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Elton John is praising the late Brian Wilson.
After Wilson’s family shared The Beach Boys co-founder and singer died at the age of 82 on Wednesday, June 11, the “Tiny Dancer” hitmaker shared a heartfelt Instagram tribute about him.
“Brian Wilson was always so kind to me from the day I met him,” John, 78, began. “He sang ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ at a tribute concert in 2003, and it was an extraordinary moment for me. I played on his solo records, he sang on my album, The Union, and even performed for my AIDS Foundation.”
The five-time Grammy winner then noted how he “grew to love” Wilson “as a person.”
“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,” John concluded.
In addition to John, The Beach Boys’ Mike Love and Al Jardine, Brian’s children Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson, Nancy Sinatra and John Stamos, who has often toured with the band, all shared tributes to him on social media.
Tibrina Hobson/Getty; Victor Boyko/Getty
Wilson’s family announced his death at the age of 82 on June 11.
They shared a statement on Instagram, alongside a recent photo of the late musician smiling on a bench.
“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” the post read. “We are at a loss for words right now.”
It continued: “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.”
No cause of death has been revealed.
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Wilson was The Beach Boys’ songwriter and co-lead vocalist and also played bass guitar and keyboard alongside brothers, Dennis and Carl Wilson, cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, who all comprised the original lineup.
In the month following the death of Wilson’s wife Melinda Kae Ledbetter, whom he married in 1995, in January 2024 his family filed for a conservatorship in a Los Angeles court stating that he had a “major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia).”
At the time, they said that Wilson was “unable to properly provide for his… personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter.”
