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Dick Dale

A true pioneer in obtaining a different sound known as Surf Guitar. R.I.P.
jafant
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,952 posts
 
Very sad to hear that. Big Dick Dale fan here!

I saw him in concert in a small ballroom venue a few years back. Besides putting on an awesome performance he stayed and chatted with us after the concert. His is the only concert photo I have up in my listening room.

Check out his Spatial Disorientation CD for just an inkling of how talented a guitar player he was beyond just his trademark surf guitar sound. A true legend!
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,558 posts
 

HUGE influence on many guitarists, ones as good as Bill Frisell (listen to his Guitar In The Space Age album) and even Saint Jimi (his "We’ll never listen to Surf music again" song lyric was said facetiously). Leo Fender created his great Dual Showman amp in response to Dick’s blowing up of all the existing Fender amps!

I never saw & heard Dick live (by the time I got to SoCal, he was long-gone. I did play at the Surf Music Museum in Redondo Beach, though), but I did The Ventures (on a cruise ship that went down to Mexico, the stage shared with modern instro-band Los Straitjackets. A bucket of beers for $10 ;-) and Link Wray (on his last time through L.A.. He had to be helped up the stairs onto the stage, dressed in his signature black leather jacket and pants, his dyed black hair in a ponytail).

jafant OP
19,061 posts
 
bdp24

I am a big fan of Bill Frisell and you are correct about the influence from DD.  Great story about blowing up Fender amps.  Happy Listening!
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,756 posts
 
Here's a full story about Dick Dale's life and death.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/03/18/i-have-perform-save-my-life-medical-bills-kept-rock...


tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,869 posts
 
RIP
and I also believe Tom Petty was a fan as well.
The Washington Post article is quite well done, insightful.....His story...might even make a died in the wool conservative think differently about access to affordable healthcare....or maybe not...
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