Grammy Award winner Duane Eddy has been considered one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. His death occurred April 30 in Franklin, Tenn., his wife, Deed, said. The Grammy Award-winning artist had a string of instrumental hits in the 1950s and 1960s. He hit the charts again in 1986 with a remake of his Peter Gunn song.
Duane Eddy has been called the King of Twang
Duane Eddy, who became the first rock ‘n’ roll guitar star with a string of instrumental hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the theme to the TV series “Peter Gunn” and “Rebel Rouser,” has died. The artist was 86 years old, and the cause was cancer.
He was called the King of Twang for his distinctive style. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2008, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum also included him in this category.
“Duane has inspired a generation of guitarists around the world with his unmistakable sonic signature twang,” said Eddy’s rep
“He was the first rock and roll guitar god, a truly humble and incredible human being. We will miss him a lot.”
His style had an impact on George Harrison
Duane Eddy was born in Corning, New York, in 1936. He began playing the guitar at an early age. And his direct, charged style had an immediate impact on younger British musicians such as George Harrison of The Beatles and Hank Marvin of The Shadows.
During his illustrious career, which spanned seven decades, he sold more than 100 million records. Echoes of his distinctive slow twang are heard loud and clear on The Beatles’ Day Tripper, Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run and Blondie’s Atomic.
His classic songs have been used in over 30 movies and TV shows over the years. He periodically made iconic comebacks and even hit the charts in 1986 with a remake of his 1960 single “Peter Gunn” with British group Art of Noise.
In 2011, Eddy told the BBC: “When people come out, like Bruce Springsteen or John Fogerty, and say, Duane was a big influence, that’s just one of the perks and rewards of what I’ve done. That’s worth more to me than money and fame. That goes straight to the heart,” said Duane Eddy, according to variety.com.
