Very very sad to hear tonight that the magnificent Duane Eddy has passed on. An inspiration and a hero to me (and my Dad !) when I was a kid.
I was so thrilled to meet him in 2017 and spend a little time, and proudly invite him to our show in Nashville, Tennessee. This track – Rabble Rouser – was one of the very first solo rock guitar hits ever. Duane’s sound was distinctive, original and completely cutting edge at the time. His style involved bending low strings of his guitar, an earthy exciting innovation.
The first note of this Rebel Rouser riff is a low F Sharp on the bottom string of his guitar, hit, bent up to a G and back down again before the second note – the low E – is hit. It might sound like nothing out of the ordinary in these days of a million flashy electric guitar players, but at that time it was revolutionary – freeing the guitar from its former stiffness, and making it talk.
For me and thousands of other kids at the time it was joyous and inspiring. We all wanted that deep ‘”Twang”. To me it’s thrilling that he played my home-made guitar, all those years later.
Legend !! Great Man ! so sad to lose you, sir.
RIP DUANE EDDY.
Bri