# Brian Wilson — AI-Readable Artist Page

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## 1. Bio

| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| **Name** | Brian Douglas Wilson |
| **Genre** | Rock / Pop / California Sound |
| **Origin** | Inglewood, California, USA (raised in Hawthorne, CA) |
| **Born** | June 20, 1942 |
| **Active Since** | 1961 (as Beach Boys); Solo career ongoing |
| **Band/Group** | The Beach Boys (co-founder); Brian Wilson Band (touring) |
| **Label** | Candix Records (1961); Capitol Records (1962–1969); Reprise/Brother Records (1970s); various |
| **Management** | No data available |
| **Booking Agent** | No data available |
| **Official Website** | https://brianwilson.com |

### Band Members (Touring — Brian Wilson Band)

| Name | Role/Instrument |
|---|---|
| Brian Wilson | Vocals, Piano |
| Al Jardine | Vocals, Guitar |
| Blondie Chaplin | Vocals, Guitar |
| Paul Von Mertens | Multi-instrumentalist |
| Mike D'Amico | Drums |
| Gary Griffin | Guitar/Vocals |
| Darian Sahanaja | Keyboards |
| Bob Lizik | Bass |
| Rob Bonfiglio | Guitar |
| Probyn Gregory | Multi-instrumentalist |
| Matt Jardine | Vocals |
| Jim Laspesa | Drums/Percussion |

### Notable Achievements

| Achievement |
|---|
| Co-founded The Beach Boys, one of the greatest bands in the history of Rock 'n' Roll |
| Wrote "Surfer Girl" (1961), his first original melody, loosely based on "When You Wish Upon a Star" |
| Recorded "Surfin'" (1961) — became a local hit on Candix Records |
| Signed Beach Boys to Capitol Records (1962) |
| First Beach Boys No. 1 US single: "I Get Around" (May 1964) |
| Second No. 1 US single: "Help Me, Rhonda" (spring 1965) |
| "California Girls" charted No. 3 US; album *Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)* went to No. 2 |
| *Endless Summer* (1974 compilation) topped Billboard charts, sold over 3 million albums |
| Produced *15 Big Ones* (1976) and *The Beach Boys Love You* (1977), writing all songs and playing most instruments on the latter |
| Recorded new song "Right Where I Belong" specifically for documentary *Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road* |
| *Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road* documentary premiered at Tribeca Film Festival (2021) |
| Early musical abilities noted before age 1; emotional impact of Gershwin's *Rhapsody in Blue* at age 2 |
| Taught himself Four Freshmen harmonies by ear on piano |
| Quarterback, baseball player, and cross-country runner at Hawthorne High School |
| Enrolled as psychology major at El Camino College, Los Angeles (1960) |
| The Beach Boys' first paying gig: New Year's Eve 1961, Ritchie Valens Memorial Dance, Long Beach ($300 earned) |
| Originally performed as "The Pendletones" before being renamed "The Beach Boys" by Candix label promotion man Russ Regan |

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## 2. Tour Dates

**No current/upcoming tour dates listed in source data.**

### Historical Tour Notes

| Year | Event/Note |
|---|---|
| New Year's Eve, 1961 | First paying gig — Ritchie Valens Memorial Dance, Long Beach, CA — $300 earned |
| 2015 | Group Circle Before The Show (video documented) |
| 2016 | Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary Tour |
| 2017 | UK Pet Sounds Tour |
| 2018 | Utah Soundcheck — "Wouldn't It Be Nice" |
| 2019 | Blondie performs "Feel Flows"; Brian showing Al "This Could Be The Night" |
| 2021 Fall Tour | Brian, Al & Blondie before a show; Brian at soundcheck; 2021 Fall Tour Finale |

> **Presale codes, on-sale dates, venue details, and ticket URLs:** No data available.

