Rockin' Rollin' vol.1

Info:
Dick Dale’s first recording came two years before he formed the Del-Tones
and was crowned King of The Surf Guitar. That record was “Ooh Whee
Marie,” released on his father’s fledging Del-Tone label in the summer of
1958. Dale was 21 years old at the time and encouraged by his father to
learn guitar and trumpet.
His musical hero was Hank Williams and other country stars he heard on the
radio, including Buddy Holly, whose influence is apparent on “Marie.” He
soon developed an impression of Elvis that he took to various talent shows
around the Los Angeles area. He won enough of these shows to bring him to
the Town Hall Party stage, a three-hour live Saturday night viewing staple
broadcast from Compton. Dale played trumpet in the backing band that
accompanied various guest stars.
There was also plenty of rockabilly music from the younger artists on that
show, which influenced Dale’s third outing on record, “Jessie Pearl” and
“St. Louis Blues,” recorded earlier, but released in the summer of 1960.
“Jessie Pearl” was Dale’s first self-penned song. “St. Louis Blues,” an old
W.C. Handy jazz number, was a song Dale had picked up learning how to
play trumpet.
Around July, 1960, Dick Dale formed the Del-Tones and began playing to
capacity crowds at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Newport Beach. His next
release was “Let’s Go Trippin’.” He had single-handedly launched the surf
music genre.
--John Blair