Skatemaster Tate, Musician and TV show host, Died at 56

  Dead Famous

Gerry Hurtado, born September 9, 1959, and died October 13, 2015. Birth name Gerry Hurtado and professionally known as Skatemaster Tate, the American musician and Television host.

Hurtado was born in Los Angeles, California. His father, Jorge, a local machine shop foreman, and his mother, Hilda, worked as a clerk at the nearby Knott’s Berry Farm.

Gerry Hurtado was a top amateur skater in the early 1970s, but in a 1987 People Magazine interview, he downplayed his ability by saying he “only skated for fun”.

Skatemaster Tate then later attended a broadcasting trade school, and applied his trade by working as a DJ in punk rock clubs.

Tate took up more interest in the newly growing skate rock movement, and recorded his first song, Skaterock Rap, in his friend’s basement in 1983.

Gerry Hurtado was touring as an opening act for the all-girl thrash band Screaming Sirens, and his music was showing up in skate videos in the mid-80s.

Tate released his first album, “A Way Of Life”, in 1988, and the song “La Cumbre” appeared on the Powell Peralta video Public Domain during a scene where the team tours Mexico.

Hurtado wrote the song originally as a tribute to a local skater hang out.

He later became the Host of SK8-TV, a half hour television show on Nickelodeon, with co-host Matthew Lynn.

That show only lasted one season and was pulled after 13 episodes.

Since his departure from SK8-TV, Tate has also recorded with such acts as Porno For Pyros and was a producer for the acid jazz group The Stone Boners.

His song “Jolt” was later featured in the 1991 comedy What About Bob.

Gerry Hurtado popular know as Skatemaster Tate passed away On October 13, 2015, at the age of 56 from cancer.