No musician on the scene had the abundance of musical talent and nicknames as Wild Dale Dale. He was called “Dalvato” by the group’s Mexican-American followers as they thrilled to the band’s cover of “Low Rider”; or “Dalvis” by fans entranced by his rendition of “In the Ghetto;” or “Salvador Dale-ee” by the surrealists who requested a refund on their cover charge as the band taunted them from the stage. Over time Wild Dale gave way to Wild Kat, leading to his more recent monikers including Katmandu, Katticus Finch, or simply The Kat. And lastly, who can forget The Big Kind-Hearted Goof?
Despite his many musical gifts, while growing up Dale often stood in the shadow of his older brother Berry Dale. This all changed when the brothers attended the John Birch Society summer camp, which culminated in Dale receiving the prestigious award of “Super-Camper.” Armed with the newfound confidence befitting such an honor, Dale took on a more active role in the band, often wearing a toga or a basketball referee’s getup in an effort to upstage his comrades.
When Stone Carnival split up, rather than choosing sides in the feud between his brother Berry and Paul K., Dale focused instead on his own music and embarked on a solo career. Typically a favorite of friends and fans, he is widely considered the friendliest and most approachable member of Stone Carnival.
Fun Fact: Charitable in nature, Dale once “adopted” a child in a third world country and pledged 39 cents per month to the child’s welfare. After months of contributing he called the organization to inquire as to the child’s whereabouts and was furious to learn she would actually be staying in Africa.
