Judy Holliday
American actress, comedian and singer (1921-1965)
Dennis Wilson was a founding member of the iconic band The Beach Boys, known for his drumming, baritone vocals, and songwriting contributions. Despite his personal struggles, he left a lasting impact on the band’s music and embodied the “California Myth” that their early songs celebrated.
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About the Dennis Wilson
Dennis Carl Wilsonwas a musician who co-founded the Beach Boys. He is best remembered as their drummer and as the middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson. Dennis was the only true surfer in the Beach Boys, and his personal life exemplified the “California Myth” that the band’s early songs often celebrated. He was also known for his association with the Manson Family and for co-starring in the 1971 film Two-Lane Blacktop.
Wilson served mainly on drums and baritone backing vocals for the Beach Boys. His playing can be heard on many of the group’s hits, belying the popular misconception that he was always replaced on record by studio musicians. He originally had few lead vocals on the band’s songs due to his limited baritone range, but his prominence as a singer-songwriter increased following their 1968 album Friends. His music is characterized for reflecting his “edginess” and “little of his happy charm.” His original songs for the group included “Little Bird”and “Cuddle Up” (1972). Friends and biographers have asserted that he was an uncredited writer on “You Are So Beautiful”, a 1974 hit for Joe Cocker frequently performed by Wilson in concert.
During his final years, Wilson struggled with alcoholism and the use of other drugs (including cocaine and heroin), exacerbating longstanding tensions with some of his bandmates. His solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue (1977), was released to warm reviews and moderate sales comparable to those of contemporaneous Beach Boys albums. Sessions for a follow-up, Bambu, disintegrated before his death from drowning in 1983 at age 39. In 1988, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dennis Wilson was a musician who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was the drummer and middle brother of bandmates Brian and Carl Wilson.
Dennis Wilson served mainly on drums and baritone backing vocals for the Beach Boys. His playing can be heard on many of the group’s hit songs, despite the misconception that he was always replaced by studio musicians.
Dennis Wilson’s original songs for the Beach Boys included ,Little Bird, (1968), ,Forever, (1970), and ,Cuddle Up, (1972). He was also an uncredited writer on the hit song ,You Are So Beautiful,, which was frequently performed by Wilson in concert.
Dennis Wilson was the only true surfer in the Beach Boys, and his personal life exemplified the ,California Myth, that the band’s early songs often celebrated. He was also known for his association with the Manson Family.
Dennis Wilson’s solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue (1977), was released to warm reviews and moderate sales comparable to those of contemporaneous Beach Boys albums. He was working on a follow-up album, Bambu, before his death in 1983 at the age of 39.
In 1988, Dennis Wilson was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Beach Boys.
12 Quotes by Dennis Wilson
- 1.
My dad was a tyrant. He used to physically beat the crap out of us.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 2.
I can tell you the day The Beach Boys will no longer exist – never. We’ll be on stage in wheelchairs.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 3.
There will always be a Beach Boys. Being a Beach Boy is like being in love.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 4.
The one thing that kept our family together was the music. The only thing that our family would share emotionally was to have our dad cry over something the kids did with music.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 5.
He just had a very unique way of expressing himself physically with his kids.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 6.
Brian was the oldest, I was in the middle and Carl was the baby. I was the troublemaker. Brian got great grades and Carl got the kind of grades I did. I failed everything. I was too busy fighting and running wild.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 7.
I made a dollar a day sweeping a laundry out. Then we made a record that was number two in Los Angeles. We got so excited hearing it on the radio that Carl threw up.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 8.
The thing I wonder about is where does Brian’s creative spark come from? Not his subjects or anything, but his spark. What makes it so great for me is that I really don’t know. There’s a mystery behind Brian, even to me.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 9.
The Beach Boys are not a superstar group. The music is the superstar of the group.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 10.
My mom had to beg the guys to let me play. I couldn’t even play the drums right – Brian had to show me.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 11.
All I need is a big surfboard and a piano.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)
- 12.
They say I live a fast life. Maybe I just like a fast life. I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world. It won’t last forever, either. But the memories will.
Dennis WilsonAmerican musician (1944-1983)