We’ve The King Of Surf Guitar, Dick Dale At The Age Of 81.

By jsmith on March 18, 2019

Left-handed GOLD Strat with an American flag sticker.

I have no idea if Dick Dale had several guitars that looked exactly the same, or if his signature gold strat was somehow immune from damage over the years. But no matter what, that guitar always looked brand new. I was saddened last night to hear that we’ve lost another great musician. Dick Dale was the king of “surf guitar”. Famous many times over for his version of “Pipeline” with the late Stevie Ray Vaughn in the 80’s, and for Miserlou which played in the opening sequence of Pulp Fiction.

For me though, it will always be SPACE MOUNTAIN at Disneyland. In 1995 Disneyland added a soundtrack to the 1977 roller coaster, which was composed and recorded by Dale specifically for that ride. When it debuted, my family happened to be there to see Dick play that and many others live on bright white futuristic roof of Space Mounting overlooking Tomorrowland.

So while I loved seeing him in Back To The Beach, and I have an old record that I stole from my Dad, to me it will always be hearing some shredding guitar in The Happiest Place On Earth