Profile of Brian Wilson, Legendary Musician Behind the Beach Boys Who Passed Away at the Age of 82

Brian Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California.

He is known as the founder and the main driving force behind the legendary music group The Beach Boys, which he formed with his two brothers, Carl and Dennis Wilson, his cousin Mike Love, and his school friend Al Jardine. Brian Wilson is regarded as one of the most innovative and important songwriters of the 20th century, with works renowned for their high-quality production, complex vocal harmonies, vocal layering, and introspective themes.

Wilson's professional career began in 1961 as a member of The Beach Boys, where he served as a songwriter, producer, lead vocalist, bassist, and the de facto leader of the band. He became the first pop musician to write, arrange, produce, and perform his own material after signing with Capitol Records in 1962. 

In the mid-1960s, Wilson created many hit songs such as Surf City, I Get Around, Help Me, Rhonda, and Good Vibrations that established him as the first music producer to use the recording studio as an instrument. The peak of Wilson's creativity is evident in the album PET SOUNDS (1966), which was initially difficult for the public to understand but is now recognized as one of the most influential albums in modern music history due to its complex vocal harmonies, unusual orchestral instrumentations, and lyrics reflecting inner turmoil.

His success with the album PET SOUND was accompanied by serious mental health issues, including anxiety disorders, depression, and substance dependence, which led Wilson to withdraw from the public spotlight and music tours. After experiencing mental disturbances, he restarted his solo career with the album BRIAN WILSON (1988) after parting ways with controversial therapist Eugene Landy, and continued to perform as a solo artist until 2022.

Wilson received various awards, including two Grammy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2000.

Brian Wilson passed away on June 11, 2025, at the age of 82. Throughout his life, he was known as a fragile genius, with a significant influence across various music genres and regarded as a pioneer in using the recording studio as a musical instrument.