The music world is in mourning. Duane Eddy, King of Twang, has passed away. The guitarist earned a legion of fans thanks to his ability with the strings. Eddy was the force behind the themes for Peter Gunn and Rebel Rouser. He was 86. Eddy passed away on April 30 surrounded by both his wife and family.
A rep for the guitarist says he will be sorely missed. "Duane inspired a generation of guitarists the world over with his unmistakeable signature 'Twang' sound. He was the first rock and roll guitar god, a truly humble and incredible human being. He will be sorely missed," the rep said.
Throughout his career, he had 16 top-40 singles. Historian Dan Forte noted, "Duane Eddy's first of many, many hits, 1958's 'Rebel Rouser,' almost single-handedly established the institution of the guitar hero."
Duane Eddy Remembered
"Instrumentalists don't usually become famous. But Duane Eddy's electric guitar was a voice all its own," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, in a statement. "His sound was muscular and masculine, twangy and tough. Duane scored more than thirty hits on the pop charts. But more importantly, his style inspired thousands of hillbilly cats and downtown rockers — the Ventures, George Harrison, Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen, Marty Stuart, to name a few — to learn how to rumble and move people to their core. The Duane Eddy sound will forever be stitched into the fabric of country and rock & roll."
Dave Davies, founder member of UK Band The Kinks, also paid tribute with a heartfelt message. "I'm in shock. Duane Eddy was one of my most important influences. He was so important in so many ways," he wrote. Guitar brand Gretsch posted a statement on X a memorial to Eddy. The musician often played their guitars."We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Duane Eddy. As a legendary guitarist, he inspired generations with his pioneering twangy sound and musical innovations," reads the post. "His sound will forever echo in the halls of rock 'n' roll history."
Eddy may be gone but his spirit lives on. The musician was an inspiration to the generations that followed, once telling young musicians to follow their passions. "You gotta love the music, you gotta want to play so much it hurts, it's gotta be your passion," he said.
