I just read that Link Wray died this month. He was 76 years old. Most people don't know who he is, but Link Wray was one of the more innovative guitarists in music history. He is credited as being the father of the "power chord" and it supposedly happened by him intentionally poking a hole in the cone of his amplifier to get a fuzz and crackly sound .
In 1958 he recorded his most famous song "Rumble". It is a song that most people today probably would recognize if they heard it, but couldn't tell you it was Link Wray. What was interesting about him being innovative - is that initially he was banned from radio stations because his music was different, and ironically the song Rumble had no words and it was still banned. Innovation causes controversy.
I had the privilege of meeting Link once when he played here in Santa Cruz. I knew the manager of the club and got to go to the sound check and hang out in the afternoon as Link arrived and set up. When I first saw him I was so surprised as he seemed like a tiny sweet elderly man. They served dinner and I remember as we talked his hands were shaking as he held his plate. He was soft spoken and we chatted about Robert Gordon, a singer I also liked he once played with, and other musicians and bands.
What was amazing to me however, was when it was time for the actual show. He went and changed his clothes backstage and I didn't see him again until he started the show. All of a sudden the lights went out and the opening chords of the song "Rumble" started off the show. Out on the stage was Link Wray - but now he had a black leather motorcycle jacket on. He had sunglasses on. And he was strutting the stage with energy, fast pacing back and forth, walking up the edge of the stage and playing an amazing guitar. It seriously felt like an entirely different person, as he was walking around and looked more like a 25 year old rock star than the rather elderly man I had talked with an hour earlier. I'll never forget that difference. It was freaky actually seeing the change.
It reminded me of Dr. John Mitchell of Multnomah Bible College. He was elderly in his 90's when I knew him. Quite often I would actually walk him to class and he was weak and he would link up to my arm with his arm as we walked to class. But then when he would teach the Bible, he would come alive and have such passion he seemed half his age. But as soon as he was done teaching the Bible, he would need someone to help him walk again.
Rambling here.... but just thinking if Link Wray and Dr. Mitchell now and how passion brings energy to someone, even at an old age.
