Wray has made his mark in the rock scene as the “father of the power chord,” and was known as the “Grandfather of Rock and Roll.” He is one of rock’s greatest innovators and architects. His influence continues to his day, and his perennial guitar instrumental “Rumble” just celebrated its 61st anniversary this year. Each April, in observance of “Record Store Day,” there is a resurgence of Link Wray’s music in vinyl format.
“Rumble” was recognized this year by the Grammy Hall of Fame, and it was also recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its inaugural “singles” category, which honors compositions by artists that haven’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
His prowess on guitar was unparalleled, and if it weren’t for Link Wray, many of his peers would have never picked up a guitar, including The Who’s lead guitarist Pete Townshend who described him as “the king.” He was able to defy genres and was essential in the development and evolution of hard rock, punk, rockabilly, and heavy metal.
The late Link Wray has been eligible for induction since 1983, three years before the first class of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. He was only nominated twice for induction (2014 and 2018), and this year, he deserves to be on that ballot again. Hopefully, this glaring omission will be rectified and he will be immortalized with a posthumous induction into the coveted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
