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Surf Guitar Legend Dick Dale Dies at 81
The 'King of the Surf Guitar' found new fame thanks to Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction'
Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:50pm
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Dick Dale, the pioneering surf rock guitarist who influenced artists like Eddie Van Halen and Brian May, died on March 16, 2019 at the age of 81. Dale, known as the 'King of the Surf Guitar', helped develop new guitar equipment with Leo Fender and was famous for his rapid alternate picking technique and his surf-rock twist on the Arabic folk song 'Miserlou', which was featured in the opening credits of Quentin Tarantino's 1994 film 'Pulp Fiction'.
Why it matters
Dick Dale was a hugely influential figure in the development of surf rock and electric guitar playing. His innovative playing style and collaborations with equipment manufacturers like Leo Fender helped shape the sound of rock music. The renewed popularity of 'Miserlou' thanks to 'Pulp Fiction' also introduced Dale's music to a new generation of listeners.
The details
Born Richard Anthony Monsour in Boston, Dale grew up learning various instruments including piano, trumpet, and ukulele before buying his first guitar. He developed his distinctive rapid alternate picking technique, which he called 'the pulsation', after learning the tarabaki drum from his Lebanese uncle. After moving to Orange County, California as a teenager, Dale combined his love of surfing with his musical talents to pioneer the surf rock genre. He also collaborated extensively with Leo Fender to develop new guitar equipment capable of producing the 'fat, thick, deep sound' that Dale sought.
- Dick Dale was born on May 4, 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Dale moved with his family to Orange County, California ahead of his senior year of high school.
- Dick Dale died on March 16, 2019 at the age of 81.
The players
Dick Dale
The legendary surf rock guitarist known as the 'King of the Surf Guitar' who pioneered the surf rock genre and influenced countless other musicians.
Leo Fender
The founder of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation who collaborated extensively with Dick Dale to develop new guitar equipment capable of producing Dale's signature sound.
Quentin Tarantino
The acclaimed film director who used Dick Dale's cover of 'Miserlou' in the opening credits of his 1994 film 'Pulp Fiction', introducing Dale's music to a new generation of listeners.
What they’re saying
“Every note I play is to address the people I'm playing to. There's no better feeling than bringing the music to the people.”
— Dick Dale
“I'm not a guitar player. I don't know what an augmented ninth or thirteenth is, and I don't give a s—. I make my guitar scream with pain or pleasure, and that's what it does.”
— Dick Dale
The takeaway
Dick Dale's innovative guitar playing and collaborations with equipment manufacturers like Leo Fender helped shape the sound of rock music and surf rock in particular. His renewed popularity thanks to the use of 'Miserlou' in 'Pulp Fiction' introduced his music to new generations of listeners, cementing his legacy as the 'King of the Surf Guitar'.
