DUANE EDDY APRIL 30 Duane Eddy, who died in April at 86, left an indelible mark on rock ’n’ roll. The legendary guitarist, famously known as the “King of Twang,” helped shape the genre with his signature reverb-heavy playing style that influenced generations of rockers, from John Fogerty to Bruce Springsteen to Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Born in Corning, New York, in 1938, Eddy picked up a guitar at age 5. His family moved to Arizona in 1951, where he began performing professionally. In 1955, Eddy met singer, songwriter, and composer Lee Hazlewood at Coolidge’s KCKY radio station, where Hazlewood was a disc jockey. They collab- orated on numerous projects, beginning with the guitarist’s stint in the station’s house band during Hazlewood’s show. In 1958, the duo recorded Eddy’s iconic hit “Rebel Rouser” at Phoenix’s Audio Recorders studio. The track’s signature twangy riff and echoing reverb, created with Eddy’s hollow-body Gretsch “Chet Atkins” guitar and an echo chamber fash- ioned from a 2,000-gallon repurposed water tank, were groundbreaking. Eddy’s sound was revolutionary. “It was something nobody else had done, and something that was heard around the world,” Arizona music historian John Dixon told New Times in 2024. “Duane Eddy influenced a whole generation or two of guitar players.” “Rebel Rouser” became a chart-topping success, followed by hits like “Peter Gunn” and “Because They’re Young.” In 1994, Eddy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Following his death from cancer in April in Franklin, Tennessee, tributes to Eddy throughout the music world credited his influence. Wrote Springsteen on Instagram: “Duane was a huge influence on my guitar stylings and without Duane there’s no ‘Born to Run’ riff.” – Benjamin Leatherman RON GOLDSTEIN MAY 18 Ron Goldstein treated many Phoenicians to the delicacy of his home- town of Buffalo, New York: chicken wings. Goldstein arrived in the Valley in the late 1960s and in 1979, he opened Long Wong’s in Scottsdale with his brother, Andy. The eatery served its award-winning wings and other pub staples in an eclectic, kitschy and cheeky space. Goldstein’s nephew, Josh, worked alongside his uncle for 12 years and attributed the aesthetic choices to a previous family business: The Goldsteins ran an amusement park in Buffalo. Behind the decor was a restaurateur who made sure all his guests were well fed and his team taken care of. Goldstein’s generosity stretched beyond the restau- rant, as he often helped people in need with money or a job, friends and family recalled. “Ronnie really never wanted to be seen,” Josh said. “He was more about changing people’s days with his food.” Over the years, Goldstein expanded and franchised Long Wong’s. The chain included the Tempe location that became a music hotbed, hosting bands such as the Gin Blossoms, The Pistoleros and Dead Hot Workshop, who developed what would be dubbed the “Tempe Sound.” Following Goldstein’s death, Long Wong’s published an ad in Phoenix New Times — a publication in which the restau- rant was known to have run playful and provocative ads in its early days. “The Long Wong’s family, near and extended, mourn the passing of our founder and friend, Ronald S. Goldstein,” read the ad copy, which was placed over a rainbow peace sign. “Thank you Ronnie for truly living the ‘Golden Rule’ and for so much more.” Goldstein was 70 years old. He is survived by his wife Lori, brother Andy and nephew Josh, who helms the Long Wong’s on Thomas Road and 28th Street in Phoenix. – Sara Crocker MICHAEL GRANT JULY 15 Michael Grant, who hosted the Arizona PBS daily political show “Arizona Horizon” for 25 years, died at 72 years old after battling a long illness. Grant was the show’s first host when it launched in 1981, moderating roundtable discussions on the show and conducting interviews. Before he found his way to “Arizona Horizon” host chair, Grant worked as a DJ and reporter for KOY radio in Phoenix. Grant retired as the host of the show in 2006. A lawyer as well, he retired from practicing law in 2014. “I have never worked with anyone as smart, influential and knowledgeable as Michael Grant,” Mike Sauceda, executive producer at PBS Arizona, told The Arizona Republic at the time of Grant’s death. “He was amazing, as he would practice law all day and then come into the station half an hour before show time and be completely prepared for the night’s topics.” Outgoing Maricopa County Board of Supervisor Bill Gates wrote he was “saddened by the death of Michael Grant” on social media. “I am honored to have known Michael and am grateful for his advice as I began my career in public service,” Gates wrote. – Morgan Fischer JOHN KINSEL SR. OCTOBER 19 Before his death at 107, John Kinsel Sr. was one of three legendary Navajo Code Talkers still living. Kinsel was born on the Navajo Nation near Lukachukai, Arizona. Kinsel’s father died when Kinsel was an infant, and as he grew, Kinsel assumed responsibility for his younger siblings and managing the family’s livestock. During World War II, Kinsel was a member of the second cohort of code talkers, training with some of the original 29 young Navajo men who developed the code system. He served in the 9th Regiment, 3rd Marine Division from October 1942 to January 1946. He served in several notable battles, including the critical American victory at the island of Iwo Jima, where Kinsel was injured. He was one of six Navajo code talkers who transmitted more than 800 messages without making an error during the five-week battle. He returned home and worked as an instructional aide at a Chinle school and built a log cabin for his family. “Mr. Kinsel was a Marine who bravely and selflessly fought for all of us in the most terrifying circumstances with the greatest responsibility as a Navajo Code Talker,” Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said in a written statement. Kinsel was remembered by his son, Ronald, as a dedicated family man. – TJ L’Heureux (Portraits by Luster Kaboom / Cover art by Victor Irizarry) >> p 14
