The Beach Boys singer and co-founder, Brian Wilson, dies at 82
Born on June 20, 1942 in California, Wilson was a rock, transforming the music of the 1960s with his siblings.
Brian Wilson, the co-founder and musician of the iconic The Beach Boys, has died at 82 years old. His family announced his death in an Instagram post featuring a recent photo of the artist in a park.
"We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away," the post read. "We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy."
Brian Wilson career
Brian was born on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California. He was the eldest brother of his family, including Dennis and Carl Wilson, original members of the band. In 1961, the siblings founded The Beach Boys alongside his cousin Mike Love and their friend Al Jardine. Brian was the songwriter of the group, and co-lead vocalist, playing the bass guitar and the keyboard.
Brian was behind the group's first song: "Surfin." In 1962, they released their first studio album named Surfin' Safari and alongside Surfin' USA and two more albums, by 1963 the band was known as the "California sound." A year later, Wilson took a new path, moving away from the beach and surf to more mature music. Pet Sounds ('66), Smile ('67), and Good Vibrations led the band to a place in rock 'n' roll history.
Wilson family announced his disease on an Instagram post on June 11, featuring a recent photo of the musician. Photo: IG: brianwilsonlive
Brian Wilson dark episodes
But Brian did not enjoy the spotlight very much. He went into depression over deafness in his right ear, the pressure from the media, musical rivalry with The Beatles, the constant travels for tours, and "the excesses of the '60s." With psychological assistance, Wilson made a brief comeback in 1976 but fell back into depression fueled by drugs and alcohol.
By the 1990s, he started his career resurgence. He released solo albums, including Brian Wilson Presents Smile, a version of an unfinished The Beach Boys album. He won two Grammy Awards for his solo career in 2005 and 2014, and a Golden Globe nomination for an original song for Love & Mercy, a biopic. Brian was also the father of Carnie and Wendy, members of Wilson Phillips, the chart-topping girl group.
