DUANE EDDY HAS something only the greatest guitarists can claim: an instantly identifiable sound. The word twangy was coined to brand his sonic signature way back in the 1950s, and the tag has stuck ever since, thanks to its repetition in album titles like Have ‘Twangy’ Guitar Will Travel and The ‘Twang’s’ the ‘Thang.’ Remarkably, a record company executive rejected his first single for “sounding like somebody trying to string telephone wire across the Grand Canyon” — which is a pretty cool description of Eddy’s magic. Awarded Guitar Player’s Legend award in 2004, Eddy was just the second recipient of the prize, beaten only by Les Paul the previous year. In the years before and since, he’s enjoyed no shortage of justly deserved accolades. With one of the longest careers in rock and roll, Duane Eddy is a living legend.
In New York CIty, 1958
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