Link Wray and His Wray Men

LINK WRAY AND HIS WRAY MEN
 
 
Link Wray  (born Fred Lincoln Wray, Jr. May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005) was an American rock and roll guitarist, songwriter and vocalist who first came to popularity in the late 1950's.  Building on distorted electric guitar sound of early electric blues records, his 1958 instrumental hit "Rumble" by Link Wray and his Ray Men invented "the power chord, the major modus operandi of modern rock guitarists", making possible "punk and heavy rock".  Rolling Stone placed Wray at No. 45 of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.  In 2013 he was announced as a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 

Primarily, Link Wray performed under the name Link Wray and His Ray Men (originally Link Wray and His Wray Men); there were a few other rock bands with the possessive – notably the legendary rock and roll pioneer Bill Haley and His Comets – but most bandleaders in the rock and roll era were content to just use "the" to identify the band. 

 

(February 2013)

 

Last edited: March 22, 2021