The world is mourning the loss of Brian Wilson, the pioneering Beach Boys musician who has died at age 82.
Wilson’s family announced news of his death on June 11 on X, writing, “We are heartbroken to announced [sic] that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away.”
Tributes have since poured in, with dozens of celebrities and musicians honoring Wilson’s legacy. Among them was the Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards who took to social media to remember the iconic musician.
“Rest in Peace,” he wrote alongside an extract from his 2010 memoir “Life,” which praised Wilson’s contribution to the Beach Boys.
“I was more interested in their B-sides, the ones [Wilson] slipped in,” Richards wrote in his memoir. “There was no particular correlation with what we were doing, so I could just listen to it on another level. I thought these are very well-constructed songs.”
Bob Dylan also remembered Wilson on social media, writing on X, “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.”
Nancy Sinatra, meanwhile, recalled being onstage with Wilson.
“His cherished music will live forever as he travels through the Universe and beyond. God bless you, sweet Brian,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “One of the biggest thrills of my life was singing ‘California Girls’ with Brian.”
Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood added on X, “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!! My thoughts go out to his family and friends.”
Actor John Cusack, who played Wilson in the 2014 biopic “Love & Mercy,” described the musician as “a raw open heart with two legs — and an ear that heard the angels” in a statement to The Independent.
“To see him so happy with his wife Melinda — finally talking about and performing his unfinished masterpiece ‘Smile,’ (after the release of the astounding ‘Smile’ sessions) — to hear him be so open about the depth of his struggles so that the telling of his story might help others and take away the stigma of mental health — was to see a triumph of endurance and spirit, love and mercy. RIP,” he said.
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