The guitarist Link Wray, considered one of the pioneers of the American rock in the decade of 50 years and cult figure, it passed away to the 76 years in Copenhagen, where it lived two decades ago, the newspaper ‘ Politiken’ informed today.

Link Wray, of who the their death cause of nor its date have been made public neither, this week in private in the Church of Christian was buried, in the popular district of Christianshavn.

One of the most influential guitarists in Rock History was born Frederick Lincoln Wray in Dunn, NC on the second day of May in 1929. He moved with brothers, Vernon and Doug with their group Lucky Wray and the Palamino Ranch Hands to Washington DC to record an EP. In 1955 they recorded with Starday.
But, the reason he developed his dragged out syle of chording was he had to develop an instrumental sytle, inpired by Chet Atkins because of his inability to do vocals (Merle Travis was an influence, too) due to tuberculosis.

The ultimate surf guitarist, Link Wray influenced everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughn. His reverb drenched guitar tone, along with razor slit speakers gave him an unforgettable raspy echo of a sound that revolutionized rack guitar. Years before Ray Davies crushed the opening power chords of « You Really Got Me » with The Kinks, Wray was smashing through distorted numbers such as « Rumble » and « Night in the Big City ». Wray and fellow surf guitarist Dick Dale are the most influential rock guitarists of all-time.

Ecoutez « Rumble » (real audio), ICI
Le Juke-box spécial Link Wray est ICI
En savoir plus sur le personnage, ICI, ICI, ou encore ICI.
…et quelques photos « onstage » de 2003 sur le blog cité dans les commentaires, ICI