Jan and Dean’s Dean Torrence Is Still Cruising, 60 Years After ‘Deadman’s Curve’ Crash — SkimNews
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- Dean Torrence, now 86 and still sporting a full head of blonde hair, logged into Zoom from his Southern California backyard for a two-hour Rolling Stone interview with senior writer Andy Greene as part of the 'Last Man Standing' series.
- Jan Berry suffered a devastating car crash on April 12, 1966, near Los Angeles's actual Dead Man's Curve, leaving him with severe brain damage and partial paralysis that persisted until his death in 2004.
- Torrence founded graphic design firm Kittyhawk in 1966 and went on to design iconic album covers for Chicago, the Beach Boys, Steve Martin, the Supremes, and Michael Nesmith.
- Jan and Dean formed in 1957 at Emerson Junior High School in Los Angeles and charted with hits including 'Baby Talk' and 'Clementine' before scoring the Beach Boys-co-written No. 1 'Surf City' in 1963.
- The duo emceed the 1964 concert film T.A.M.I. Show, which featured performances by the Rolling Stones, James Brown, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry, and the Beach Boys.
- Torrence continues to gig sporadically with the Surf City All-Stars and told Rolling Stone he hopes Jan and Dean will one day be recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Why it matters: Torrence's renewed Rock Hall lobbying comes 60 years after the Dead Man's Curve crash robbed Berry of his health and effectively ended the duo, making Torrence the sole custodian of a catalog that helped define early-'60s surf rock. With Berry long gone and the surviving member now 86, any induction window is narrowing — and so is the chance to honor a group that bridged doo-wop, surf music, and the Beach Boys' golden era.
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