Latest news with #MelindaWilson
Fox News
2 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Beach Boys' Brian Wilson cause of death revealed
Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson's immediate cause of death was due to respiratory arrest, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital. He was 82. The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner's office determined "respiratory arrest" as Wilson's main cause of death. The "Good Vibrations" singer died Wednesday, June 11. Respiratory arrest occurs when breathing stops while the heart continues to beat. The most common cause of cardiac arrest is respiratory arrest, according to the American Heart Association. Sepsis and cystitis were both listed as contributing factors associated with Wilson's death, the report cited. In addition to chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease, neurodegenerative disorder and obstructive sleep apnea were also listed in the report. An autopsy was not performed, according to the death report. Wilson's family confirmed his death on social media earlier this month. "We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away," they wrote. "We are at a loss for words right now." They added, "Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world." Last year, Wilson was placed under a conservatorship following a dementia diagnosis. The diagnosis, coupled with the death of Brian's wife, Melinda Wilson, led his family and doctors to make the decision. "Following the passing of Brian's beloved wife Melinda, after careful consideration and consultation among Brian, his seven children, Gloria Ramos and Brian's doctors (and consistent with family processes put in place by Brian and Melinda), we are confirming that longtime Wilson family representatives LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers will serve as Brian's co-conservators of the person," the family said in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time. "This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for by Gloria Ramos and the wonderful team at the house who have been in place for many years helping take care of the family," the statement continued. "Brian will be able to enjoy all of his family and friends and continue to work on current projects as well as participate in any activities he chooses." According to a doctor's declaration submitted to the court, Wilson was unable to self-administer his own medication or adhere to his medication scheduling. He also struggled with his ability to control his mood or emotions. Wilson was previously placed under a conservatorship in the '90s after being involved with psychologist Eugene Landy. The Beach Boys began with Brian and his two brothers, Carl and Dennis. Eventually, they were joined by their cousin, Mike Love, and a friend from school, Al Jardine. The band is one of the most commercially successful groups of all time, selling over 100 million records worldwide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Brian Wilson's cause of death revealed after Beach Boys legend died aged 82 following health battle
BEACH Boys legend Brian Wilson died from respiratory arrest after a series of serious health issues, his death certificate has revealed. The 82-year-old music icon 'simply stopped breathing' amid a battle with multiple infections and chronic illnesses. 3 3 3 Documents obtained by TMZ say the official cause of death is listed as respiratory arrest — a condition in which the heart keeps beating but the lungs stop working, making it impossible to take in oxygen. Sepsis and cystitis, both linked to infections, were also noted as contributing factors. The document also listed a range of associated health problems including a neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure, and chronic kidney disease. Brian's family had previously revealed he was suffering from dementia, and his overall health had significantly declined in recent years. The heartbreaking update comes just weeks after his family announced his passing, writing: 'They were heartbroken and asking for privacy during this difficult time.' Wilson co-founded the Beach Boys and led the band during its early chart-topping years, before the group famously imploded amid personal and creative tensions. His death follows another devastating loss — his wife Melinda passed away in 2024. Shortly after, his family filed for a conservatorship to manage his affairs. .
