Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson dead at 82

Wilson’s family announced his death in a Wednesday statement without sharing any further details about the singer-songwriter’s passing. His family was without words and asked for privacy, according to its statement. Wilson served as a driving creative force in the band by writing, arranging, and producing a large portion of the Beach Boys’ catalog, famous for its complex arrangements and extensive vocal harmonies. Wilson played a key role in producing hits like “California Girls,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Good Vibrations,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” and “God Only Knows.”

Wilson’s life was marked by difficulty. He lost hearing in his right ear from a childhood head trauma and struggled with substance abuse as the band skyrocketed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Wilson released a solo album in the late 1980s, ushering in a career renaissance. In 2006, Wilson publicly shared his battle with schizoaffective disorder, which caused him to hear voices in his head for years. Wilson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 for his time in the Beach Boys. He was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2007.

Fellow Beach Boys co-founder Al Jardine shared that his greatest comfort was knowing Wilson was reunited with his late brothers and band members Carl and Dennis Wilson, singing beautiful harmonies once again. He described Wilson as a humble giant whose music will always be celebrated.

Beatles frontman Paul McCartney also mourned Wilson in a Thursday morning statement, describing Wilson as having a mysterious sense of musical genius. The notes in his head were simple yet brilliant at the same time, and it was a privilege to be around him, McCartney said. 

Wilson is preceded in death by his late wife, Melinda Ledbetter, and survived by his children and grandchildren.