Childhood and Education Journey of Brian Wilson in Timeline
How education and upbringing influenced the life of Brian Wilson. A timeline of key moments.
Brian Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a co-founder of the Beach Boys. Recognized for his innovative approaches to pop composition and mastery of recording techniques, he's considered one of the most significant songwriters of the 20th century. His work is characterized by high production value, complex harmonies and orchestrations, vocal layering, and introspective themes. He is also known for his vocal range and mental health struggles.
June 20, 1942: Brian Wilson's Birth
On June 20, 1942, Brian Douglas Wilson was born at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, California, to Audree Neva and Murry Wilson.
1943: First experience with Gershwin
At age two, Brian Wilson heard Glenn Miller's 1943 rendition of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue", which left a lasting emotional impact on him.
1944: Birth of Dennis Wilson
In 1944, Dennis Wilson, Brian Wilson's younger brother, was born.
1946: Birth of Carl Wilson
In 1946, Carl Wilson, Brian Wilson's younger brother, was born.
1954: Inspired by Rock Around the Clock
In 1954, Brian Wilson recalled Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" as the first music he felt compelled to learn and sing.
1956: Freshmen Favorites First Pop Album
In 1956, The Four Freshmen's album Freshmen Favorites was the first pop album that Brian Wilson listened to in its entirety.
1958: Voices in Love Influenced Brian
Brian Wilson regarded Voices in Love by The Four Freshmen from 1958 as "probably the greatest single vocal album I've ever heard".
October 1959: Submission of "My Philosophy" Essay
In October 1959, Brian Wilson submitted an essay titled "My Philosophy" for his Senior Problems course, expressing his ambition to make a name for himself in music.
September 1960: Enrollment at El Camino College
In September 1960, Brian Wilson enrolled as a psychology major at El Camino College in Los Angeles, while also pursuing music.
1961: Musical Tastes
In 1961, Brian Wilson mentioned that his particular favorites included Chuck Berry, the Coasters, and the Everly Brothers.
1961: Relationship with Judy Bowles
In mid-1961, Brian Wilson met Judy Bowles at a baseball game, beginning his first serious relationship.
1961: Interest in the Four Freshmen diminished
It is likely that Brian Wilson learned nearly the entirety of the Four Freshmen's recorded repertoire through 1961, after which his obsession with the group diminished.
1962: Meeting Marilyn Rovell
In August 1962, Brian Wilson met Marilyn Rovell, who would later become his wife.
1963: Engagement to Judy Bowles
During Christmas 1963, Brian Wilson and Judy Bowles got engaged, with plans to marry the following December.
December 1964: Psychiatrist visit due to work-related fatigue
Following a flight incident in Houston in December 1964, Marilyn arranged Brian Wilson's first psychiatrist visit, which ruled his condition was due to work-related fatigue.
December 1964: Marriage to Marilyn Rovell
In December 1964, Brian Wilson married Marilyn Rovell.
December 23, 1964: Breakdown on Flight to Houston
On December 23, 1964, Brian Wilson experienced a breakdown on a flight from Los Angeles to Houston, sobbing uncontrollably due to stress over his recent marriage. He played the show in Houston but was replaced for the rest of the tour.
1964: Ending Engagement with Judy Bowles
Around 1964, Brian Wilson and Judy Bowles separated. He had gradually become romantically involved with Marilyn Rovell.
1964: Influence of Mary Poppins soundtrack
Brian Wilson's other significant musical influences include Disney film soundtracks such as Mary Poppins (1964).
1964: Nervous Breakdown and Shift in Focus
In 1964, Brian Wilson experienced a nervous breakdown and consequently resigned from regular concert touring to concentrate on songwriting and production.
1964: Relocation to Hollywood Boulevard Apartment
In late 1964, Brian Wilson relocated to an apartment on Hollywood Boulevard, marking his first independence from familial oversight and where he began cultivating a new social circle.
January 1965: Withdrawal from Touring
In January 1965, Brian Wilson declared that he would be withdrawing from future tours. Wilson attributed his decision partly to a jealousy of Spector and the Beatles.
1965: Introduction to Recreational Drugs and Hallucinations
Brian Wilson was introduced to recreational drugs by an acquaintance during a Beach Boys tour in 1965. Shortly after his first use of psychedelics, he began experiencing hallucinations.
1965: Composition of "Please Let Me Wonder"
In 1965, Brian Wilson composed his first song under the influence of marijuana, which was "Please Let Me Wonder".
1965: Religious Experience with LSD
In 1965, Brian Wilson had what he considered to be a very religious experience after taking LSD, which taught him patience and understanding.
1965: Separation and Reconciliation with Marilyn
In 1965, Marilyn temporarily separated from Brian Wilson due to his drug-associated social circle. The couple soon reconciled, and later in 1965, they moved into a new home in Beverly Hills.
1965: LSD Experience Described Through Music
In mid-1965, Brian Wilson invited a bandmate to Studio B and played a single piano note, describing what he heard while on LSD, signaling to his bandmate that he was in trouble.
