We hope you are having a great summer and took advantage of the July break with some fun in the sun – beach, barbecues and baseball! The Arbutus Record Show is back and ready to rock with the return of our fabulous vendors and stacks of great, new items. Join us Sunday, August 18 for great deals on all your favorite music items. The show is open from 9 am – 3 pm and is always FREE! The fire hall is air-conditioned and our food ladies will be there with great breakfast and lunch options as well.

When you think of summer, you can’t help but think of the beach and surfing. This year, we lost a music icon in Dick Dale (born Richard Monsour), known as “The King of Surf Guitar.” He learned to play many musical instruments as a child and then picked up the guitar. Dale learned to surf after his family moved to California when he was a senior in high school. His performances at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California in 1961 spawned the surf music phenomenon. Dale’s unique sound was influenced by his heritage as a Lebanese- American his interest in Arabic music.

The British Invasion, lead by The Beatles in 1964, was a huge hit to surf rock – as well other music genres at the time – and its national success was short-lived. However, Dale’s career had a rebirth in the 80s when he was nominated in 1987 for “Pipeline” with Stevie Ray Vaughn from the Back to the Beach – a film in which he also appeared. When Quentin Tarantino used Dale’s signature “Misirlou” in his movie classic Pulp Fiction in 1994, Dale’s music reached a whole new audience and rebooted his career again.

Dale was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville in 2009 and  the Surfing Walk of Fame in Huntington Beach, California in 2011. Due to a multitude of serious health issues, Dale had to tour to pay the bills and was booked through November of this year. Sadly he succumbed to his illnesses on March 16.

Dale was not only a pioneer in developing his own unique music form and a killer guitar player, utilizing reverb, he also contributed to the development of music equipment. He worked with Fender to create the first 85-watt transformer and then they teamed with the Triad Company to produce a 100-watt version, known as the Dual Showman. He also is considered by some to be the father of heavy metal, influencing such artists as Eddie Van Halen.

When you think summer, you think beach and you can’t help but think of Dick Dale’s unique sound!