Where Are They Now – Duane Eddy [VIDEO]

When I was a kid learning how to play the guitar, my goal was to be able to play one of those "twangy" guitar instrumentals like "Rebel-Rouser" by Duane Eddy. Duane Eddy had hits on both country and pop charts during the 1950s and 60s. And here's bit of music trivia. According to Sir Paul McCartney, his young friend George Harrison auditioned for a chance to join him and John Lennon's band by playing the instrumental "Raunchy" (which Duane Eddy later recorded) on the guitar for John Lennon and got invited to join the group. Harrison became lead guitar in "The Beatles" thanks to that song.

Here's what Duane Eddy has been up to recently, according to his website:

On June 20th, Mad Monkey Records – in conjunction with EMI – released the new Duane Eddy album, "Road Trip".

Road Trip features 11 songs, recorded in 11 days at Yellow Arch Studios in Sheffield, October 2010. The album was co-produced by long-time fan Richard Hawley – whom, along with members of his band, co-wrote a selection of the album’s songs with Eddy.Twenty five years after releasing his last record, Duane Eddy has returned to reclaim what is rightfully his…

Duane Eddy’s importance is immeasurable. He has been credited as one of the originator’s of rock ’n’ roll’s dirtier guitar sound, helping to keep the genre alive when it became safe and commodified, and cited as an influence by such luminaries and peers as Hank Marvin, Jimmy Page, Steve Cropper, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Ry Cooder, Art of Noise (with whom he had a Top 10 hit of a remaking of his classic 1960 hit ‘Peter Gunn’), Dave Davies of The Kinks, and many, many more."

And at age 75, he's still touring and going strong. Check out Duane Eddy playing his monster hit., "Rebel-Rouser" recently