Beloved '70s Rocker With Iconic Guitar Riffs Turns 77

The sound of Duane Eddy’s guitar on the radio helped spark a career that left a permanent mark on ’70s rock.

Wally Bryson turns 77 on July 18, marking another birthday for the guitarist whose playing gave the Raspberries their tougher rock edge. His power chords and musical instincts became an essential part of the band’s sound, and with moments like his explosive opening riff on their biggest hit, he helped propel the band towards success.

Born Wallace Carter Bryson in Gastonia, North Carolina, he moved to the Cleveland area with his family when he was four. His passion for music sparked not long after, as a moment with his mother changed the trajectory of his future forever.

“I listened to early 1950’s radio and after hearing Duane Eddy, asked my mother what that sound was, and she told me it was electric guitar,” he recalled. “So, I got a four-string ukulele at age eight and got my first electric guitar at age 12.”

By his mid-teens, Bryson was already playing in the Mods, the Cleveland group that later became the Choir. The band built a strong local following and scored a national hit with “It’s Cold Outside,” giving Bryson valuable experience before he joined the Raspberries at the start of the 1970s.

The group released its self-titled debut in 1972, and “Go All the Way” climbed to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its opening power chords remain Bryson’s most recognizable contribution. He later said he had helped create the now-famous intro and believed he deserved a songwriting credit, an issue that became one source of tension within the band.

Bryson also wrote and sang lead on some of the Raspberries’ material, giving the group another voice alongside Eric Carmen. The band released four albums in a remarkably short period before breaking up in 1975, but its music helped shape many of the power-pop bands that followed.

Afterward, Bryson helped form Fotomaker with former Rascals members Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli. He later continued performing around Cleveland and recorded with his son, Jesse, as the Bryson Group. Away from the stage, Bryson also worked as a job coach for people with developmental disabilities in Cuyahoga County.

The original Raspberries reunited in 2004, more than three decades after their first run, and went on to play a series of well-received shows through 2009. The reunion also produced live releases that allowed Bryson’s guitar work to reach listeners who never had the chance to see the band during the 1970s.

Bryson has remained connected to Cleveland’s rock community. In 2024, he became a contributor to the local “Drop the Needle” series, sharing the records that influenced him and recalling his musical connection to guitarists including Pete Townshend.

Now, more than six decades after beginning his career, Bryson celebrates his 77th birthday with the knowledge that his work has inspired guitarists in the same way Duane Eddy inspired him.

Related: ’70s Rock Legend, Nicknamed ‘The Wild Man,’ Turns 78