1965: Diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder and Auditory Hallucinations
Since 1965, Brian Wilson has regularly experienced auditory hallucinations and he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and mild bipolar disorder.
1965: Musical Ambitions and LSD Use
Throughout 1965, Brian Wilson's musical ambitions progressed with the albums 'The Beach Boys Today!' and 'Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)'. He also took LSD for the first time, an experience that he said "tore my head off" but also led to composing portions of "California Girls". Later in 1965, he attributed paranoia to his LSD use.
1966: Turning Point and Erratic Behavior
Associates often cite late 1966 as a turning point for Brian Wilson, coinciding with erratic behavior during sessions for the track "Fire" (or "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow").
1966: Pills usage for introspection
By 1966, Brian Wilson acknowledged using pills for introspection rather than leisure and viewed psychedelic usage as benign.
1966: Belief that all music starts with religion
In 1966, Brian Wilson expressed his belief that all music "starts with religion".
1966: Description of Breakdowns
Speaking in 1966, Brian Wilson described the December 23, 1964 breakdown as "the first of a series of three breakdowns".
April 1967: Relocation to Bel Air and Home Studio Construction
In April 1967, Brian Wilson and his wife relocated to a mansion in Bel Air, where Wilson began constructing a personal home studio. By this time, most of his recent associates had departed or been excluded from his life.
1968: Equating religion and meditation
By 1968, Brian Wilson had equated religion and meditation.
1968: Hospitalization and Thorazine Prescription
By 1968, following the birth of his first child, Brian Wilson's mental health concerns intensified, leading to his hospitalization and prescription of Thorazine for severe anxiety disorder.
1968: Decline in Songwriting, Emotional State, and Substance Abuse
For the remainder of 1968, Brian Wilson's songwriting output and emotional state declined substantially, leading him to self-medicate with food, alcohol, and drugs, including cocaine introduced by Danny Hutton. Hutton stated that Wilson expressed suicidal ideation, marking the onset of Wilson's "real decline".
1968: Birth of Daughter Carnie
In 1968, Brian Wilson and Marilyn Rovell welcomed their first daughter, Carnie Wilson.
1968: Seclusion Upstairs and "Bedroom Tapes"
In 1968, Brian Wilson typically stayed secluded upstairs while The Beach Boys recorded below, occasionally joining sessions to suggest revisions. He occasionally previewed new songs, with journalist Brian Chidester later coining the term "Bedroom Tapes" to refer to Wilson's unreleased output.
1968: Hospitalization and Seclusion
In mid-1968, Brian Wilson was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. After being discharged later in 1968, he rarely finished tracks for The Beach Boys and became increasingly withdrawn.
May 1969: Disclosure of Near-Bankruptcy and Radiant Radish Opening
In May 1969, Brian Wilson disclosed The Beach Boys' near-bankruptcy to reporters, derailing negotiations with Deutsche Grammophon. That July, he opened a short-lived health food store, the Radiant Radish.
1969: Birth of Daughter Wendy
In 1969, Brian Wilson and Marilyn Rovell had their second daughter, Wendy Wilson.
1969: Influence of Wendy Carlos' Switched-On Bach
Wendy Carlos' 1969 album Switched-On Bach, influenced Brian Wilson's use of synthesizers.
1972: Relocation to Holland and Inspiration for 'Mount Vernon and Fairway'
During the summer of 1972, Brian Wilson joined The Beach Boys when they relocated to Holland. Inspired by listening to Randy Newman's album 'Sail Away', he wrote a fairy tale, 'Mount Vernon and Fairway'.
June 1973: Brian Wilson's Seclusion After Father's Death
In June 1973, Brian Wilson secluded himself after his father's death, spending time in the chauffeur's quarters of his home abusing drugs and alcohol, overeating, and exhibiting self-destructive behavior. He rarely left his home, and his family eventually took control of his finances due to his drug expenditures.
1974: Brian Wilson's Reclusive Lifestyle
In 1974, Brian Wilson became increasingly reclusive, spending his time snorting cocaine and reading magazines like Playboy and Penthouse. He spent many nights at Danny Hutton's house in Laurel Canyon, fraternizing with colleagues like Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop. On one occasion in 1974, Wilson interrupted a Larry Coryell performance at The Troubadour by leaping on stage and singing "Be-Bop-A-Lula."
1975: Decline in Health and Intervention
In 1975, Brian Wilson's increased consumption of food, cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs strained his marriage and health, with his weight reaching 240 pounds. An intervention involving the band's lawyers and accountants was arranged, and he was later placed in Eugene Landy's therapy program in October.
1975: Minimal Output and Continued Reclusion
In 1975, Brian Wilson's output was minimal due to a diminished capacity for sustained concentration. He continued snorting cocaine, reading magazines, and socializing at Danny Hutton's house.
1975: "Bedroom Tapes" Era Ends
The "Bedroom Tapes" era of Brian Wilson's unreleased output, which began in 1968, ended in 1975. Most of the material remains unheard publicly.