CNA
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson dies at age 82, leaves legacy of musical brilliance and personal struggle
Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson, the musical genius behind iconic tracks like Good Vibrations and God Only Knows, has died at the age of 82, his family announced on Wednesday (Jun 11). Wilson's death was confirmed in a statement on his official website, which read: 'We are at a loss for words right now. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.' The cause of death was not disclosed, though Wilson had suffered from dementia and was placed under conservatorship after the death of his wife, Melinda, in early 2024. A LEGACY OF HARMONY AND HEARTBREAK From 1961, the Beach Boys released a string of hits that celebrated the lifestyle of California youth – surfing, cars and summer romance. Wilson, the band's primary creative force, was responsible for arranging the group's ethereal harmonies, a hallmark of their sound. He founded the band in Hawthorne, California, with his brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. Together, they achieved 36 Top 40 hits, with Wilson writing and composing most of the early tracks. Their discography includes timeless songs such as Surfin' USA; California Girls; Little Deuce Coupe; Fun, Fun, Fun and Help Me, Rhonda. But Wilson's personal life was fraught with hardship. He endured an abusive father, severe mental health issues and substance abuse problems that led to long periods of seclusion. 'I've lived a very, very difficult, haunted life,' Wilson told the Washington Post in 2007. CREATIVE PEAK AND INTERNAL STRUGGLES Wilson suffered his first mental breakdown in 1966 and began focusing more on studio work. During this time, he composed and produced Pet Sounds, a record that later became known as his magnum opus. Although initially met with mixed reactions in the United States, Pet Sounds has since been recognised as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Paul McCartney cited it as a major influence on the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Wilson also composed Good Vibrations during the Pet Sounds sessions. Though it was not included in the album, it became the Beach Boys' most celebrated single. Art Garfunkel reportedly called Paul Simon to say, 'I think I just heard the greatest, most creative record of them all.' DECLINE AND UNUSUAL THERAPY Wilson's mental health continued to deteriorate in the 1970s and 1980s. He was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder with auditory hallucinations. He became increasingly reclusive, with accounts describing him lying in bed for days, struggling with hygiene and exhibiting erratic behaviour. His then-wife Marilyn enlisted psychotherapist Eugene Landy, whose unorthodox and highly controlling methods eventually led to legal intervention. Wilson's family took him to court in 1992 to end the relationship. Landy relinquished his psychology licence after admitting to unlawfully prescribing drugs. Wilson said Landy had saved his life but later called him manipulative. LATE RECOGNITION AND FINAL YEARS Wilson returned to music sporadically, with his post-comeback work rarely matching the acclaim of his early career. In 2004, he released Brian Wilson Presents Smile, a long-delayed project that had originally been scrapped due to internal band conflicts. In 2012, Wilson reunited with surviving Beach Boys members for a 50th anniversary tour. Although tensions remained, Wilson participated in several shows before reportedly being dismissed, a claim denied by Mike Love. His final live performance was in 2022. Wilson's life was portrayed in the 2014 biopic Love & Mercy. He had two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, from his first marriage to Marilyn. The daughters later found success in the 1990s with the pop group Wilson Phillips. He and his second wife Melinda adopted five children. In May 2024, a judge approved placing Wilson under conservatorship, citing his inability to care for himself following Melinda's death. Despite his struggles, Wilson's contribution to music remains indelible, and his work continues to influence artists across generations.
Japan Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson dies at age 82
Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson, who created some of rock's most enduring songs such as "Good Vibrations" and "God Only Knows" in a career that was marked by a decades-long battle between his musical genius, drug abuse and mental health issues, has died at the age of 82. Wilson's family announced his death in a statement on the singer's website. "We are at a loss for words right now," the statement said. "We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world." The statement did not disclose a cause of death. Wilson had suffered from dementia and was unable to care for himself after his wife Melinda Wilson died in early 2024, prompting his family to put him under conservatorship. Starting in 1961, the Beach Boys put out a string of sunny hits celebrating the touchstones of California youth culture — surfing, cars and romance. But what made the songs special were the ethereal harmonies that Wilson arranged and that would become the band's lasting trademark. Wilson formed the band with younger brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine in their hometown, the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne. They went on to have 36 Top 40 hits, with Wilson writing and composing most of the early works. Songs such as "Little Deuce Coupe," "Surfin' U.S.A.," "California Girls," "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Help Me, Rhonda" remain