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

Duane Eddy was a trailblazing guitar legend who used his electrifying, reverberating sound to put a distinct twang in the early days of rock 'n' roll. His instrumental tracks "Rebel Rouser" and "Peter Gunn" left a lasting impression on notable musicians such as George Harrison and Bruce Springsteen. Sadly, Eddy passed away at the age of 86.

Deed Abbate announced that Eddy passed away on Tuesday due to cancer at Williamson Health hospital situated in Franklin, Tennessee.

Eddy was a successful musician who sold over 100 million records globally through his lively beats, accompanied by supportive shouts and claps. He developed a unique style of music by utilizing the concept that lower strings of a guitar create a better sound on recordings than the higher ones.

During a 1986 interview with The Associated Press, he stated that he had his own unique sound that was easily recognizable, and he mostly remained true to it. He also admitted that when it came to technical ability, he wasn't one of the most skilled guitar players out there, but he focused on delivering the best performance. He acknowledged that there were plenty of players who had more impressive skills with the guitar, some of which were beyond his comprehension. Nevertheless, he was selective about the sounds he wanted to produce with his instrument.

Eddy's signature sound, known as "Twang," was present throughout his musical career, starting from his debut album called "Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel," and all the way to his comprehensive collection from 1993, known as "Twang Thang: The Duane Eddy Anthology."

In 1993, Eddy informed the AP that although the name of the thing was nonsensical, it held a significant sentimental value for him as it had been haunting him for 35 long years.

In 1994, he was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Eddy and record producer Lee Hazlewood were key players in developing the "Twang" sound during the 1950s. This sound was later incorporated by Hazlewood into his production of Nancy Sinatra's hit song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" during the 1960s. Eddy experienced great commercial success for five years, from 1958 to 1963. However, he revealed in 1993 that he took his 1970 hit "Freight Train" as a signal to ease off the throttle and slow down.

He remembered that the song was a popular and enjoyable tune to listen to. He also mentioned that he had been ahead of the curve about six or seven years ago.

Eddy produced more than 50 records, including some that were previously released. He wasn't very active after the 1980s and stated in 1986 that he was financially supported through the royalties earned from his music.

In regards to the song "Rebel Rouser," he expressed to the Associated Press that he believed it had a great title and embodied the purest form of rock and roll sound. He also noted that it was unusual for that era.

Eddy created musical scores for movies such as "Because They're Young," "Pepe," and "Gidget Goes Hawaiian." However, he declined to compose the theme song for James Bond as there was a lack of guitar music present.

During the 70s, he had a job in music production in Los Angeles that mostly involved working backstage.

Eddy, hailing from Corning, NY, spent his childhood in Phoenix and started strumming on his guitar when he was just 5 years old. During his adolescence in Arizona, he had an aspiration to perform on the Grand Ole Opry and eventually got a contract with Jamie Records in Philadelphia in 1958. His hit song "Rebel Rouser" was released not long after.

Afterwards, Eddy went on a tour with the "Caravan of Stars" led by Dick Clark. He also had roles in movies such as "Because They're Young" and "Thunder of Drums."

After spending several years in a state of partial retirement in Lake Tahoe, California, he relocated to Nashville in 1985.

In 1986, Eddy made it clear that he was not a singer and stated that his greatest achievement in the music industry did not involve singing.

Eddy was admired by both Paul McCartney and George Harrison, and they worked together with him after their time with The Beatles. In 1987, McCartney featured him on the song "Rockestra Theme," while Harrison contributed to Eddy's self-titled album upon his return to the music scene.