Guitar Legend Dick Dale, known for creating the sound of surf rock, died on Saturday, March 16, according to Dale’s live bassist, Sam Bolle, which was reported in The Guardian.
He was 81 years old and survived by longtime love, Lana, and son Jimmie.
His incredible career spanned across six decades, with his hit 1962 song Misirlou picking up a resurgence after Quentin Tarantino included the ‘masterpiece’ in Pulp Fiction in 1994.
Guitar Legend died on Saturday, March 16, according to Dale’s live bassist, Sam Bolle, which was reported in The Guardian
Not only did Dale – whose real name is Richard Anthony Monsour – create an entirely new style of music, he was also credited with creating custom amplifiers for Fender that could handle his often powerful sounds and slides.
His distinctive sound was influenced by his Lebanese heritage, and his 1961 hit Let’s Go Trippin’ is credited for sparking a sound that encompassed a budding Southern California surf culture.
MTV original VJ Kurt Loder shared condolences on Twitter, while Seth Rogen admitted his affinity for the guitar hero.
‘Once I drove an hour and half to see Dick Dale perform at a horse track, and it was wonderful. RIP,’ Rogen wrote.
Let’s Go Trippin’: His incredible career spanned across six decades, with his hit 1962 song Misirlou picking up a resurgence after Quentin Tarantino included the ‘masterpiece’ in Pulp Fiction in 1994; seen in 1970
Sad: MTV original VJ Kurt Loder shared his condolences on Twitter
A trek! Seth Rogen admitted his affinity for the guitar hero and drove ‘an hour and half’ to see him perform
Dale told The Malibu Times in 2015 that he and wife Lana were both struggling with health conditions, but being on tour not only kept their spirits alive but also helped pay their medical bills.
‘We’re both dealing with ailments,’ Dale said. ‘Lana has multiple sclerosis, a tumor in her throat, fibromyalgia … I’ve been dealing with cancer for 20 years, diabetes, renal failure. We’ve been doing it all on our own.’
He also said that many of his fans are suffering with the same issues, and being on stage was mutually beneficial.
‘A lot of the people that are coming to see me have the same ailments, and they see me jump on stage and they say ‘holy mackerel!’ Then there are times that I have to sit on a stool because it takes the strength out of me,’ he said. ‘But yet, we fight through it, and they see me doing it and it gives them courage to keep on going and we talk all about it.’
Music maker: Not only did Dale – whose real name is Richard Anthony Monsour – create an entirely new style of music, he was also credited with creating custom amplifiers for Fender that could handle his often powerful sounds and slides
Dale revealed that his work with Tarantino had been by chance and almost didn’t happen after he threw out a note from a bandmate saying some director was looking for him.
‘Quentin [Tarantino] told me, “Dick I’ve been listening to you for so many years. I make movies a different way. Most people make a movie and then put music to it. I don’t do that. I sit in a room, lock myself up and listen to a song over and over again until it grabs me to make a movie. Can I have your permission to use the masterpiece of Misirlou to create a masterpiece of a movie?”‘
His wife Lana served as his manager, mentor and promoter, and during most performances, could be seen playing an instrument on stage as Dick wailed on the guitar.
‘You’ve gotta always laugh at life,’ Dale said. ‘Laugh at the pain. Our life is nothing but a minefield that you must learn how to walk through. You must learn how, when you wake up – if you’re lucky enough to wake up and open your eyes, no matter what you’re dealing with, be thankful that your eyes woke up and that you can see and hear- and then deal with it. Deal with the situation and forget about yourself. Help others and then you’ll forget about the pain.’
‘You’ve gotta always laugh at life,’ Dale said during an interview with The Malibu Times. ‘Laugh at the pain. Our life is nothing but a minefield that you must learn how to walk through’; seen performing in 1993