Jimmy Page provided one of the biggest surprises during the 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Not only did he do the honors of inducting guitar great Link Wray into the Rock Hall, but Page also performed his signature song, “Rumble.”
The one and only @JimmyPage is in the building, absolutely rocking the stage with “Rumble” in tribute to 2023 Inductee @Link_Wray.
Stream #RockHall2023 NOW on @DisneyPlus! pic.twitter.com/6QgI4dBIuo
— Rock Hall (@rockhall) November 4, 2023
Before surprising viewers on stage, Page appeared in a pre-recorded video talking about Wray’s impact on him.
“In those days, there were many guitar instrumentals, but as a 14-year-old kid who could barely play the guitar, [‘Rumble’] really had an effect on me,” said Page. “The vigor and the strength and the power in it. And you know something else, it was fearless. It was just phenomenal. The essence of cool.”
Wray has been an influence either directly or indirectly on nearly every guitar player imaginable. He’s been eligible for induction into the Rock Hall since its founding in 1986. How on Earth it’s taken this long for Wray to get the recognition he deserves is anyone’s guess.
Jimmy Page and His Long Love Affair with “Rumble”
While it was a surprise to see Page show up at the 2023 Rock Hall ceremony, the least surprising thing is his fandom of Wray. This was on full display during the 2008 documentary It Might Get Loud.
In the documentary, Page can be seen talking about “Rumble.” On top of that, the camera crew films Page going through his record collection to find his 45 of the track. He puts it on, and his face exudes pure joy. Oh, and he plays air guitar to the song, which is still one of the coolest things ever recorded on film. It might be one of the few times in history where we mortals are on the same level as Page when it comes to being a fan.