I was in sixth grade at the Kermit R. Booker Sixth Grade Center. In between the constant awkward ogling of the 1989 version of the Rebel Girls, I shook to the saxophone-laced synthesized beats of local singer George Dare. Maybe it was his perfectly curled perm. Maybe it was his frightening resemblance to popular Christian musicians Michael W. Smith. Whatever it was, it was one of my fondest memories at that age.
Unfortunately, his final song has been sung as Dare passed away at the age of 65 on June 9 at St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Henderson following stroke-related complications.
The name may not ring a bell for many Millennials or for the newer UNLV fans, but the song — to so many who loved the Runnin’ Rebels in the late 80s — represented the peak of a close-knit Las Vegas community as well as the power of arguably the best college basketball programs of the era.
George Dare was both Runnin’ Rebel songsmith and (ironically enough) one of the early D.A.R.E. spokespeople here in town at the peak of Ronald Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign. His popular ode to the Rebels still echoes through the Thomas & Mack today.
Runnin’ Rebel Fever burning up our minds
The song echoes like a splinter in your brain — the tune, the community pride, D.A.R.E. and the “serious dangers” of cannabis and its side effects, the beauty of the late-80s, early 90s here in Sin City, when it far less corporate. We all caught “the fever.”
Originally known as George Dahir, Dare was everywhere during the heyday or UNLV Basketball. His song became the rallying cry for Rebels fans everywhere.
“I remember when he wrote ‘Runnin’ Rebel Fever,’ he would ask us what we thought,” his son Kristopher told the Las Vegas Sun. “With the D.A.R.E. song, we actually got to help with that one. He cared about what we thought…Back then, I didn’t think it was always as cool. Looking back, I can tell you what a cool, great thing he offered.”
A man of many skills, Dare composed music for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the city of Las Vegas. He also has created theme songs for UNLV, the National Finals Rodeo, Helldorado Days and the National Police Association.
He even wrote a touching tribute to the 1 October victims, entitled “Vegas Strong.” According to Dare, the song took about a week to write, two weeks to record and arrange and two weeks to do the vocals.
“When it was all done it took me about 10 days to edit it and mix it down,” he said. “And then I’d make a copy and I’d listen; this would be too loud. And I’d make another copy and listen; this would be too soft.”
For those of us who spent any considerable time in Las Vegas as children, George Dare was as commonplace in our world as the former Flakey Jake’s off Maryland Parkway (where I got my first Nintendo game for my birthday), Pistol Pete’s Pizza, Scandia and Ben Stepman’s “In Henderson, of course” catch phrase. Dare was part of the Vegas community and so many of our memories as young pups. His passing is a great loss as he himself was representative of the Vegas community before the city exploded into a metropolis and our only “pro team” wore the scarlet and gray.
Dare is survived by his wife, Michelle, and five children: Kristopher Dahir, George Dahir, Shane Dahir and Shontell Brewer; 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A memorial is set for 2 p.m. June 22 at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship located at 5825 W. Eldora Ave. Family members are asking for donations toward the Muscular Dystrophy Association in lieu of flowers.
