Link Wray
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Biography
Although he only scored two chart hits early in his career, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Link Wray â born Fred Lincoln Wray, Jr. in Dunn, North Carolina on May 2, 1929 â was one of the most influential guitarists of the early rock era. He is now credited for creating the âpower chordâ and for being an influence on future rockabilly, rock and roll, hard rock, and heavy metal guitarists. He began his musical career performing with his brothers Ray, Vernon, and Doug in bands like The Link Wray Band and the Palomino Ranch Gang. After serving in the US Army during the Korean War (1950-53), he contracted tuberculosis and spent a year in the hospital. After doctors removed a lung, he was told he would never be able to sing again. Instead, Link Wray focused on the guitar, creating new sounds using distortion and tremolo. His first hit was 1958âs âRumble,â released on the Cadence Records label. The song was a number 16 hit even though it was banned in New York and Boston, Massachusetts because the title was a slang word for gang fight. Signed to Epic Records, his single âRawhideâ rose to number 23 in 1959. Subsequent singles including âComancheâ (1959), âEl Toroâ (1961), âJack the Ripperâ (1961), âDeuces Wildâ (1964), and âAce of Spadesâ (1965) were not as successful but have become early rock and rockabilly classics since their release. Link Wray began releasing singles under pseudonyms and eventually moved away from the music business, preferring to release his records on a series of independent labels. He also began to collaborate with many artists, moving to San Francisco, California in the early 1970s and playing with members of Quicksilver Messenger Service. Collaborating with New York-based vocalist Robert Gordon (Tuff Darts), the duo released two albums on the Private Stock Records label: Robert Gordon and Link Wray (1977) and Fresh Fish Special (1978). Link Wray released many albums over the course of his career as well as an equal number of compilations, live albums, and reissues. In the early 1980s, Link Wray relocated to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he died on November 5, 2005, at the age of 76.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Rumble
- Growing Guts
- Dark Was the Color of Her Hair by Link Wray
- I Remember Her Love (But I Forgot Her Name) by Link Wray
- Hillbilly Wolf by Link Wray
- Listen to the Voices That Want to Be Free by Link Wray
- El Toro featuring Link Wray
- I'm from the World (I'm from the Earth) by Link Wray
- 10 - Peace is the Freedom by Link Wray
- I Sez Baby by Link Wray
- Jesus, Be My Friend by Link Wray
- Tuscon, Arizona
- King Creole
- Fire and Brimstone by Link Wray
- Fire
- Rumble-69 by Link Wray
- Born To Be Wild
- Rippin' Them off in the Name of Love by Link Wray
- Turn You on to Sunshine by Link Wray
- Let the Good Times Roll by Link Wray
- Comanche featuring Link Wray
- I'm So Glad, I'm So Proud
- It's Too Late
- Friday Night Dance Party
