Dick Dale

Known as 'The King of the Surf Guitar', Dick Dale was a pioneering American guitarist who single-handedly invented the surf rock genre. Born Richard Anthony Monsour, his Lebanese heritage influenced his music, blending Middle Eastern scales with a powerful, reverb-drenched sound meant to evoke the feeling of surfing. His breakneck staccato picking and collaborations with Leo Fender to create louder amplifiers, including the first 100-watt amp, pushed the boundaries of electric guitar and influenced countless musicians like *Jimi Hendrix* and *Eddie Van Halen*. His 1962 instrumental, 'Misirlou', gained iconic status after being featured in the 1994 film *Pulp Fiction*, introducing his revolutionary sound to a new generation.