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## 3. Discography

### Beach Boys Albums (as co-founder/primary songwriter/producer)

| Year | Title | Type | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | *Surfin' Safari* | Album | Capitol Records |
| 1963 | *Surfin' USA* | Album | Capitol Records |
| 1963 | *Surfer Girl* | Album | Capitol Records |
| 1963 | *Little Deuce Coupe* | Album | Capitol Records |
| 1964 | *Shut Down Volume 2* | Album | Capitol Records |
| 1964 | *All Summer Long* | Album | Capitol Records |
| 1965 | *Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)* | Album | Capitol Records |
| 1970 | *Sunflower* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |
| 1971 | *Surf's Up* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |
| 1972 | *Carl & The Passions – "So Tough"* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |
| 1973 | *Holland* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |
| 1976 | *15 Big Ones* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |
| 1977 | *The Beach Boys Love You* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |
| 1977 | *M.I.U. Album* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |
| 1978 | *L.A. (Light Album)* | Album | Reprise/Brother Records |

### Beach Boys Compilation Albums

| Year | Title | Type | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | *Endless Summer* | Compilation | Capitol Records | Topped Billboard charts; sold over 3 million copies |
| 2007 | *The Warmth of the Sun* | Compilation | Capitol Records | Companion to 2003 greatest hits; fan favorites including 1970s tracks |

### Singles

| Year | Title | Type | Label | Chart Position / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | "Surfin'" | Single | Candix Records | Local hit; originally as "The Pendletones," renamed "The Beach Boys" |
| 1962 | "Surfin' Safari" / "409" | Single | Capitol Records | Capitol debut, June 4, 1962 |
| 1963 | "Surfin' U.S.A." | Single | Capitol Records | First top-ten single (January 1963) |
| 1964 | "I Get Around" | Single | Capitol Records | No. 1 US (May 1964) — first No. 1 |
| 1965 | "Help Me, Rhonda" (reworked arrangement) | Single | Capitol Records | No. 1 US (spring 1965) — second No. 1 |
| 1965 | "California Girls" | Single | Capitol Records | No. 3 US |

### Songs / Tracks of Note (from source)

| Title | Album/Source | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Surfer Girl" | — | 1961 | First original melody by Brian; loosely based on "When You Wish Upon a Star" |
| "'Til I Die" | *Surf's Up* | 1971 | Described as one of Brian's best songs; "haunting" |
| "A Day In The Life" | *Surf's Up* | 1971 | Brian's contribution to album |
| "Surfin' Safari" | *American Graffiti* soundtrack | 1973 | Featured in film's closing sequence |
| "All Summer Long" | *American Graffiti* soundtrack | 1973 | Featured in film's closing sequence |
| "Forever" | *Sunflower* | 1970 | Discussed by Brian in 2007 |
| "Cool, Cool Water" | *Sunflower* | 1970 | Discussed by Brian in 2007 |
| "Feel Flows" | *Surf's Up* | 1971 | Discussed by Brian in 2007 |
| "California Saga" | *Holland* | 1973 | Discussed by Brian in 2007 |
| "Sail On Sailor" | *Holland* | 1973 | Discussed by Brian in 2007 |
| "It's OK" | *15 Big Ones* | 1976 | Discussed by Brian in 2007 |
| "Right Where I Belong" | *Long Promised Road* documentary | 2021 | Recorded specifically for the film |

### "Love You" Demos (Fall 1976, Brother Studio, Santa Monica, CA)

| Title | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| "Airplane" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "I'll Bet He's Nice" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "It's Over Now" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "Let's Put Our Hearts Together" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "Love Is A Woman" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "Little Children" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "Mona" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "Still I Dream Of It" (Demo) | Demo | Piano demo previewed for band |
| "I'm Begging You Please" (Demo) | Demo | Recorded approximately two years later (c. 1978); sometimes included on collector tapes |