instantly recognizable and eminently danceable. The music group The Beach Boys are shown in this undated photograph. From left: Mike Love, Al Jardine, Carl Wilson and Brian Wilson. | REUTERS But there were plenty of bad vibrations in Wilson's life: an abusive father, a cornucopia of drugs, a series of mental breakdowns, long periods of seclusion and depression and voices in his head that, even when he was on stage, told him he was no good. "I've lived a very, very difficult, haunted life," Wilson told the Washington Post in 2007. In May 2024, a judge ruled the 81-year-old Wilson should be put under a conservatorship after two longtime associates had petitioned the court at his family's request, saying he could not care for himself following the death of his wife, Melinda. By 1966 touring had already become an ordeal for Wilson, who suffered what would be his first mental breakdown. He remained the Beach Boys' mastermind but retreated to the studio to work, usually without his bandmates, on "Pet Sounds," a symphonic reflection on the loss of innocence. The landmark "Good Vibrations" was recorded during those sessions, though it did not make it on to the album. Though "Pet Sounds" included hits such as "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B" and "God Only Knows," it was not an immediate commercial success in the United States. There also was resistance to the album within the band, especially from singer Love, who wanted to stick with the proven money-making sound. 'It's like falling in love' "Pet Sounds," which was released in 1966, later would come to be recognized as Wilson's magnum opus. Paul McCartney said it was an influence on the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." "No one's musical education is complete until they've heard 'Pet Sounds,'" McCartney said. In 2012 Rolling Stone magazine ranked it second only to "Sgt. Pepper" on its list of the 500 greatest rock albums. "Hearing 'Pet Sounds' gave me the kind of feeling that raises the hairs on the back of your neck and you say, 'What is that? It's fantastic,'" George Martin, the Beatles' legendary producer, said in the liner notes of a reissued version of the album. "It's like falling in love." Released as a single that same year, "Good Vibrations" drew similar plaudits. On hearing the song that would become the Beach Boys' greatest hit, Art Garfunkel called his musical partner Paul Simon to say: "I think I just heard the greatest, most creative record of them all." The band went on to sell 100 million records. Wilson's career would be derailed, though, as his use of LSD, cocaine and alcohol became untenable and his mental state, which would eventually be diagnosed as schizoaffective disorder with auditory hallucinations, grew shakier. He became a recluse, lying in bed for days, abandoning hygiene, growing obese and sometimes venturing out in a bathrobe and slippers. He had a sandbox installed in his dining room and put his piano there. He also heard voices and was afraid that the lyrics of one of his songs were responsible for a series of fires in Los Angeles. Unorthodox therapy Born in June 1942, Brian Wilson, whose life was the subject of the 2014 movie "Love & Mercy," had two controlling men in his life. The first was his father, Murry Wilson, a part-time songwriter who recognized his son's musical talent early. He became the Beach Boys' manager and producer in their early years but also was physically and verbally abusive toward them. The band fired him in 1964. About a decade later, as Wilson floundered, his then-wife, Marilyn, hired psychotherapist Eugene Landy to help him. Landy spent 14 months with Wilson, using unusual methods such as promising him a cheeseburger if he wrote a song, before being dismissed. Landy was rehired in 1983 after Wilson went through another period of disturbing behavior that included overdosing, living in a city park and running up substantial debt. Landy used a 24-hour-a-day technique, which involved prescribing psychotropic drugs and padlocking the refrigerator, and eventually held sway over all aspects of Wilson's life, including serving as producer and co-writer of his music when he made a comeback with a 1988 solo album. Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, Al Jardine and Mike Love appeared together for the first time in 10 years on the rooftop of Capitol Records in Los Angeles in 2006. | REUTERS Wilson's family went to court to end his relationship with Landy in 1992. Wilson said Landy had saved his life but also would later call him manipulative. California medical regulators accused Landy, who died in 2006, of improper involvement with a patient's affairs. He gave up his psychology license after admitting to unlawfully prescribing drugs. Wilson's return to music was spotty. He appeared frail, tentative and shaky and none of the post-comeback work brought anything close to the acclaim of his earlier catalog. One of the best-received albums of his second act was the 2004 "Brian Wilson Presents Smile," a revisiting of the work that had been intended as the followup to "Pet Sounds" but which was scrapped because of opposition from bandmates. Wilson's brothers had both died by the time of the Beach Boys' 50th reunion tour in 2012 but he joined Love, who became the band's controlling force, for several shows. At the end, Wilson said he felt as if he had been fired but Love denied it. Wilson last performed live in 2022. Wilson and his first wife, Marilyn, had two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, who had hits in the 1990s as part of the group Wilson Phillips. He and second wife Melinda, whom he met when she sold him a car, had five children.
