Dick Dale

Dick Dale (born Richard Mansour on May 4, 1937) was a pioneer of surf rock and one of the most influential guitarists of the early 1960s. His technique influenced future guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen. He experimented with reverb and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers.

Biography

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts to a Lebanese father and a Polish mother, and soon learned to play the drums, the ukulele, and finally the guitar. Among his early musical influences was his uncle, an oud player performing belly dance music. Much of his early music shows a middle eastern influence. He also began surfing, and soon began developing the sound that eventually became surf rock.

Related Topics:
Boston, Massachusetts - Lebanese - Polish - Drums - Ukulele - Guitar - Oud - Belly dance - Surfing

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With his backing band, The Del-Tones, Dale's live performances became huge local draws. 1961's "Let's Go Trippin'" is often regarded as the first surf rock song (see 1961 in music). This was followed by more locally-released songs, including "Jungle Fever" and "Surf Beat" on his own Deltone label. His first full-length album was Surfer's Choice (1962 in music). The album was picked up by Capitol Records and distributed nationally, and Dale soon began appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show and in films. His second album was named after his performing nickname, King of the Surf Guitar.

Related Topics:
1961 - 1961 in music - Surfer's Choice - 1962 in music - Capitol Records - Ed Sullivan Show - King of the Surf Guitar

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Though surf rock became nationally popular in the U.S. briefly, the British Invasion began to overtake the American charts in 1964. Though he continued performing live, Dale was soon set back by rectal cancer. He recovered, though, and retired from music for a time. In 1979, he almost lost a leg after being injured while swimming; a pollution-related infection made the mild injury much worse. As a result, Dale became an environmental activist and soon began performing again throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He recorded a new album in 1986 (see 1986 in music) and was nominated for a Grammy, and the use of "Misirlou" in a Quentin Tarantino film, Pulp Fiction, earned him a devoted audience. He has released several albums since.

Related Topics:
British Invasion - 1964 - Rectal cancer - 1979 - 1970s - 1980s - 1986 - 1986 in music - Misirlou - Quentin Tarantino - Pulp Fiction

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