Happy Birthday Dick Dale! (May 4, 1937)

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Hi, WA Friends!

Let's celebrate the Birthday of the "King Of Surf," Dick Dale!

Dick was one of the first pioneers of the surf music sound, which was popularized in the early 1960s. His distinctive tone incorporated fast melodic runs played with lots of reverb and tremolo effects, a Fender guitar with heavy gauge strings, and a thick pick.

Although he was born in Boston, Massachusetts, Dick was heavily influenced by Middle Eastern and Eastern European music, as well as the Country and Western music he heard on the radio.

He began his career n the late 1950s, playing in clubs in Southern California, where he developed his signature style. Since surfing was all the rage back then in California, the surfing crowd embraced his adrenaline-fueled music. The Beach Boys would also capitalize on the surf sensation.

Dick Dale (standing in the middle, in front of the drum) and his Del-Tones

The Ed Sullivan And Dick Clark TV Shows

I remember first seeing Dick Dale playing on the Ed Sullivan and Dick Clark (American Bandstand) TV shows back in the 1960s. His biggest hits were "Misirlou," "Pipeline," and "Let's Go Trippin,'" which also appeared in multiple movie soundtracks.

My garage band played Misirlou and Pipeline because they epitomized the surfy sound.

Musical Equipment

Dick used a variety of different guitars and amplifiers. His favorite guitar was the Fender Stratocaster, but he occasionally played a Fender Jaguar and Jazzmaster. He was a left-handed guitar player,

The Fender Custom Shop makes a signature version of his iconic gold sparkle Stratocaster guitar. It was designed to give a right-handed player a reverse (upside down) headstock.

Dick Dale Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster

His favorite amplifier was a Fender Dual Showman, but he also occasionally used Sunn amps.

I had a 100-Watt Sunn stack amp in high school with the horn and 12-inch speaker in the cabinet that I favored over my Fender Twin Reverb, especially for Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix tunes. Those two amps got traded in for a Marshall Plexi stack that I had to travel to Manny's Music in New York to purchase because it was so hard to find in the U.S.A. back then.

Awards

  • Surfing Walk of Fame (2011)
  • Guitar Player Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award (2019)
  • He was also featured in Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" (he was number 74 - Jimi Hendrix was number 1).

Discography

Here is a complete discography of Dick Dale's recorded works. If you must listen to only one album (and I don't know why anyone wouldn't listen to them all), check out "King of the Surf Guitar."

Studio Albums:

  • Surfer's Choice (1962)
  • King of the Surf Guitar (1963)
  • Checkered Flag (1963)
  • Mr. Eliminator (1964)
  • Summer Surf (1964)
  • Rock Out with Dick Dale and His Del-Tones (1965)
  • Guitar Legend: The Very Best of Dick Dale (1965)
  • Tribal Thunder (1993)
  • Unknown Territory (1994)
  • Calling Up Spirits (1996)
  • Spacial Disorientation (2001)
  • Mr. Pipeline (2005)

Live Albums:

  • Live at Ciro's (1965)
  • Live on the Santa Monica Pier (1995)
  • Live on KCRW (1996)
  • Live at the Ritz (1998)
  • King of the Surf Guitar: Live at the Whisky a Go Go (2011)

Compilation Albums:

  • The Best of Dick Dale and His Del-Tones (1963)
  • Greatest Hits 1961-1976 (1976)
  • King of the Surf Guitar: The Best of Dick Dale and His Del-Tones (1989)
  • The Tigers Loose (1993)
  • Better Shred Than Dead: The Dick Dale Anthology (1997)

Happy Birthday Dick Dale! 🎂

Keep On Rocking 🤘
Frank 🎸

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Recent Comments

57

Hey Frankie 🎸😎! When I saw your post, I have to listen to him first, so I can tell you I know his music! Hahahaha! His music actually sounds familiar as my dad listens to him! And it’s a party music, so it’s played during parties too!

Happy birthday Dick Dale! 🎉💥🎊???? Your music is the life of the party!

Thank you Dr. Guitar Man 🎸😎!!!

Cheers,
Maria 🌹

Hi, Maria

Lol, most people have heard his music but don’t recognize the name. 😎

Rock On!🤘
Frank 🤘

You have been widening my knowledge in the light of music and its artists! And with that I appreciate you Frankie🎸😎 !!!

Cheers,
Maria🌹

My pleasure, Maria! 😎🎸

😊🎉🎊🎸😎

Thank you foryour post, appreciate as I don't even know this information.. Thanks

You’re welcome, Lomai!

Check out his music. 😎🎶🎸

Hi Frank! Thanks for the informative share…I wasn’t aware but always enjoy learning something new. Have a great day!

Susan 🎸🤘😎

Thanks, Susan!

Stream his music and some of it’ll be familiar, especially the tune “Pipeline.” 😎

Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸

Sounds good, Frank! I’ll check it out. 🎸🤘😎

Great post, Frank. Happy birthday to Dick Dale! God bless him for having these amazing talents.

Myra 💜

Thanks, Monica!

Enjoy his music! 🎶😎

Frank 🎸

I think the pipeline song will forever live in my head. It was the epitome of surf 🏄‍♂️ music.
Stevoi

Yeah, Dick’s songs and all the Beach Boys music. A classic blast from the past.

I’ve been listening to surf music all day and we’ll see a Star Wars movie tonight.

Happy Star Wars Day, Stephen! 😎
Frank 🎸

Haha did an AI picture of Darth Vader as a Beach Boy but can’t add the picture here. Wrong file type…

Yeah, this platform won’t take WebP files.

That’s a great movie! 👍😎

I will definitely need to YouTube this lad Frank!

Appreciate the great info as always my friend and happy birthday Dick!

Rock on buddy!!

👍🍻🎸

Let me know what you think, Nick.

Have fun! 😎
Frank 🎸

Will do buddy and having fun is the name of the game!!

👍🎸🍻

So true, Nick! 👍👍😎🎸🍻

👍😉🎸🍻🤣

Thanks for the information on Dick Dale. This is another name that I don't know who created a sound that I do know.
Jim

Haha, Sometimes it’s challenging to put a name or a face to the music, Jim. 😎🎸

That’s why your posts are important.

Lol, Thanks, Jim! 😎

Thank you for educating us on who Dick Dale… Very interesting and informative read…thank you for sharing!

-Mike

You’re welcome, Mike

Check out some of Dick’s music! 😎

Frank 🎸

I will certainly try…thank you for bringing him to our attention.

-Mike

I didn't know of him until now, Frank! Is he, perchance, still alive? Either way Happy Birthday. Dick Dale!🎂

I always learn a lot from your posts!

Jeff😎🤘🎸

Hi, Jeff

No, Dick died in his eighties, I believe at 81, but he left plenty recorded music to cherish.

Stream some of his stuff and let me know what you think! 😎

Rock On!🤘
Frank🎸

I suspected as much, my friend! Thank you! 😎🎸

Dale and The Beach Boys essentially created the Surf Music genre, Jeff! 😎🎸

I see, Frank!

Jeff😎🎸

Huh...although I dont recall his name, I do remember the early 60s surfer music. Thanks for listing the discography, I will check it out!

Rudy

Hi, Rudy

Stream some of Dick’s music and I’m sure you’ll recognize a great many tunes. 😎

Frank 🎸

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