On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, Duane Eddy, an American rock and roll guitarist, passed away at the age of 86 in Franklin, Tennessee. Eddy began playing in the 1950s- he had a reverberant, staccato style of guitar playing, which became known as “twang,” and changed rock and roll. According to his wife Deed Abbate, Eddy died from cancer in the Williamson Health Hospital located in Franklin, Tennessee. Eddy was successful as a strictly-instrumental recording artist during the late 1950s and ‘60s.

Duane Eddy was born on April 26, 1938, in Corning, New York, and grew up in Phoenix. During Eddy’s childhood, he started playing the guitar when he was five years old. In his teen years in Arizona, Eddy dreamt about singing on the Grand Ole Opry. In 1958, he signed with Jamie Records of Philadelphia.

Many of Eddy’s early recordings made with the producer and songwriter Lee Hazlewood were released on the Philadelphia-based label Jamie Records. In 1994, Eddy was allowed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which was the same year his original hit recording of “Rebel Rouser” appeared in the movie Forrest Gump. Also in 1944, Eddy’s music was in the movie Natural Born Killers, and then, in 1996, his music was used for the movie Broken Arrow. In 2008, he was allowed to be in the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville.

On Thursday, founder member of UK Band “The Kinks”, Dave Davies, paid tribute on X, writing, “I’m in shock Duane Eddy was one of my most important influences. He was so important in so many ways.” Eddy is known for playing guitars which were made by the US brand Gretsch, who also posted a statement on X. The post stated, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Duane Eddy. As a legendary guitarist, he inspired generations with his pioneering twangy sound and musical innovations.”