"Surf music" emerged on the scene around 1961. Almost without exception, it was introduced by musicians who had no physical contact with the ocean, themselves. Although this would change quickly, Southern California surfers, as a group, were quick to adopt the musical sound as their own. The adoption would spread throughout the surfing world, but mostly on the U.S. Mainland. The musical genre was an extension of Rockabilly and 1950s Rhythm and Blues compositions. Beginning with instrumental compositions, surf music later incorporated vocal harmonies. As the definition of surf music illustrates, surf music, today, is known as much for its vocals as its instrumentation. Purists, however, who well remember how the genre began, will disagree strongly with any emphasis on vocal harmonies as defining the surf sound...