Inside Music

• Word has come down that guitar player Link Wray died Nov. 5. The Dunn, N.C., native was 76. He had lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, for many years. He is credited with inventing the power chord, the rock upon which the church of rock 'n' roll is built. But he accomplished a lot more than that.

Wray did most of his best work in the Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia/Maryland area. Legend has it that the Korean War veteran came up with his primal rock instrumental 'Rumble' while playing a dance sponsored by D.C. DJ Milt Grant at the Fredericksburg Arena. Someone asked for a stroll, and Wray knocked out one of the most powerful instrumentals of all time. The single was released in '58 and the rest, as they say, is history. His hits collections are mandatory listening for every rock fan.

By the time the Beatles came along, the era of the twanging rock instrumental had drawn to a close. But in '71, Wray's career had a strange second act when he cut 'Link Wray,' recorded on a home three-track that recalled nothing so much as the Band. It's been a cult item ever since.

But Wray — who toured until his death, and did two nights this year (April 22 and 23) at the Continental Club — will be remembered for making music that embodied the idea of rock guitar as dangerous, as menacing, as something outside society that could barely be tamed. 'Rumble' is a wonderful song to listen to in the autumn — this sound is wind in the Central Virginia hills, leather jackets over heavy flannel shirts and violent D.C. juke joints. It's a sound that hypnotized everyone from Pete Townshend to Bob Dylan and bands such as the Cramps and the Rev. Horton Heat built entire careers around the rockabilly-as-menace shtick, mixing it with junk culture and punk rock. Link didn't need to build. His music just was. — Joe Gross

• Is Dallas the next Houston? Universal/Motown Records has joined forces with Dallas-based T-Town Music. The independent label is home to Dirty South Rydaz ('DSR'). DSR includes artists Big Tuck, Tum Tum, Fat B, Lil Ronnie, Double T, Addiction and Big Tite. You might recall Big Tuck's monster club hit 'Tussle.' The first release from the partnership will be from Big Tuck, whose as-yet-untitled album is scheduled for a March 28 release date. — J.G.

• The proceeds from 'Broadcasts, Vol. 13' — the latest volume in KGSR's megapopular CD series — benefit the SIMS Foundation. This year's CD premieres many artists who have never been on a KGSR broadcasts CD before, including Mavis Staples, Natalie Maines and the Neville Brothers. SIMS says requests for services in 2005 have increased more than 50 percent from 2004 and there has been a 30 percent increase in therapeutic services. You might recall that thanks to rising costs, the SIMS Foundation was forced to impose a temporary moratorium from Sept. 19 to Nov. 10. The CD will only be available from Waterloo Records, Encore Video and CD, Keepers Exceptional Men's Apparel, Cheapo Records, CD Warehouse, Borders, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Sundance (in San Marcos) and Hastings (in Round Rock). For more information, check out www.simsfoundation.org and www.kgsr.com.

In other KGSR news, the station's 15th anniversary concert and broadcast takes place Dec. 2 at the Austin Music Hall. Participating artists include Rodney Crowell, Kathleen Edwards, the Greencards and guests. — J.G.

• Barry Cowsill is still missing. The 51-year old New Orleans musician hasn't been heard from since shortly after Hurricane Katrina. According to Cowsill's representatives, he survived the hurricane itself and managed to leave voice mail messages for his sister, Susan Cowsill, on Sept. 1, but that was it. The latest information and additional pictures of Barry can be found on the Cowsill Web site at www.cowsill.com. Anyone with information about the missing musician should contact the Web site at cowsillfan@aol.com. — J.G.