This marks Wray’s second nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was previously nominated in 2013, and he has been eligible for induction since 1983.
Wray was a true pioneer in the music industry, especially rock and roll. He has been credited as the father of the power chord, as well as the creator of distortion. He was the first artist to use intentional distortion in a rock recording.
He was the first Native American rocker to sell over one million units in 1958, with “Rumble.” He was the only musician to have an instrumental tune banned from radio for fear that it would incite juvenile violence.
Wray ranks in the Top 50 of the “100 Greatest Guitarists” list that was compiled by Rolling Stone. His music has influences such iconic artists as Jimmy Page, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, and countless others.
He in an inductee in the following Hall of Fames: the Native American Music Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and the Southern Legends Hall of Fame, among others.
In her interview with Billboard, Wray’s daughter, Beth Wray Webb, described him as the “trunk of the rock and roll tree,” where other genres such as heavy metal and punk branched off of it.
To learn more about Link Wray and his musical legacy, check out his official website.
