Guitar legend Duane Eddy passed away Tuesday in Franklin, Tennessee, at the age of 86, his manager confirmed to ABC Audio.
“Duane inspired a generation of guitarists the world over with his unmistakable signature ‘Twang’ sound,” read the statement from his rep. “He was the first rock and roll guitar god, a truly humble and incredible human being. He will be sorely missed.”
Eddy had 15 top-40 singles throughout the late ’50s and early ’60s, with his breakthrough being the 1958 instrumental track “Revel Rouser,” which peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his first Gold record.
Eddy had another hit with “Peter Gunn,” the Henry Mancini-composed instrumental for the TV series of the same name. It gained renewed popularity in the ‘80s when Eddy rerecorded it with Art of Noise, resulting in a top-10 hit for the guitarist.
Other hits include “Cannonball,” “Movin ‘n Groovin” and “Because They’re Young,” with Eddy selling more than 100 million records worldwide.
Eddy, whose music influenced artists like George Harrison and Bruce Springsteen, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2008.
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