Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder, Dead At 82

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Brian Wilson, the legendary co-founder and singer of the iconic band The Beach Boys, died on Wednesday morning. He was 82 years-old.

Wilson Passes Away At 82

Wilson’s death was announced by his family on Instagram.

“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” the statement read. “We are at a loss for words right now.”

“Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving,” the family continued. “We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”

Tributes have been pouring in for Wilson in the comments section of the post. Fans have been left particularly devastated over his death.

“God Only Knows what we’d be without you. Thanks for everything Brian,” one social media user commented. Another added, “My heart is broken! We were blessed to have this man and his music in our lives. Thank you Brian.”

“Favorite producer & composer of all time,” a third user wrote. “Pushed the boundaries further than anyone had before. Lost for words. We love you Brian. Rest in peace to the greatest 💔.”

Wilson’s History

Wilson was born in Inglewood, California in 1942 as the oldest of three children. He founded The Beach Boys in 1961 with his brothers Dennis and Carl Wilson, who were born in 1944 and 1946 respectively. They were joined by their cousin Mike Love and their friend Al Jardine.

The band exploded onto the music scene the same year that they were formed with their hit song “Surfin,'” which Wilson wrote with Love. For the rest of the 1960s, the Beach Boys were unquestionably one of the most popular bands in America, churning out hit after hit. Wilson especially played a crucial role in the band’s success. Indeed, People Magazine would later describe him as being the “formative genius of the group.”

One of The Beach Boys biggest hits was “Good Vibrations,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.

“That was a very complex record,” Wilson later said of “Good Vibrations” in a 2018 interview. “We cut that in four studios.”

“The verses at Gold Star, the bridge at Sunset Sound, the background music for the choruses at Western, and the vocals at Columbia,” he recalled. “My brothers said, ‘Brian, this is going to be a No. 1 record.’ I said, ‘I know!'”

Wilson’s’ Mental Health Struggles

Despite his band’s success, Wilson openly suffered from mental health struggles over the years. He suffered a nervous breakdown in 1964. This was then followed by two more in the subsequent years. PEOPLE would later blame “the excesses of the ’60s” for this, saying that Wilson was a “victim of his own genius.”

Following Wilson’s father’s death in 1973, he went into reclusion for a period of time. It was only decades later that Wilson would reveal that his father was abusive, saying in 1991 that a “two-by-four [he hit him with] caused deafness in my right ear.”

Wilson went on to say that his  “childhood and adolescence were very sad times in my life, because I always had to turn my head to hear things, trying to imagine where those voices were coming from.”

Related: The Beach Girls? Carnie Wilson Joins Daughter Lola’s ‘American Idol’ Audition

Wilson’s Issues With Drugs And Alcohol

Meanwhile, making matters even worse, Wilson struggled with drugs and alcohol for decades. These struggles continued throughout much of the 1970s and 1980s.

“I’ve been through a great deal of mental anguish,” Wilson later said. “I felt like a fat slob. It was very embarrassing. I used to go onstage and it was scary. Now I’m getting used to it. I feel a little more confidence in myself.”

Thankfully, with the help of therapy, Wilson eventually “had to learn to get off a lot of bad stuff.”

Wilson ultimately managed to overcome all of these struggles. He had a career resurgence in the 1990s that continued into the 2000s. Years later, in 2012, he performed with The Beach Boys at the 54th annual Grammy Awards. Getting to do this certainly meant the world to him.

“I feel good. I really do feel good these days,” Wilson said at the time. He added that “this whole year has been very emotional and — what do you call that word? — sentimental.”

Throughout his career, Wilson was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, with most of these being early on with The Beach Boys. However, his two wins were notably for his solo work in 2005 and 2013.

Wilson’s Difficult Final Years

Sadly, Wilson suffered from health struggles in his later years. Indeed, in February of 2024, his family had him placed under a conservatorship after he was diagnosed with dementia. This was immediately following the death of Wilson’s beloved wife Melinda, who he was married to for 29 years.

“Following the passing of Brian’s beloved wife Melinda, after careful consideration and consultation among Brian, his seven children, Gloria Ramos and Brian’s doctors (and consistent with family processes put in place by Brian and Melinda), we are confirming that longtime Wilson family representatives LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers will serve as Brian’s co-conservators of the person,” the family told Fox News at the time.

“This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for by Gloria Ramos and the wonderful team at the house who have been in place for many years helping take care of the family,” they continued. “Brian will be able to enjoy all of his family and friends and continue to work on current projects as well as participate in any activities he chooses.”

Full Story: Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson To Be Put In Conservatorship After Being Diagnosed With Dementia

At the time of this writing, no official cause of death has been given for Wilson. He was predeceased by his two brothers many years ago. Wilson is survived by his seven children. Please join us in saying a prayer for them during this tragic time.

Rest in peace, Brian Wilson.