The Beach Boys’ current members Mike Love and Bruce Johnston paid tribute to late bandmate Brian Wilson following his death at age 82 on Wednesday, June 11.
“The world mourns a genius today, and we grieve for the loss of our cousin, our friend, and our partner in a great musical adventure,” The Beach Boys shared via Instagram. “Brian Wilson wasn’t just the heart of The Beach Boys — he was the soul of our sound. The melodies he dreamed up and the emotions he poured into every note changed the course of music forever.”
Brian formed the Beach Boys with brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Love and childhood friend Al Jardine in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The surf rock group has undergone numerous personnel changes throughout their history, with Brian last regularly performing as a Beach Boy for their 50th anniversary tour in 2012.
“[Brian’s] unparalleled talent and unique spirit created the soundtrack of so many lives around the globe, including our own,” the current Beach Boys lineup said in its statement. “Together, we gave the world the American dream of optimism, joy and a sense of freedom — music that made people feel good, made them believe in summer and endless possibilities.”
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The statement continued, “We are heartbroken by his passing. We will continue to cherish the timeless music we made together and the joy he brought to millions over the decades. And while we will miss him deeply, his legacy will live on through his songs and in our memories. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and his loved ones during this difficult time.”
Brian’s family previously spoke out on Wednesday by saying they were “heartbroken” to confirm the rock music legend’s death.
“We are at a loss for words right now,” his family said in a statement. “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
The Beach Boys’ principal songwriter was married to singer Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford from 1964 to 1979 and later to talent manager Melinda Ledbetter from 1995 until her death in January 2024. Brian was a father of seven: He welcomed daughters Carnie and Wendy in his first marriage and later adopted children Dakota, Daria, Delanie, Dylan and Dash.
His daughter Carnie Wilson — who is one-third of the pop group Wilson Phillips alongside sister Wendy Wilson and friend Chynna Phillips — told Us Weekly last year that it was a “tremendous” gift to follow in Brian’s musical footsteps.
“We love to sing ‘Surfer Girl’ and ‘In My Room.’ Sometimes a little ‘California Girls,’ [which is] his favorite, and sometimes we do ‘Be My Baby,’ his favorite song ever by The Ronettes,” Carnie said told Us of her musical connection with her dad. “I like to sing his songs to him. I think they mean a lot to him.”
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John Cusack, who portrayed Brian in the 2014 biopic Love and Mercy, was among the many Beach Boys fans who paid tribute to the singer-songwriter following his death.
“The maestro has passed – the man was [an] open heart with two legs – with an ear that heard the angels. Quite literally,” Cusack wrote via X. “Love and Mercy for you and yours tonight. RIP Brian.”
Brian was the Beach Boys’ primary songwriter during his on-off tenure with the group between 1961 and 1998, cowriting classics such as “Good Vibrations,” “Little Deuce Coupe,” “Fun, Fun, Fun” and “I Get Around,” among dozens of others. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys in 1988 and later was enshrined in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.
His final solo studio album, At My Piano, was released in November 2021 and featured instrumental rerecordings of many of his most beloved hits.
