The Beach Boys’ Mike Love shares tribute to Brian Wilson: “His musical gifts were unmatched”
The Beach Boys’ Mike Love has paid tribute to his cousin, Brian Wilson, following his death aged 82 on June 11th.
Wilson’s children announced his death on social media and asked for privacy while they deal with the loss of their father, writing, “We are heartbroken to announced that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”
Love has now honoured Wilson with a poignant message celebrating his career, their relationship and legacy. “Today, the world lost a genius, and I lost a cousin by blood and my partner in music,” Love began.
He continued: “Brian Wilson wasn’t just the heart of The Beach Boys—he was the soul of our sound. From the first time we sang together as kids in my living room, I knew there was something otherworldly in him. His musical gifts were unmatched. The melodies he dreamed up, the emotions he poured into every note—Brian changed the course of music forever.”
Love’s emotional message then noted: “Our journey together was filled with moments of brilliance, heartbreak, laughter, complexity and most of all, LOVE . Like all families, we had our ups and downs. But through it all, we never stopped loving each other, and I never stopped being in awe of what he could do when he sat at a piano or his spontaneity in the studio.”
The Beach Boy then described his partnership with Wilson as “one of the greatest blessings of my life to experience that creative space with him.”
Love also expressed on behalf of his wife, Jacquelyne, writing, “She stood beside me through so many chapters of this story, and we both send our love and prayers to Brian’s family, his children, and all who were touched by his life and gifts.”
He concluded: “Brian, you once asked, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older?’ Now you are timeless. May you rest in the peace you so deeply deserve, surrounded by the heavenly music you helped create. May your spirit soar as high as your falsetto, may your wings spread in effortless flight.”
Love’s tribute comes after Al Jardine, who also co-founded The Beach Boys, honoured Wilson by writing, “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’s statement described Wilson as a “humble giant who always made me laugh and we will celebrate your music forever”, before concluding, “Brian, I’ll really miss you…still I have the warmth of the sun within me tonight.”
Wilson’s family have refrained from revealing his cause of death. However, last year, it was revealed Wilson was suffering from dementia after a conservatorship was filed following the death of his wife, Melinda. He is survived by his two children, Carnie and Wendy, who he shared with his first wife, Marilyn Rovell. He also adopted five children with his late second wife, Melinda Ledbetter, who he married in 1995.
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