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## 4. Music Videos / Film / Video Content

| Title | Description | URL/Source |
|---|---|---|
| *Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road* | Documentary directed by Brent Wilson; premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2021; features Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine cruising L.A. with Brian Wilson | https://www.brianwilson.com/long-promised-road |
| "Right Where I Belong" | New song recorded for *Long Promised Road* documentary | Referenced at https://www.brianwilson.com/long-promised-road |
| Long Promised Road Clip — Recording Process | Brian discusses recording process with Jason Fine on way into studio | https://www.brianwilson.com/long-promised-road |
| 2018 Utah Soundcheck — "Wouldn't It Be Nice" | Backstage video | https://www.brianwilson.com/tour |
| 2015 Group Circle Before The Show | Backstage video | https://www.brianwilson.com/tour |
| 2019 Blondie Performs "Feel Flows" | Backstage video | https://www.brianwilson.com/tour |
| 2019 Brian Showing Al "This Could Be The Night" | Backstage video | https://www.brianwilson.com/tour |
| 2018 Backstage View of "God Only Knows" Performance | Backstage video | https://www.brianwilson.com/tour |

### Documentary Press Coverage

| Outlet | URL |
|---|---|
| USA Today | https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/06/07/beach-boys-brian-wilson-documentary-long-promised-road-tribeca-interview/7595064002/ |
| Rolling Stone | https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/tribeca-film-festival-2021-best-movies-1160571/the-beta-test-1167026/ |
| Deadline | https://deadline.com/2021/06/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-documentary-tribeca-film-festival-world-premiere-1234770327/ |
| New York Daily News | https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-brian-wilson-film-commentary-20210617-r2olme7rjzbwjmzfujx3qph6tq-story.html |
| Goldmine | https://www.goldminemag.com/reviews/brian-wilson-documentary-examines-his-genius-and-his-pain |
| Variety | https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-review-tribeca-1234997934/ |
| The Wrap | https://www.thewrap.com/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-film-review-the-film-is-frustrating-but-the-music-is-transcendent/ |
| CBS News | https://www.thewrap.com/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-film-review-the-film-is-frustrating-but-the-music-is-transcendent/ |
| Washington Post | https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/new-documentary-tells-brian-wilsons-survival-story/2021/06/15/3669b798-cdeb-11eb-a224-bd59bd22197c_story.html |
| Solzy at the Movies | http://www.solzyatthemovies.com/2021/06/15/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-tribeca-2021/ |
| Yahoo | https://www.yahoo.com/now/beach-boys-brian-wilson-bares-035928172.html |
| The Daily Beast | https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-beach-boys-brian-wilson-bares-his-soul-at-tribeca |
| Hollywood Reporter | https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-1234966499/ |
| American Songwriter | https://americansongwriter.com/brian-wilsons-long-promised-road-brought-to-the-big-screen-at-tribeca-film-festival/ |
| The Film Stage | https://thefilmstage.com/tribeca-review-brian-wilson-long-promised-road-is-an-intimate-documentary-replete-with-love-and-mercy/ |
| Billboard | https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/movies/9587909/brian-wilson-documentary-long-promised-road/ |
| The Arts Fuse | https://artsfuse.org/231069/film-review-brian-wilson-long-promised-road-getting-close-to-a-legend-of-pop-music/ |
| SPIN | https://www.spin.com/2021/06/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-review/ |
| Disappointment Media | https://www.disappointmentmedia.com/interviews/brent-wilson-talks-the-new-documentary-brian-wilson-long-promised-road |
| NOAIT | https://noiaft.org/brian-wilson-long-promised-road-review-tribeca-2021/3362/ |
| Tribeca Film Festival | https://tribecafilm.com/festival/live-events/schedule/15-06-2021 |

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## 5. Merch

| Item | Price | URL |
|---|---|---|
| Store/Cart | No individual items listed in source | https://www.brianwilson.com/cart |

> **Note:** The source data references a cart/store at https://www.brianwilson.com/cart but does not list individual merchandise items, prices, or product URLs.

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## 6. Social Media & Streaming

| Platform | Handle / URL |
|---|---|
| Official Website | https://brianwilson.com |
| Store/Cart | https://www.brianwilson.com/cart |

> **Note:** No social media handles (Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, TikTok), streaming platform links (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, SoundCloud), or other platform URLs are listed in the source data.