CNA
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson dies at age 82, leaves legacy of musical brilliance and personal struggle
LOS ANGELES: Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson, the musical genius behind iconic tracks like "Good Vibrations" and "God Only Knows," has died at the age of 82, his family announced on Wednesday (Jun 11). Wilson's death was confirmed in a statement on his official website, which read: 'We are at a loss for words right now. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.' The cause of death was not disclosed, though Wilson had suffered from dementia and was placed under conservatorship after the death of his wife, Melinda, in early 2024. A LEGACY OF HARMONY AND HEARTBREAK From 1961, the Beach Boys released a string of hits that celebrated the lifestyle of California youth — surfing, cars and summer romance. Wilson, the band's primary creative force, was responsible for arranging the group's ethereal harmonies, a hallmark of their sound. He founded the band in Hawthorne, California, with his brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. Together, they achieved 36 Top 40 hits, with Wilson writing and composing most of the early tracks. Their discography includes timeless songs such as "Surfin' U.S.A.", "California Girls", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Help Me, Rhonda". But Wilson's personal life was fraught with hardship. He endured an abusive father, severe mental health issues, and substance abuse problems that led to long periods of seclusion. 'I've lived a very, very difficult, haunted life,' Wilson told the Washington Post in 2007. Wilson suffered his first mental breakdown in 1966 and began focusing more on studio work. During this time, he composed and produced "Pet Sounds", a record that later became known as his magnum opus. Although initially met with mixed reactions in the United States, "Pet Sounds" has since been recognised as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Paul McCartney cited it as a major influence on the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Wilson also composed "Good Vibrations" during the "Pet Sounds" sessions. Though it was not included in the album, it became the Beach Boys' most celebrated single. Art Garfunkel reportedly called Paul Simon to say, 'I think I just heard the greatest, most creative record of them all.' DECLINE AND UNUSUAL THERAPY Wilson's mental health continued to deteriorate in the 1970s and 1980s. He was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder with auditory hallucinations. He became increasingly reclusive, with accounts describing him lying in bed for days, struggling with hygiene, and exhibiting erratic behaviour. His then-wife Marilyn enlisted psychotherapist Eugene Landy, whose unorthodox and highly controlling methods eventually led to legal intervention. Wilson's family took him to court in 1992 to end the relationship. Landy relinquished his psychology licence after admitting to unlawfully prescribing drugs. Wilson said Landy had saved his life but later called him manipulative. LATE RECOGNITION AND FINAL YEARS Wilson returned to music sporadically, with his post-comeback work rarely matching the acclaim of his early career. In 2004, he released "Brian Wilson Presents Smile", a long-delayed project that had originally been scrapped due to internal band conflicts. In 2012, Wilson reunited with surviving Beach Boys members for a 50th anniversary tour. Although tensions remained, Wilson participated in several shows before reportedly being dismissed, a claim denied by Mike Love. His final live performance was in 2022. Wilson's life was portrayed in the 2014 biopic "Love & Mercy". He had two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, from his first marriage to Marilyn. The daughters later found success in the 1990s with the pop group Wilson Phillips. He and his second wife Melinda adopted five children. In May 2024, a judge approved placing Wilson under conservatorship, citing his inability to care for himself following Melinda's death. Despite his struggles, Wilson's contribution to music remains indelible, and his work continues to influence artists across generations.
