Dunn, North Carolina: Inventor of the Power Chord
Historical marker honors latter-day hometown hero Link Wray. In the 1950s, his music was condemned as a corrupter of youth.
- Address:
- 900 S. Clinton Ave., Dunn, NC
- Directions:
- South side of town. On the west side of US Hwy 301/S. Clinton Ave. at its intersection with E. Duke St. Across from a Citgo station.
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Popular myth says he was involved in the Batman theme, which is not true. However, he had so much influence on guitarists across the spectrum: Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend, Bob Dylan, to name a few. Instead of being the Inventor of the Power Chord, he popularized it in '50s rock & roll. His hit "Rumble" was banned in NY and Boston for potentially having a bad influence on teenagers of the day.
Other interesting facts, per his wikipedia page: A descendant of the Shawnee (his mother was indigenous), he was discriminated against during his childhood. Steven Van Zandt inducted him posthumously into the Native American Music Hall of Fame in 2007. He moved to Copenhagen, Denmark in the '80s and is buried there. Three wives, 8 children, 23 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren!
[Jennifer Coyne, 02/26/2022]
My family thought this was cool. Link Wray not only invented the power chord, he also played the Batman Theme.
[Kim, 08/22/2018]Nearby Offbeat Places
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Link Wray's 1958 instrumental hit, "Rumble," was banned by radio stations for fear it would incite juvenile delinquency.