Duane Eddy

Twang is the word most closely associated with guitar legend Duane Eddy, and certainly that sound best summarizes his personality on record. But Eddy wasn’t all lower-register melodies, liberal tremolo, and omnipresent whammy bar. His instrumentals were the original music-minus-one exercises -- only the vocalist was missing. This emphasis on song construction separated Eddy from inspired '50s primitives such as Link Wray and set a standard for the rock instrumental that flowered in the '60s when the Ventures came on the scene, and later with the advent of surf music. As well as his overpowering lyricism -- evident from his first hit single, "Rebel Rouser," from 1958 -- Eddy was supported by outstanding musicians. The sax especially was a key element of Eddy's sound, and on songs such as "Ramrod" and the "Peter Gunn Theme," Eddy's twanging was clearly subservient to the impassioned honking that gave both songs a rugged edge.

Eddy was consistently in the Top 40 between 1958 and 1963, making it as high as #4 in 1960 with the lush theme for the film Because They’re Young, a vehicle designed to make Eddy a movie star. It bombed, but he kept on twanging. His best recordings were on the Jamie label, with his debut, Have "Twangy" Guitar Will Travel, the standout LP release. As the years went on, Eddy rerecorded his most celebrated tunes in various settings. The most restrained and thoughtful were on RCA, with the twofer Twangin' the Golden Hits/Twang a Country Song, a useful supplement to his straight-rocker sides, with apt material. The only career-spanning collection with original recordings currently available is the sumptuous and enjoyable double disc Twang Thang, which shows how Eddy could handle pop and country, but maybe not electronic dance beats. (DAVID MCGEE/MILO MILES)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide