When you think of guitar gods, Jimmy Page’s name is written in stone. As the mastermind behind Led Zeppelin, Page didn’t just play guitar — he redefined it. Those towering riffs, haunting solos, and thunderous tones became the very DNA of rock. But long before Stairway to Heaven filled arenas, and even before he joined The Yardbirds, there was a young Jimmy Page — and one name burned into his musical soul: Duane Eddy.
Before the mystique, before the violin bow solos and Marshall stacks, Jimmy Page was simply a fan.
Back in the early ’60s, before Zeppelin shook the earth in 1968, Page was already an elite session guitarist in London — playing on records for The Who, Shirley Bassey, Marianne Faithfull, and countless others. His reputation was built on precision, versatility, and pure instinct. But beneath it all, his love for the guitar had one spark: the deep, echoing twang of Duane Eddy.
Eddy wasn’t just another guitarist — he was a trailblazer. With his unmistakable, cinematic twang, he dragged the electric guitar into the spotlight alongside pioneers like Buddy Holly and Les Paul. To teenage Page, that sound wasn’t just music — it was a thunderclap from across the Atlantic.
“I first saw him live at the Granada in Kingston, November 1963,” Page once recalled with boyish awe. “Gene Vincent headlined, but it was Duane who left the deepest impression on me.”
Decades later, even as Page became one of rock’s immortals, he never forgot who lit the fuse. In interviews and tributes, he always spoke of Eddy with reverence and gratitude. When Eddy passed in 2024, Page honored him with simple truth:
“Duane Eddy twanged the thang in the late ’50s and ’60s. You can hear his character sound echo through decades of popular music.”
What made their connection even more meaningful was how Page — despite his own godlike status — became a humble fan again when speaking about Eddy. He once recalled sharing a special moment with Eddy during a tribute event for Les Paul. “We talked about Les’s pioneering impact on music,” Page said. “Those conversations were more than just shop talk — they were moments of coming full circle.”
Even as Led Zeppelin stormed into uncharted sonic territory, the soul of Duane Eddy’s twang lived in Page’s guitar. Not in imitation, but in spirit — the boldness to create a sound that was unmistakably yours.
Because sometimes, even legends never forget the heroes who taught them how to speak through six strings.
