Duane Eddy

Duane Eddy

Duane Eddy is an American rock and roll guitarist from Corning, United States, associated with rockabilly, instrumental rock, country, pop rock, easy listening, and rock and roll. He is best known for the distinctive “twangy” guitar sound heard on his instrumental singles, especially “Rebel-'Rouser”, “Peter Gunn”, “Because They’re Young”, and “Movin’ n’ Groovin’”.

Early life and beginnings

Born in 1938, Eddy begins playing guitar at the age of five. His family later moves from New York to Tucson and then Coolidge, Arizona. At 16, he gets a Chet Atkins model Gretsch guitar and forms a duo called Jimmy and Duane with Jimmy Delbridge, who later records as Jimmy Dell. While performing at radio station KCKY, they meet disc jockey Lee Hazlewood, who produces their single “Soda Fountain Girl”, recorded and released in Phoenix in 1955.

After working around Phoenix radio and performing with Buddy Long’s Western Melody Boys, Eddy develops a technique of playing lead lines on the bass strings of the guitar to create a low, reverberant sound. In November 1957 he records “Movin’ n’ Groovin’”, co-written with Hazlewood. Because the studio lacks an echo chamber, Hazlewood uses a large water tank to help produce the sound associated with Eddy’s records.

Recording career

In 1958 Eddy signs a recording contract with Lester Sill and Lee Hazlewood and records in Phoenix at Audio Recorders studio. The tapes are leased to Jamie Records in Philadelphia. “Movin’ n’ Groovin’” reaches number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Rebel ’Rouser” becomes his breakthrough hit, reaching number 6 and selling over one million copies. It gives him his first gold disc. His backing musicians include Steve Douglas, Jim Horn, and Larry Knechtel, who later work as part of Phil Spector’s Wrecking Crew.

His debut album, Have ‘Twangy’ Guitar Will Travel, is released in 1959, reaches number 5, and stays on the album charts for 82 weeks. In 1960, “Because They’re Young” becomes his biggest hit, reaching number 4 in the United States and number 2 in the United Kingdom. The same year, readers of NME vote him World’s Number One Musical Personality. Eddy’s records also perform strongly in the UK throughout the period.

In 1960 he signs directly with Jamie Records, bypassing Sill and Hazlewood, and produces his own singles and albums during that contract period. “Duane Eddy and the Rebels” becomes a regular act on The Dick Clark Show.

Film, television and 1970s work

During the 1960s Eddy also acts in films including A Thunder of Drums, The Wild Westerners, Kona Coast, and The Savage Seven, and appears twice on the television series Have Gun–Will Travel. He marries singer Jessi Colter in 1962. That year he signs a three-year contract with Paul Anka’s production company Camy, with releases issued on RCA Victor, and renews his connection with Lee Hazlewood, who contributes to several RCA singles and albums.

In 1970s he produces album projects for Phil Everly and Waylon Jennings. In 1975 he works with Tony Macaulay and Keith Potger on “Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar”, which becomes another UK top ten record. “You Are My Sunshine”, featuring Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, enters the country charts in 1977. He also records the acoustic album Songs of Our Heritage.

Later collaborations and recognition

In 1986 Eddy records with Art of Noise on a remake of his 1960 version of Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn”. The track becomes a top ten hit around the world and spends six weeks at number 1 on Rolling Stone’s dance chart. It also wins the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental. The recording keeps Eddy’s record of being the only instrumentalist with Top 10 singles across four different decades in the UK.

His 1987 album Duane Eddy is released on Capitol and includes tracks produced by Paul McCartney, Jeff Lynne, Ry Cooder, and Art of Noise. Guest contributors include John Fogerty, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ry Cooder, James Burton, David Lindley, Phil Pickett, Steve Cropper, Larry Knechtel, and Jim Horn. The album includes a version of McCartney’s instrumental “Rockestra Theme”.

In 1992 Eddy records a duet with Hank Marvin on Marvin’s album Into the Light, covering The Chantays’ “Pipeline”. In 1994 he is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That year “Rebel Rouser” appears in Forrest Gump, The Trembler is used in Natural Born Killers, and he joins Carl Perkins and The Mavericks on “Matchbox” for the Red Hot Organization’s AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country. He is the lead guitarist on Foreigner’s 1995 hit “Until the End of Time” and plays on Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack for Broken Arrow in 1996.

Awards, honours and influence

In 2000 the mayor of Nashville bestows on him the title “Titan of Twang” at the Ryman Auditorium. He receives Guitar Player Magazine’s Legend Award in 2004, becoming the second recipient after Les Paul. He is a member of the Musicians Hall of Fame from 2008 and receives the Mojo Icon Award in the UK in 2010. Other honours include Rockwalk induction in 1997 and a “Chetty” award from Chet Atkins in 2000. He also receives a Grammy nomination in 1992 for Best Country Instrumental.

Among the musicians who acknowledge his influence are George Harrison, Dave Davies, Hank Marvin, the Ventures, John Entwistle, Bruce Springsteen, Adrian Belew, Bill Nelson, and Mark Knopfler.

Guitars and later performances

Eddy is the first rock and roll guitarist to have a signature model guitar. Guild introduces the Duane Eddy models DE-400 and DE-500 in 1960, with a limited reissue of the DE-500 in 1983. The Gretsch 6120 is long associated with him, and Gretsch later produces the Duane Eddy Signature Model 6120-DE in 1997. Gibson later introduces a Duane Eddy Signature guitar in 2004, and Gretsch releases a G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature model in 2011.

He returns to the UK for a sold-out concert at Royal Festival Hall in 2010, leading to the album Road Trip, produced by Richard Hawley and released on Mad Monkey/EMI. The album is placed at number 37 in Mojo’s list of the Top 50 albums of 2011. He performs at Glastonbury Festival in 2011 and later tours the UK with Robert Vincent, appearing at the London Palladium and Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in 2018.

Associated acts

His associated acts include Duane Eddy & The Rebels, Duane Eddy & His Orchestra, Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes, Duane Eddy and His Rock-A-Billies, and Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes.