2 Years Ago Today, We Lost the Guitar Pioneer Who Influenced The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and Mark Knopfler

On this day (April 30) in 2024, Duane Eddy died of cancer at the age of 86. Hailed as the King of Twang, he was a trailblazing guitarist who sold millions of records and influenced generations of musicians. Eddy was also the first rock guitarist to have a signature model guitar. Moreover, his early recordings introduced the music world to future star producer Lee Hazlewood.

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Eddy’s career started in 1951, when he formed a duo called Jimmy and Duane with his friend Jimmy Dell. Three years later, when he was 16, he dropped out of school to pursue his music career. A few years later, Eddy landed a weekly spot on a local radio station. That led to a spot on a local television show. While recording the TV show, he met Hazlewood, who, at the time, was a songwriter, music publisher, and radio DJ. He later produced Jimmy and Duane’s first single, “Soda Fountain Girl,” in 1955.

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It was around this time that Eddy realized he didn’t like the way he sounded when he sang. As a result, he developed a playing style that would allow his guitar to do the talking. He started playing lead lines on the bass strings of his guitar, which resulted in the twangy sound that would become the center of his legacy.

Duane Eddy Finds Chart Success

Three years after releasing the unsuccessful “Soda Fountain Girl,” Duane Eddy began recording as a solo act. His first single, “Movin’ n’ Groovin’,” reached No. 72 on the Hot 100. His next release, “Rebel Rouser,” peaked at No. 6 and sold more than a million copies.

He scored several more hits over the next five years with songs like “(Dance with the) Guitar Man,” “Boss Guitar,” “Moanin’ ‘n’ Twistin’,” “Because They’re Young,” and “Forty Miles of Bad Road.”

In the mid-1960s, the British Invasion came, and Eddy’s singles began to slip down the charts. However, his influence didn’t waver. Interestingly, George Harrison counted Eddy among his biggest influences. The Beatles were one of the bands that pushed him out of the upper reaches of the Hot 100.

Eddy’s Lasting Influence

The rock and roll world wouldn’t be the same without Duane Eddy’s influence. Some of the genre’s most lauded guitarists took their cues from him while developing their signature sounds.

According to Guitar Player, George Harrison (the Beatles), Hank Marvin (the Shadows), Adrian Belew (Frank Zappa, Talking Heads, King Crimson), Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), and Brian Setzer (Stray Cats, Brian Setzer Orchestra) are just a few legends who cite Eddy as an influence.

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