Dick Dale, King of the Surf Guitar, Dead at 81
Source: RollingStone
Dick Dale, “the King of the Surf Guitar,” has died at the age of 81.
California Rocker first reported that Dale died Sunday. His bassist Sam Bolle confirmed Dale’s death to the Guardian. No cause of death was revealed, but the guitarist suffered from health issues in recent years. In 2010, Dale said he was battling rectal cancer, and in an interview that went viral, Dale said in 2015 that “I can’t stop touring because I will die” due to medical expenses stemming from cancer treatment, diabetes and renal failure. “I have to raise $3,000 every month to pay for the medical supplies I need to stay alive, and that’s on top of the insurance that I pay for,” Dale said at the time.
As the progenitor of the surf rock genre and an innovator who helped stretch the possibilities of the electric guitar, Dale inspired musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Ry Cooder and the Beach Boys. Dale’s “Miserlou” also notably featured in the opening credits sequence of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction.
Born Richard Monsour in Boston in 1937, Dale first played ukulele and then guitar as a child; Dale’s father, with Lebanese roots, taught his son the Middle Eastern scales that would later form the backbone of surf music.
After moving to Southern California as a senior in high school in 1954, Dale developed an obsession of surfing, ultimately combining his two passions and teaming with the Del-Tones to create tracks like 1961’s “Let’s Go Trippin’,” considered the first surf rock song, and the following year’s “Miserlou,” Dale’s take on an Eastern Mediterranean song; the Beach Boys would cover “Let’s Go Trippin'” two years later on their 1963 LP Surfin’ U.S.A.
Read more: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dick-dale-surf-guitar-king-dead-obituary-809294/
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Dick Dale went to Leo’s shop in the mid 50's to complain that, like the Telecaster, it was uncomfortable to play sitting down because of the squared body sides of the guitar. Leo handed Dick a guitar and said to Dick “show me what you think it needs”. So, Dick took the guitar body to one of the shop grinders and shaped the guitar’s contours to fit up against the player’s body more comfortably.
That has been the body contour of stock Stratocasters ever since.
Rest in Peace Dick Dale!
