Merrell Fankhauser was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and moved to California when he was 13 years old this move was to have a life changing effect on the teenager. Merrell went on to become one of the innovators of surf music enjoying success with his band the Impacts and also a hit album entitled Wipe Out. Merrell went on later in the sixties to branch out into psychedelic folk rock. The Best of the Tiki Lounge is a DVD and CD package of the highlights from Merrell's Cable TV show the Tiki Lounge. Merrell performs alongside such artists as Willie Nelson. The DVD also includes clips from Merrell's Birthday Boogie with Mary Ramsey of 10,000 Maniacs, Fito de la Parra of Canned Heat, Ed Cassidy of Spirit, and many others.