Dale Hyatt (December 10, 1925 - March 28, 2013) was an American salesman and marketing person who was a longtime associate of Leo Fender and George Fullerton.
Hyatt joined the Army Air Force in 1944, and served as a tail gunner in the B-17 bomber. He completed 25 missions, and was shot down once over occupied France, but was able to make his way back to Allied lines and successfully returned to his bomber group.
Hyatt began working for Leo Fender in January, 1946, upon returning from World War II. He left Fender Music when Leo Fender sold the business to CBS in 1965, and rejoined Fender and George Fullerton when the three founded G&L Musical Instruments. Hyatt is the father of and marketing strategist behind G&L's highly collectible Broadcaster model; during its only production period from May, 1985 through May, 1986, 869 guitars were made. Dale retired from G&L on November 4, 1991, about eight months following the death of his close friend Leo Fender.
Hyatt resided in Hawkins, TX prior to his death and owned one of very few known guitars to be signed by Leo Fender.
It got to resembling a vaudeville show, the show of shows, such comedy =
unserpassed as juvenile theatrics go, but who am I to tell you to =
contain yourself? And who are you to tell me to control it? When we both =
have prepared so carefully. One day you'll know we never meant eachother =
harm in any way, one day you'll know we never meant eachother sorrow, =
gotta keep my distance. I keep sifting through the loot to find the =
stairs, this business burning to the ground, I can't look back my =
hindsight seems to be impared, my outlook has no holds to see out. It's =
starting to hurt when I open my arms too wide, a milky white haze =
invades my vision, my lungs are heavy with your presence as if you were =
standing right behind me, and I can't bring myself to turn around, gotta =
keep my distance.