02-05-2025
Wilson Phillips singer Carnie Wilson admits her 'sexy' UNCLE from The Beach Boys gave her 'butterflies'
Singer Carnie Wilson was taking a walk down memory lane, when she admitted something interesting about a member of her family.
The Hold On singer, 57, whose daughter Lola is launching a singing career, admitted to getting 'butterflies' when she was around her late uncle Dennis Wilson who was with The Beach Boys.
'He was always, like, this mysterious, sexy man, and he was my uncle,' she told Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan, 57, on his The Magnificent Others podcast on Wednesday.
'But like, I'd get butterflies around him,' she said of her time with Dennis who died when she was only 15, 'He's very handsome. He was very sensitive. They all three had big, big talent.'
Carnie is the daughter of Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson, 82, and Dennis, like her father, struggled with drug and alcohol abuse.
He was reported to have been drinking heavily before he jumped from a boat into the cold ocean waters in Marina Del Rey, CA and drowned on December 28, 1983 at age 39, leaving behind a young widow and one-year-old son, Gage, now 42.
The singer was also dad to Jennifer Wilson, 58, Michael Wilson, 54, Carl Wilson, 52, and Scott Wilson from previous marriages and relationships.
The Beach Boys were formed in 1961 and quickly reached fame with their song Surfin' USA.
Their struggles were reported in the 2024 documentary The Beach Boys.
Carnie, who reached her own fame as a singer with sister Wendy Wilson, 55, and childhood friend Chynna Phillips, 57, also praised her uncle Carl, who died from lung cancer in 1998 at age 51.
'Carl was an amazing writer, amazing singer. He really had such a great sound. He was protective,' Carnie said of the Good Vibrations artist.
'Dad just wasn't… We just weren't spending time with him,' she said of Brian, who was very reclusive due to mental health issues and is currently under a conservatorship due to major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia,) according to court record.
'But then he said to us, "I follow you on the charts every week," so he was watching [from] behind his door. But Carl was like, "You guys just have to keep going."'
Speaking of her late uncle Dennis, Carnie said, 'He was always, like, this mysterious, sexy man, and he was my uncle, but like, I'd get butterflies around him'; Pictured circa 1964
Original Beach Boy Mike Love, 84, and current members of the band will be crisscrossing the US on their Sounds of Summer Tour; Pictured in Berlin in July 2019
'I miss him very much,' the still grieving niece said of the God Only Knows singer.
'I think about him all the time, and I have pictures around my house and I feel his spirit a lot. And my dad really misses his brothers, like a lot,' she admitted.
Carl provided some backup vocals for Wilson Phillips on their holiday hit Hey Santa. Wilson Phillips are still making music together and will be performing at various venues over the summer.
Original Beach Boy Mike Love, 84, and current members of the band will be crisscrossing the US on their Sounds of Summer Tour.
