Person Biography:
Link Wray, the renowned rock'n'roll musician, was born Fred Lincoln Wray, Jr. on March 2, 1929, in Dunn, North Carolina. He was the second son of Fred and Lillian Mae Wray, and was of Shawnee Indian descent, being three quarters Indian. Link's musical journey began at a young age, when he was taught how to play the guitar by a black man named Hambone at the age of eight.
Following his stint in the Army, where he served as a medic during the Korean War and contracted tuberculosis, Link formed a band with his brothers Doug and Vernon, performing country and western music at local clubs in Virginia. The entire Wray family later relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1955.
In 1957, Link formed a new rock'n'roll band called Link Wray and the Raymen, which would go on to achieve great success. His 1958 instrumental hit "Rumble" reached #16 on the Billboard charts and sold over a million copies, cementing his status as a rock music legend.
Link continued to record and perform throughout his life, releasing albums and singles that have been featured on the soundtracks of numerous films, including "Riding Giants," "Confessions of A Dangerous Mind," "Independence Day," "Desperado," "Pulp Fiction," "Breathless," and "Pink Flamingos." He died on November 5, 2005, at the age of 76, from heart failure at his home in Copenhagen, Denmark.
