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We at NIHOF were pleasantly surprised by the recent induction of the Ventures to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although we were happy for them, we couldn’t help but feel that someone else who represented the Surf sound should have gotten in there first.

In the 1990’s Dick Dale was virtually unknown to the general public until they heard his blazing guitars in the film, Pulp Fiction. It is a shame that the man labeled the “King of the Surf Guitar” could be so far out of the public eye for so long. Dale gets credit for inventing the blistering and exotic surf guitar sound which was influenced by his own upbringing listening to Middle Eastern and Eastern European music. Dale pushed the limits through his equipment and was responsible for many of the advancements of amplifiers. Dale remained the most gifted guitar player of his genre regardless of how many guitarists tried to take that mantle away from him. As a certified pioneer in music history and the unarguable creator of a subgenre, he should have a decent shot.

 
Dick Dale

www.dickdale.com

 


 

Should Dick Dale be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 88.2%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 4.8%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 3.3%
No opinion. - 0.7%
No way! - 2.9%

The Bullet Points

  • Previous Rank: 2010: #31
    2012: #21
    2013: #20
    2014: #17
    2015: #15
    2016: #16
  • Eligible Since: Thursday, 01 January 1987
  • Country of Origin: U.S.A. (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Why they will get in: If the Hall is truly about influence an originator of a sound can’t be ignored.
  • Why they won't get in: He is perceived by some as too one dimensional.
  • Essential Albums: Surfer’s Choice, 1962
    King of the Surf Guitar, 1963
    Checkered Flag, 1963
    Tribal Thunder, 1993
  • Our Five Favorite Songs as Chosen by Each Member of the NIHOF Committee: Let’s Go Trippin’ (From Surfer’s Choice, 1962)
    Surfing Drums (From Surfer’s Choice, 1962)
    Jungle Fever (Single, 1962)
    Misrilou (Single, 1962)
    Dick Dale Stomp (From, King of the Surf Guitar, 1963)

Should Dick Dale be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 88.2%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 4.8%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 3.3%
No opinion. - 0.7%
No way! - 2.9%
Last modified on Sunday, 29 May 2022 19:06
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Comments   

0 #12 Andre Monsour 2020-10-02 19:30
Met him at Manny Music when i was a kid in 79 and found out we were related cause our Last names years later he came down to the Village and Jammed with Les Paul , ohhh memories
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0 #11 Andre Monsour 2020-10-02 19:26
I Met Him and found out that we were related and i had a pic of me in NYC in the 70's I was 10. He was tob my right and Les Paul to my left. Hurricane hit my house in Florida in 2004 and destroyed all my lifes photos
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+3 #10 Django Thunders 2019-12-15 04:10
A case could be made that Dick Dale was the archetype of Heavy Metal. His use of the harmonic minor and gypsy scales are basically the starting point for the dark mood of metal lead guitar playing. Add the fact that he and Leo Fender worked hard at developing an amp that could play loud without melting down and that puts him at the forefront of the sound of rock guitar. As a guitarist i owe him a huge debt of gratitude as does every guitar player that cranks a fender amp wide open! The hall of fame is a hall of shame. Madonna? Give me a break.
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+7 #9 Wade Baker 2016-05-28 17:41
Dick Dale and the Moody Blues are not in the hall of fame. The Beastie Boys are.

Ridiculous.
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+9 #8 Committee Chairman 2014-10-10 20:18
Agreed. The constant lack of respect for Dale baffles us.
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+11 #7 TommyV 2014-10-10 15:10
Dick basically invented metal guitar.

Jimi Hendrix said that Dick Dale inspired him to take up playing guitar.

Tremendously wide-ranging influence.
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+6 #6 The Dude 2014-08-10 18:15
Like he needs the "Hall of Shame"...... .... :zzz
I would be embarrassed to be inducted
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+9 #5 Gael MacGregor 2014-06-23 09:57
It's a travesty that the man who created the sound that The Ventures co-opted is still on the outside looking in.

Dick is a true original. He's like no one else. His showmanship is striking, and his musicianship undeniable.

Okay, so maybe I'm a little prejudiced in his favor... I sang with him for over three years, including on his 1980s album, "The Tiger's Loose" -- but really... how can the HOF overlook the man who created the roaring sounds of the waves and the power of the ocean, creating a new form of rock?

These folks need to really rethink how the nomination process is handled. :o
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+13 #4 Brad 2013-11-24 11:56
Two questions:

1. Can you think of another artist who single-hande dly invented a genre?

2. What would Leo say?
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+7 #3 biograph 2013-05-12 08:44
He's a shoo-in, but it's a mystery it hasn't happened yet.
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