Chattanooga Times Free Press

Don Wilson, guitarist with The Ventures, dies

TACOMA, Wash. — Don Wilson, co-founder and rhythm guitarist of the instrumental guitar band The Ventures, has died. He was 88.

Wilson died Saturday in Tacoma of natural causes, surrounded by his four children, The News Tribune reported.

The band’s hits included “Walk, Don’t Run,” and the theme song for “Hawaii Five-O.” They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

“Our dad was an amazing rhythm guitar player who touched people all over world with his band, The Ventures,” son Tim Wilson said in a statement. “He will have his place in history forever and was much loved and appreciated. He will be missed.”

In the 1960s and early 1970s, 38 of the band’s albums charted in the United States.

The Ventures had 14 singles in the Billboard Hot 100. With more than 100 million records sold, the Ventures are the best-selling instrumental band of all time.

The band scored the No. 2 hit in the country with “Walk, Don’t Run” in 1960.

Ventures founders Bob Bogle and Wilson were bricklayers when they bought guitars and chord books at a pawnshop in Tacoma in 1958.

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2022-01-24T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-24T08:00:00.0000000Z

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