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Brian Wilson‘s friends and fellow celebrities are remembering the music icon. On Wednesday, after his family confirmed his death, Al Jardine, Mike Love, Mick Fleetwood, Elton John, Nancy Sinatra, and Sean Ono Lennon were among the stars to remember the revered Beach Boys leader.
“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now,” they wrote. “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
Jardine, co-founder of the Beach Boys, remembered Wilson in a statement to Rolling Stone. “Brian Wilson, my friend, my classmate, my football teammate, my Beach Boy bandmate and my brother in spirit, I will always feel blessed that you were in our lives for as long as you were,” Jardine said.
Fellow co-founder and bandmate Love also paid tribute to Wilson, writing, “Today, the world lost a genius, and I lost a cousin by blood and my partner in music. Brian Wilson wasn’t just the heart of The Beach Boys—he was the soul of our sound.”
“Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special,” Paul McCartney wrote on social media following Wilson’s death. “The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time. I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while. How we will continue without Brian Wilson, ‘God Only Knows.’”
Elton John shared a smiley portrait of the pair and remembered him singing “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” at a 2003 tribute show. “I played on his solo records, he sang on my album, The Union, and even performed for my AIDS Foundation,” John wrote. “I grew to love him as a person, and for me, he was the biggest influence on my songwriting ever; he was a musical genius and revolutionary. He changed the goalposts when it came to writing songs and shaped music forever. A true giant.”
Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood shared a post mourning both Wilson and Sly Stone, who died on Monday: “Oh no Brian Wilson and Sly Stone in one week ~ my world is in mourning. So sad x,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Sinatra shared a photo of herself with Wilson in the studio. “His cherished music will live forever as he travels through the Universe and beyond,” Sinatra wrote on Instagram. “God bless you, sweet Brian.”
Sharing a portrait of Wilson, Mick Fleetwood wrote on behalf of Fleetwood Mac, “Anyone with a musical bone in their body must be grateful for Brian Wilson’s genius magical touch!! And greatly saddened of this major worldly loss!!”
Wilson’s daughter,Carnie Wilson, shared a movingtributeto him on social media. “My Father @brianwilsonlive was every fiber of my body,” she said. “He will be remembered by millions and millions until the world ends.”
Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said in a statement, “Brian Wilson was one of the most talented singer-songwriters in the history of recorded music. Not only did his songs capture the spirit of youth, joy and longing in ways that still inspire millions of fans around the world, his innovative work in the studio transformed the way musicians record even to this day. Brian made an indelible mark, and our thoughts are with his family in this time of loss.”
Carole King shared Rolling Stone‘s post about Wilson, describing him as “my friend and my brother in songwriting.” She wrote, “We shared a similar sensibility, as evidenced by his 4 over 5 chord under ‘Aaaah!’ in ‘Good Vibrations’ and mine under ‘I’m Into Something Good,’” King wrote on Instagram. “We once discussed who used it first, and in the end we decided it didn’t matter.”
She added: “The world will miss Brian, but we are so lucky to have his music.”
Micky Dolenz of the Monkees shared several photos with Wilson and called him a “D,” crediting his melodies with shaping a generation. “His harmonies changed the game, and his soul came through in every note,” Dolenz wrote. “We crossed paths many times over the years, and every time I was struck by his quiet genius and kind heart. I was lucky to know him.”
John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s son Sean Ono Lennon, shared a Spotify link to “Our Prayer” from The Smile Sessions and wrote, “Anyone who really knows me knows how heart broken I am about Brian Wilson passing. Not many people influenced me as much as he did.”
He added: “I feel very lucky that I was able to meet him and spend some time with him. He was always very kind and generous. He was our American Mozart. A one of a kind genius from another world.”
Christopher Cross said in his own Instagram post that Wilson was a “huge part of who I am today as an artist,” sharing a story about how he “taught me everything I know.” He added: “Brian struggled a lot with illness over the years, but managed to give us so much. I’m glad you’re at peace, my friend.”
Graham Nash celebrated his joy and genius. “He set the musical course in a new direction. How lucky we are to have his beautiful sound to cherish for all time,” he wrote. “My heart goes out to his family and friends, and to all of us whose lives have been musically expanded and uplifted by Brian. 🩶”
Bob Dylan wrote in a social media post that he heard “the sad news about Brian today and thought about all the years I’ve been listening to him and admiring his genius. Rest in peace dear Brian.”
DJ duo Disclosure called him their “favorite producer and composer of all time” in a comment on the post from Wilson’s family about his death. “[He] pushed the boundaries further than anyone had before. Lost for words,” they wrote. “We love you Brian. Rest in peace to the greatest 💔.”
“So sorry for your loss ❤️we will miss you forever Brian,” commented rising country star Carter Faith on the post. “Sending my condolences. Thank you for sharing him with the world,” added Gavin DeGraw. “RIP to one of the greatest composers in human history,” said R&B singer Jalen Ngonda under the photo.
Bill Pohlad, who directed the Wilson biopic Love & Mercy, wrote a statement celebrating Wilson’s musical ingenuity. “Brian was a true genius and I was honored to have gotten to know him a bit in the making of Love & Mercy,” he said. “What an extraordinary artist! I will miss his presence on this earth. So many of his songs come to mind when I think of him. GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT I’D BE WITH OUT (him).”
Darian Sahanaja, who played in Wilson’s supporting band since 1999, wrote in a Facebook post, “I’m now relieved that a man who had suffered nearly every day of his life in a struggle to find some peace and love, is suffering no more. And without getting overly New Testament here, I’ve always felt that it was through his struggle, his yearning, his reaching to find a better place that we were given such beautiful music.”
In a heartfelt statement, musician-actor John Stamos, who played frequently with the group, said the Beach Boys frontman“didn’t just soundtrack” his life, the legendary founder of California rock “filled it with color, with wonder, with some of the most unforgettable, emotional, joyful moments I’ve ever known.”
Bruce Resnikoff, the president and CEO of Universal Music Enterprises, a division of Universal Music Group, shared a statement following Wilson’s death. “Brian Wilson changed popular music forever as one of its most influential and visionary artists,” said Resnikoff. “He redefined pop by blending The Beach Boys signature harmonies with rich, complex arrangements, introspective lyrics, and groundbreaking studio innovations.”
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Zooey Deschanel, who worked with Wilson, said that growing up, “when everyone was listening to modern pop music, I was listening to The Beach Boys.” She added, “Later discovering the brilliance of Surf’s up, Friends, 20/20, Sunflower- and his solo records, I knew I worshiped at the church of Brian Wilson.”
Looking back at their time together, Deschanel said, “Getting to sing with him, collaborate with him and spend time with him has been one of the absolute greatest honors of my life. He was a true one of a kind never to be repeated kind of genius, who was not enamored of his own genius but in love with the act of creating beautiful music. He was my musical hero.”
Brian Wilson was the genius behind the Beach Boys and one of the architects of California rock. He helped invent a golden, harmony-filled sound that defined a generation. Wilson’s legacy includes dozens of hit singles with the Beach Boys, including three Number One singles (“I Get Around,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” and “Good Vibrations”). Rolling Stonenamed Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys Number Two in its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
