R.I.P. Dick Dale, legendary surf rock guitarist

As reported by Pitchfork and confirmed by his bassist to The Guardian, singer-songwriter and legendary surf rock guitarist Dick Dale has died. A cause of death was not given, but Dale suffered from multiple health problems for years—including rectal cancer, kidney failure, and diabetes. Despite his medical issues, Dale continued to tour right up until his death and had committed to ongoing tour plans for the rest of 2019. Dale was 81.
Born Richard Monsour in Boston in 1937, Dale played trumpet as a kid but learned how to play ukulele and guitar after becoming a fan of Hank Williams. He taught himself how to play, adopting Middle Eastern techniques that he picked up from the his Lebanese family on his father’s side, later incorporating that with some eastern-European influences from his mother. He also learned how to play the tarabaki from his uncle, which involved creating a pulsing beat that he replicated with his rapid guitar picking technique.