The Beach Boys pay tribute to Brian Wilson during first Bay Area concert since his death
Wilson, who started the surf rock band in 1961 and served as its primary songwriter, arranger and producer, died of respiratory arrest on June 11. Though he hadn't been a regular with the Beach Boys since the '90s, his absence weighed heavily on the crowd at Saratoga's Mountain Winery on Sunday, Aug. 17, as the band, fronted by original member Mike Love, breezed through hits he worked on, such as 'California Girls,' 'Good Vibrations' and 'God Only Knows.'
Midway through the South Bay concert, the band continued to spotlight Wilson's legacy with a video tribute, featuring photos of the songwriter, set to the 1978 track 'Brian's Back,' originally intended for Love's solo album that remains unreleased.
'We miss him every night,' Love said of his former bandmate, according to a review by the San Jose Mercury News. 'But he's in our music, that's for sure.'
Wilson had been living under a conservatorship since May 2024, after his wife and longtime manager, Melinda Ledbetter Wilson, died. The Hawthorne (Los Angeles County) native was suffering from a neurocognitive disorder that left him unable to care for himself or recognize his six children.
In addition to Wilson's Beach Boys bandmates, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, Beatles musician Paul McCartney, Metallica 's James Hetfield and Elton John were among the dozens of artists who paid tribute to Wilson on social media.
'Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special,' McCartney wrote on Instagram at the time of Wilson's death. 'The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time.'
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Fox News
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New York Post
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Getty Images 'In addition, Mike and The Beach Boys have dedicated significant time and support to nonprofit organizations using their platform to give back to communities in need.' The Post also reached out to Love's rep for comment, but did not immediately hear back. Wilson founded the Beach Boys in 1961 with his brothers, Dennis and Carl. He played bass, Carl led guitar, and Dennis was on the drums. 10 The Beach Boys on 'Full House' in 1988. Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images 10 Mike Love of The Beach Boys, performs during a concert at the Starlite Music Festival. AFP via Getty Images The group also included Love, who was Wilson's cousin, and Jardine, a close friend. Love also penned a heartfelt tribute to his cousin on Instagram after Wilson's death. 'Today, the world lost a genius, and I lost a cousin by blood and my partner in music,' he began. 'Brian Wilson wasn't just the heart of The Beach Boys—he was the soul of our sound. 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