He was a true architect that molded rock and roll into what it is today. He was hailed as the father of the power chord, and the creator of distortion. His signature song, the harking “Rumble” sold over one million units back in 1958, and it was the first instrumental to be banned from radio, due to the fear that the tune would incite teenage gang violence.
Link Wray was of Native American descent. He was a veteran of the Korean War, and he has one lung (as a result of the war), yet that did not stop him from excelling in his craft. In fact, that motivated him even more to succeed in his artistry.
For anybody who his unfamiliar with Link Wray’s music, all they need to do is watch the critically-acclaimed documentary film, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked The World.
In the very least, if Link Wray does not make it in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year in the “Performers” category, he definitely deserves to be in there as an “Early Influence,” since most of today’s veteran rockers credit him as the reason they picked up a guitar in the first place, or as a posthumous recipient of the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award for Musical Excellence.” The profound impact Link Wray had in the music industry is too much to ignore, and to this day, he is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s most conspicuous omission.
There are only two days remaining for the public to vote in the “Fan Vote” portion on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website.
To learn more about the documentary Rumble, which was directed by Catherine Bainbridge and co-directed by Alfonso Maiorana, check out its official homepage.
For more information on Link Wray and his music, visit his website.
Read More: Digital Journal interviewed Link Wray’s oldest daughter Beth Wray Webb about her father’s musical legacy.
