Dick Dale
Dale in 2007, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Richard Anthony Monsour
Date of Birth: May 4, 1937
Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Date of Death: March 16, 2019
Place of Death: Loma Linda Hospital, Loma Linda, California, U.S.
Ethnicity:
*father – Lebanese
*mother – Polish/Belarusian
Dick Dale, also known as “The King of the Surf Guitar,” was an American rock guitarist. He pioneered surf rock. He did this by drawing on Middle Eastern music scales and experimenting with reverberation.
Dick was the son of Sophia “Fern” (Danksewicz) and James A. Monsour. His father was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents from Mount Lebanon. His mother was also born in Massachusetts, to Polish/Belarusian parents. Dick was married to Lana, his manager. He had a son with his former wife Jeannie.
Dick’s paternal grandfather was named George Monsour.
Dick’s paternal grandmother was named Rahmay/Mary Hatim/Haten.
Dick’s maternal grandfather was Antony “Tony” Danksewicz/Daukszewicz/Daukzewicz (the son of Bonafici Daukzewicz and Marciana Malinowski).
Dick’s maternal grandmother was Kazmeira/Kaziewira “Katie”/Katherina Spakowska/Spakowski/Spankowska (the daughter of Stafan Spankowska and Marijana Ianciewska).
Sources: Genealogy of Dick Dale – https://www.wikitree.com
Dick’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Naturalization record of Dick’s paternal grandfather, George Monsour – https://www.fold3.com
Dick’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Dick’s maternal grandparents, Antony “Tony” Danksewicz/Daukszewicz/Daukzewicz and Kazmeira/Kaziewira “Katie”/Katherina Spakowska/Spakowski/Spankowska – https://www.familysearch.org
Dick Dale’s paternal grandparents George Monsour and Mary Haten were both born in Mount Lebanon as can be seen in the birth certificate of their son Shiban (Charles?) Monsour in 1916 here https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Q2-QXGJ
Naturalization Act of George Monsour of 1924 in Boston where it says he was born in Lebanon https://www.fold3.com/document.php?doc=5513924&xid=215&p=ma
This makes Dick Dale of Lebanese descent not Lebanese-Syrian descent
Antony was the son of Bonafici Daukzewicz and Marciana Malinowski.
Kazmeira was the daughter of Stafan Spankowska and Marijana Ianciewska.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N469-VN8
Remove Belarusian; his mother’s parents were both Polish.
it would be interesting to know something more about his mother’s side