with Jamie Records from Philadelphia in the year 1958. Before long, his chart-topping hit "Rebel Rouser" was released.

Afterwards, Eddy went on a tour with the "Caravan of Stars," which was organized by Dick Clark. He also acted in several films including "Because They're Young" and "Thunder of Drums."

After spending some years in semi-retirement in Lake Tahoe, California, he relocated to Nashville in 1985.

In 1986, Eddy revealed that he was not a singer and stated, "I have made a significant impact in the music industry, but not through singing."

Eddy had been a favourite of Paul McCartney and George Harrison, which resulted in them collaborating with him even after the break-up of The Beatles. McCartney worked with Eddy on his song "Rockestra Theme," while Harrison featured on Eddy's album with his own name in 1987.