Dick Dale, surf guitar and me

Check out the this video.

Yep that’s me in the center, goofy smile and all. An exciting group to watch huh? Still wish I had that Strat for the price they are going for today!

I was in the Marine Corps stationed at the Air Facility in Santa Ana CA. Being from Connecticut I soon discovered the beaches, Balboa Island and the Balboa peninsula. I used to watch Dick playing at the Rinky Dink ice cream parlor and then later at the Rendezvous Ballroom on the peninsula. That band was so cool and I thought I could never get in such a band (oh yeah, and all those “beach bunnies”!). Dick opened a record store at one point and I use to go in and look around but never got up the nerve to say anything to him until one day I mentioned that “I play guitar too”. Dick said that he had a gig coming up at a night club (The Flamingo in Santa Ana, one of the cool Orange county clubs at the time.). His guitar player was underage and would I like to come and play with them? Man, I couldn’t believe it. He had never heard me play and he was asking me to come play in the Del Tones? Dick remembers the story a little differently as he had said he had heard me play. Well there is a lot more to the story and I will tell more in later on but suffice it to say I owe a lot to Dick as he started my life on a path I could only dream of. Thanks Dick!

(c) 2008 Art Munson

Would love to hear your comments!