Date of Birth

Nickname

Mini Biography

Hailed as the "King of Surf Guitar, " Dick Dale virtually galvanized the surf rock sound in the 1950s. An avid surfer and accomplished musician, Dale and his band, the Del-Tones appeared in several of the ever-popular beach party teen flicks starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon during the early 60s. Although interest in surf rock waned in the 70s, Dale has enjoyed a highly successful comeback during the 1990s, due in part to Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction", which featured Dale's early musical hit, Misirlou from 1962. Among his many awards and honors, Dale was inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame in 1996 and recently presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by LA Weekly in June, 2000 for his contribution to music. Despite a heavy touring schedule that takes him through the U.S. and around the world, Dale finds time to spend with his nine-year old son, Jimmy, on the 80-acre family ranch in Twentynine Palms, California.

Trivia

Not to be confused with singer/saxaphonist Dick Dale, a regular on the Lawrence Welk show for many years.

Voted #31 on Rolling Stones magazine's 2004 list of the top 100 greastest guitarists of all time.

Personal Quotes

My music is more native than intricate or technical. It's a sexual, sensual drive, that low rumbling sound. When I started surfing, you'd hear this neat rumbling sound when you took off and go for the drop and when the wave is lipping up over the top of you it makes this hissing sound. And that's the intermittent squeals on the top that I do with my guitar. The music is a collective togetherness between the ocean's power, the animal power, and the human power that we have inside our abdomen.

Where Are They Now

(2004/5) Is on tour with his son Jimmy Dale, a 12 year old who can play some of his dad's lightning-fast guitar solos note for note

DickDale. We are looking forward to ...

In the early ‘60s, Dick Dale was ...