Link Wray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Link Wray
Wray in Seattle, 2005
Background information
Birth name	Fred Lincoln Wray Jr.
Born	(1929-05-02)May 2, 1929 Dunn, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	November 5, 2005(2005-11-05) (aged 76) Copenhagen, Denmark
Genres	Country rockabilly garage rock hard rock
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter
Instruments	Guitar vocals steel guitar bass guitar
Years active	1955–2005
Associated acts	Robert Gordon

Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr. (born May 2, 1929 – died November 5, 2005) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer. He became very popular in the late 1950s.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Wray as number 45 on their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. He was also nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and 2017.

Early Life and Challenges

Link Wray was born on May 2, 1929, in Dunn, North Carolina. His parents were Fred Lincoln Wray, Sr. and Lillian Mae Wray. His mother was from the Shawnee people. Link remembered growing up in very tough conditions. His family faced discrimination, and sometimes they even had to hide from groups like the Ku Klux Klan.

His two brothers, Vernon and Doug, were his first bandmates.

Wray served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War (1950–53). He got sick with tuberculosis and had to stay in the hospital for a year. Doctors had to remove one of his lungs. They thought he would never be able to sing again after that.

Music Career

Link Wray was known for his unique, distorted electric guitar sound. His first big hit was an instrumental song called "Rumble" in 1958. An instrumental song is one that does not have any singing. This song was so powerful that some cities, like New York and Boston, even banned it. They worried it might cause trouble among teenagers, because "rumble" was slang for a gang fight.

Wray recorded many songs under different names. He eventually got tired of big music companies. So, he started recording albums in a small studio he made himself. It was in an old chicken coop on his brother's land in Accokeek, Maryland. In 1971, he released an album called Link Wray. On this album, he wrote songs about his feelings and frustrations.

In the 1970s, Wray played with many other musicians. He toured and recorded two albums with the rockabilly artist Robert Gordon. Later, in the 1980s, his band included Anton Fig, who became a famous drummer on the Late Show with David Letterman. Link Wray continued to release new music, including the albums Shadowman (1997) and Barbed Wire (2000).

In recent years, some of Link Wray's old, unreleased recordings have been found. These include "Son of Rumble" (a follow-up to his hit "Rumble") and "Whole Lotta Talking." These songs were released as special records in 2018 and 2019.

Personal Life and Passing

Link Wray's grave

Link Wray had eight children from his first three marriages. In the early 1980s, he moved to Denmark and married Olive Povlsen, who also became his manager.

Link Wray passed away from heart failure at his home in Copenhagen, Denmark, on November 5, 2005. He was 76 years old. He was survived by his nine children, 24 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His ashes were buried in a church in Copenhagen.

Musical Style and Impact

Link Wray's music changed over time. In the 1950s, his songs mixed country and rockabilly styles. Later, in the 1960s, he played surf-influenced garage rock. In the 1970s, he explored swamp rock and country rock, and later played hard rock.

Many people say Link Wray invented the power chord. This is a special way of playing guitar that makes a strong, loud sound. Music experts like Cub Koda from AllMusic say that Wray's early instrumental songs, especially "Rumble," helped create the sound for future music styles like heavy metal and punk rock.

Link Wray influenced many famous artists. Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin said Wray had a "real rebel attitude" and was a big influence on him. Pete Townshend from The Who once said, "If it hadn't been for Link Wray and 'Rumble,' I never would have picked up a guitar." Other musicians like Iggy Pop and Neil Young also said Wray influenced their work.

Even Bob Dylan mentioned Link Wray in his song "Sign Language." Both Dylan and Bruce Springsteen played Wray's song "Rumble" in their concerts to honor him after he passed away. In 2007, Link Wray was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame.

Discography

Here are some of the singles and albums Link Wray released during his career.

Singles

Wray also worked with Robert Gordon on his 1977 song "Red Hot". This song reached number 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Albums

See also

In Spanish: Link Wray para niños

• Surf music