Eddy will be forever revered as an original guitar hero who put a deep and resounding twang into Rock ‘n Roll. On a string of late 1950s and early ’60s instrumental hits.
He became the most successful instrumentalist in rock history, charting 15 top 40 singles from 1958 through 1963 and selling more than 100 million records worldwide.
In 2016, Gretsch paying tribute to this legendary guitarist by adding two new limited edition finishes to his Gretsch G6120DE Duane Eddy Signature model hollow body guitar, first introduced in 2011.
Born in Corning, N.Y., in 1938, Eddy began playing guitar at age five, emulating his cowboy hero, Gene Autry.In 1954, Eddy met Coolidge, Ariz., disc jockey Lee Hazlewood. The two forged an enduring and highly successful production and co-writing partnership.
Eddy, who produced more than 25 albums with hits including “Rebel Rouser,” “Forty Miles of Bad Road,” “Cannonball,” “The Lonely One,” “Shazam” and “Some Kinda Earthquake.” The singles started in 1958 with “Moovin’ and Groovin,’”
He produced albums for Phil Everly and Waylon Jennings, and 1975 yielded top-ten U.K. hit “Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar” and the 1977 hit country single “You Are My Sunshine” featured Jennings and Willie Nelson.
U.K. dance-pop collective Art of Noise enlisted Eddy for a 1986 remake of “Peter Gunn” that brought a new twist to Eddy’s 1960 hit, reached the top-ten worldwide and won The Grammy as that year’s Best Rock Instrumental.
Eddy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in spring 1994.
In 2008, Duane was inducted into The Musicians Hall of Fame.
In 2023 Eddy was inducted into The Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville by Steve Wariner.
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