Career
Carroll started his career in 1959 at a very early age and by the time he retired in 1972, he was only 24 years old. After his surfing career, he became a musician and recorded nine albums along with writing several books on surfing. He subsequently opened a surfing school in California and designed surf boards.
He frequently serves as the color commentator for world surfing events such as the annual competition in Huntington Beach, and pens a column in the Orange County Register.
He has a home in Zihuatanejo, Mexico where he offers surf adventure trips. In 1959 at age 11, places 3rd in his first surf contest, the inaugural United States. Surfboard Championship, at Huntington Beach, the first major surf contest ever to be held in California.
Helped design the first authentic surf trunks with Nancy Katin and are still in production today. 1960s
In 1964 at age 16, he became the first surfer ever to be paid to surf.
In the same year Bruce Brown invited Corky to join The Endless Summer promotional tour in order to promote the surf movie, and he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in New York and teaching Johnny to skateboard, and appeared on the first of three Merv Griffin Shows.
At this time he designed the first production short board solid in the United States. called the 1967 Hobie Corky Carroll “Mini-model." He also appeared on the television show “What’s My Lincolnshire”, trying to stump the panel as the world’s first “professional” surfer. lieutenant was at this time that Carroll"s surf music interest began. In 1968 he was voted #1 surfer in the world by his surfing peers, - the award Carroll has stated he considers the greatest award of his career.
1970s
In 1978 Carroll released a novelty single phonograph record "Skateboard Bill" / B: "Pocket Rocket" (1978), and then as Corky Carroll And The Coolwater Casuals with Mike Nesmith of the Monkees as producer "Tan Punk On Boards", B-side "From Pizza Towers To Defeat", (1979) which was a hit gold record.