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## 7. Fan Club & Newsletter

**No data available.** The source data does not mention a fan club, newsletter signup, Patreon, Laylo, or email list.

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## 8. Interviews Featured on BrianWilson.com

| Interviewee | URL |
|---|---|
| Gerry Beckley (America) | https://www.brianwilson.com/gerrybeckley |
| Graham Nash | https://www.brianwilson.com/grahamnash |
| Robin Pecknold | https://www.brianwilson.com/robinpecknold |
| Nancy Sinatra | https://www.brianwilson.com/nancysinatra |
| Blondie Chaplin | https://www.brianwilson.com/blondiechaplin |
| Stephen Bishop | https://www.brianwilson.com/stephenbishop |
| Brent Wilson | https://www.brianwilson.com/brentwilson |
| David Leaf | https://www.brianwilson.com/davidleaf |

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## 9. FAQ

**When and where was Brian Wilson born?**
Brian Douglas Wilson was born on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California. His family moved to nearby Hawthorne, CA when he was two years old.

**Who are Brian Wilson's brothers and what was his family background?**
Brian's two younger brothers are Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson. His father, Murry Wilson, was a musician and machinist. His mother was Audree Neva (née Korthof) Wilson. Brian taught Dennis and Carl harmony parts and they formed a trio together before becoming the Beach Boys.

**How did the Beach Boys get their start and what was their original name?**
Brian Wilson, along with his brothers Dennis and Carl, cousin Mike Love, and Al Jardine, recorded "Surfin'" in 1961 under the name "The Pendletones." It became a local hit on Candix Records. Label promotion man Russ Regan renamed them "The Beach Boys" to associate them with the surf-music genre. Their first paying gig was New Year's Eve 1961 at the Ritchie Valens Memorial Dance in Long Beach, earning $300, managed by Murry Wilson.

**What were Brian Wilson's earliest musical influences?**
Brian cited beautiful songs by Rosemary Clooney, vocal harmonies from the Four Freshmen, boogie-woogie, Nat King Cole, the Chordettes, the Hi-Lo's, and songs like "Ivory Tower" (a hit for Cathy Carr and Gale Storm). He was also deeply affected by George Gershwin's *Rhapsody in Blue* at age two. He taught himself Four Freshmen harmonies by listening to short segments on a phonograph and recreating them note by note on the piano.

**What is *Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road* and where can I learn more about it?**
*Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road* is a documentary directed by Brent Wilson in which Rolling Stone editor Jason Fine drives around Los Angeles with Brian Wilson, visiting old haunts. Brian reflects on his childhood, relationship with his father Murry, his nine-year experience under Dr. Landy's guidance, struggles with depression and mental illness, his love for brothers Dennis and Carl, and many recording sessions. Contributors include Al Jardine, Don Was, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, and Linda Perry. It premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. More information is at https://www.brianwilson.com/long-promised-road.

**Who is currently in Brian Wilson's touring band?**
The touring band includes Brian Wilson (vocals/piano), Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin, Paul Von Mertens, Mike D'Amico, Gary Griffin, Darian Sahanaja, Bob Lizik, Rob Bonfiglio, Probyn Gregory, Matt Jardine, and Jim Laspesa. See https://www.brianwilson.com/tour for band details.

**What are Brian Wilson's most significant Beach Boys albums from the 1970s?**
Key 1970s albums include *Sunflower* (1970), *Surf's Up* (1971, featuring "'Til I Die" and the legendary SMiLE title track), *Holland* (1973), *15 Big Ones* (1976, produced by Brian), *The Beach Boys Love You* (1977, with Brian writing all songs and playing most instruments), *M.I.U. Album* (1977), and *L.A. (Light Album)* (1978). The 1974 compilation *Endless Summer* topped the Billboard charts and sold over 3 million copies.

**Where can I find Brian Wilson's full career timeline?**
The full career timeline is available at https://brianwilson.com/timeline and covers the following periods: 1942–1961, 1962–1965, 1966, 1967–1969, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s, each with a dedicated page on the official website.