Duane Eddy (original) (raw)

Duane Eddy (born April 26, 1938) is an American guitarist best know for his "Twangy" guitar style. Eddy met Lee Hazlewood, a disc jockey and record producer from Arizona, in 1955. Together, they established a writing and recording partnership that led to an unprecedented string of 24 chart hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s. After "Movin' and Groovin'", Eddy released "Rebel Rouser", his breakthrough hit that reached the top ten songs in the U.S. in 1958.

"Peter Gunn", "Shazam", "Cannonball", and "Forty Miles of Bad Road" were some of his most popular singles to follow. "Because They're Young" (1960) became Eddy's greatest hit. He moved to RCA Records in 1962, and soon released another series of successful singles, including "(Dance with the) Guitar Man". The "British Invasion" allowed for a well-earned rest, but Eddy returned to the charts with top ten singles in the 1970s and 1980s. His recording of "Peter Gunn", the theme from the television show of the same name, with British group The Art of Noise, earned the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental of 1986. Referred to by Billboard magazine as "The Number One Rock and Roll Instrumentalist of All Time", Duane Eddy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.