R.I.P. Link Wray

It's a sad, sad, sad, day here at the PCL Headquarters (as well as over at the HTMPL Office). Link Wray has passed away.
The King.
Most people refer to Elvis as the King - and they are not wrong. He was the King.
But Link Wray was the The KING OF ROCK. And he most certainly was The KING OF THE ROCK GUITAR. (Now, if you Google that sentence - "The KING OF THE ROCK GUITAR" - you will end up with this, and that is just ridiculous.)

"He is the King; if it hadn't been for Rumble, I would have never picked up a guitar." -- Pete Townsend
"If I could go back in time and see one concert it would be Link Wray and His Raymen" - Neil Young
"Rumble is the best instrumental ever.” - Bob Dylan

So Long Link Wray.
1929 - 2005

>Listen To Fire and Brimstone (YouSendIt) or get it Here (Momoshare) (Thanks To TOD at the Splusp Group for supplying the file)

Thread at GaragePunk.com - Forums.
The GaragePunk Blog also has an entry about this as well as 3 classic Link Wray Tracks.

An Article in Spanish.
An Article In Portuguese from Brazil's Folha Online.

Obituary published Friday in the Danish online news paper Politiken. And I especially like the words that are being quoted in the end of that article:
»Link Wray brændte igennem i aftes med al den trods, latter, kærlighed og power, han har i sig. En legende, lige så sikkert som Crazy Horse, en naturkraft som en tornado, en profet, der blindt hyler gennem støvet op mod solen om de fejringer og triumfer, der skal komme. Jeg så Link Wray, jeg så Amerika«
Powerful words if you understand Danish. And I do.
(According to this article he has already been buried at a private ceremony at Christians Kirke in Christianshavn, Copenhagen.)

__ T0ra ! T0ra ! T0ra ! __ posts this English Article based on the Danish artlicle in Politiken (and icludes some audio as well).

General Link Wray places of interest:
Link Wray at The Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Link Wray's Place (Updated: Page Went Down)
Wray's Shack - The largest site on the Internet dedicated to Link Wray, Doug Wray and Vernon Wray!
Wikipedia entry on Link Wray.
The Official Site of Link Wray (not much there though...)

Now, we're just waiting for Reverend Frost to post THE REAL tribute post.

November 20, 2005;
Update: Flop Eared Mule pays tribute by posting Wray's "Fire" and Jason Ringenberg's "Link Wray"
Sunset Gun also reports about Mr. Wray's passing.
MrBaliHai says so long.
Route 1 speaks about the Father of the Power Chord.
Audiography - 3 tracks.
MetaFilter Entry
Nice, informative and well written tribute post at Blog To Comm.
RecordBrother: "He invented that Ghee Tar sound heard round the world so much so that the sonic smoke signals of our youth wouldn't have even been thought of without Link Ray and his Raymen ..." RIP Post including 3 memorable tracks.
Olaf at Inaubile Cities: "... That the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has yet to induct Link Wray is little surprise, since the tourist attraction is run by the same type of ridiculous corporate jokesters that think moving the Country Music Association Awards to NYC and including Billy Joel in the proceedings validates Country music. ..." Read the whole post here.
BoingBoing Entry.

Update II: All information supplied here about Link's death has one and the same source: This article in the Danish Politiken (which IS a reliable source). But I need more sources. I need more facts. Is there no other confimation about this sad news in other "official" places? Nowhere else in the press? I sure can't find any. And I'm a human search engine...

Update III: As I said we where just waiting for Reverend Frost's Tribute post to Link - and HERE it is! "... Well, I’ve learned guitar all by myself – with a little help from Mr Wray's records. I WANTED THAT SOUND AND THAT FEELING (Yeah something you will never understand you all Steve Vai fans) Armed with a 1953 Gibson Les Paul, a dinky Premier amp, an Elvis sneer and a black leather jacket, Link Wray was my hero. Simple . " (Oh, man, I get tears in my eyes reading this. Heavy.)
And of course also mp3s. Crank them up!

Update IV: Tune in LINK WRAYdio! ("Music from, and inspired by the guitarist Link Wray, his family and friends. The companion to www.WraysShack3Tracks.com") at Live365.com. (via LinkFilter.net)


November 21, 2005;
Update V: German media coverage: Article/Obituary in Netzeitung.de and another one in Kurier.at.

Update VI: Greg Laxton at Wray's Shack has made a major update on the Shack-page: he has posted pics and video clips of Link's final gig, as well a lot of other stuff. I guess you should keep an eye on the Wray's Shack if you want fresh information about Link and his death and want to stay updated from now on.
See also the Wrays Shack's Forum.

Amanda tells us "Bob Dylan opened his London show last night with Rumble."
THAT IS COOL!! Link to Bob's Playlist (November 20, 2005.)
D hands us the mp3! Bob Dylan - Rumble (YouSendIt) - Thanks D
Note: Feel free to host this on another site. It will not last here for long....
You can now listen to Bob's Rumble over at Wray's Shack (scroll down a bit).

Update VII: Link's wife Olive and son Oliver have updated his website. You can read their goodbye here. (via Wrays Shack)

"... It is with the deepest sorrow that we have to inform Links dear fans that our beloved husband and father Link Wray has deceased November 5. 2005

In respect of Links wishes, he was buried in silence and privacy from the historic protestant Church: Christians Church in Copenhagen Denmark, Friday 18th of November 2005. with attendance of his family Olive and Oliver Wray.

Link passed away in their arms, safely in his home in Copenhagen, not ever aware that his heart was getting tired. This was the way he had told us, he wanted it. ..."

Last Update: The saddening news of Link Wray's death is now spreading all over the net and has finally become a news "item".
This entry will therefore carry no more updates.

My condolences and thoughts go out to the Wray family, relatives and friends of the Wray's and to all fans of pure rock'n'roll.

I thank you, dear PCL readers, for your patience. I needed to do this.