1976: Landy Dismissed, New Supervision
At the end of 1976, Brian Wilson's family and management dismissed Eugene Landy after he raised his monthly fee. His role was assumed by Steve Korthof, Stan Love, and Rocky Pamplin.
1976: On popular music's artistic integrity
In 1976, Brian Wilson commented that he felt contemporary popular music had lacked the artistic integrity it once had, with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (1975) being one exception.
1976: Coming of the Messiah in the form of drugs
In 1976, Brian Wilson said he still believed that the coming of "the great Messiah [...] came in the form of drugs".
1976: Landy Refutes Paranoid Schizophrenia Diagnosis
In 1976, Landy refuted the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia for Brian Wilson, suggesting his main issue was "being scared".
1977: Affair with Debbie Keil
In 1977, Brian Wilson maintained an affair with Debbie Keil, who inspired his song "The Night Was So Young".
July 1978: Separation from Marilyn
In July 1978, Brian Wilson and Marilyn separated.
November 1978: Institutionalization at Brotzman Memorial Hospital
In November 1978, after attacking his doctor, Brian Wilson was initially admitted to Brotzman Memorial Hospital for three months.
1978: Song about Affair with Wife's Sister
In 1978, Brian Wilson wrote "My Diane" about his affair with his wife's sister.
1978: Regress and Overdose
In 1978, after a disastrous Australian tour, Brian Wilson regressed and began secretly acquiring cocaine and barbiturates. Following an overdose in mid-1978, he hitchhiked to various locations and was eventually found in Balboa Park, leading to hospitalization for alcohol poisoning.
January 1979: Divorce Filing
In January 1979, Brian Wilson filed for divorce from Marilyn.
1980: "Cocaine Sessions" with Dennis Wilson
In 1980, Dennis Wilson occasionally provided Brian Wilson with McDonald's hamburgers and cocaine to motivate him musically. They engaged in clandestine recording sessions that later became known as the "cocaine sessions" or "hamburger sessions."
1981: Ending relationship with Debbie Keil
In 1981, Brian Wilson ended his relationship with Debbie Keil.
1981: "Cocaine Sessions" with Dennis Wilson
In 1981, Dennis Wilson occasionally provided Brian Wilson with McDonald's hamburgers and cocaine to motivate him musically. They engaged in clandestine recording sessions that later became known as the "cocaine sessions" or "hamburger sessions."
1982: Ruse to Reenter Landy's Program
In 1982, after overdosing on alcohol, cocaine, and other drugs, Brian Wilson's family and management staged an elaborate ruse to persuade him to reenter Eugene Landy's program. He was falsely informed that he was destitute and no longer a Beach Boy.
1982: Trust Document and Hospitalization
In early 1982, Brian Wilson signed a trust document granting Carl Wilson control of his finances. Brian was involuntarily admitted for a three-day stay at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, and by the end of the year, his weight exceeded 340 pounds.
January 1983: Dating Carolyn Williams
Until January 1983, Brian Wilson dated one of his nurses, Carolyn Williams.
March 1983: Return to Los Angeles Under Landy's Direction
In March 1983, Brian Wilson returned to Los Angeles under Eugene Landy's direction and was moved to a Malibu home where he lived with Landy's aides, cut off from many of his own friends and family.
1985: Brian Wilson's Attempted Suicide
In mid-1985, Brian Wilson later claimed that he attempted suicide by swimming as far out to sea as possible before one of Eugene Landy's aides retrieved him.
1986: First Dating Melinda Kae Ledbetter
Brian Wilson initially dated Melinda Kae Ledbetter from 1986 to late 1989.
1988: Favorite albums of all time
In a 1988 interview, Brian Wilson named the 1982 compilation Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I and Paul Simon's 1986 release Graceland among his ten favorite albums of all time.
1989: End of relationship with Melinda Kae Ledbetter
Brian Wilson and Melinda Kae Ledbetter's relationship ended in late 1989.
1991: Reconnecting with Melinda Kae Ledbetter
After 1991, Brian Wilson and Melinda Kae Ledbetter reconnected.
1991: Dissociation from Eugene Landy
In 1991, Brian Wilson ended his creative and business partnership with his psychologist, Eugene Landy.
February 6, 1995: Marriage to Melinda Kae Ledbetter
Brian Wilson married Melinda Kae Ledbetter on February 6, 1995.
1997: Relocation to St. Charles, Illinois
In 1997, Brian Wilson relocated to St. Charles, Illinois, to work on a solo project with Joe Thomas.
2000: Comfort on Stage
In 2000, Brian Wilson stated that he felt much more comfortable on stage with his new band, considering them better than the Beach Boys.
2000: Challenges Interviewing Brian Wilson
In 2000, Edgers highlighted the challenges in interviewing Brian Wilson, noting his often "clipped and conflicting" responses.
2004: Favorite book
Asked in 2004 for his favorite book, Brian Wilson answered "the Bible".
July 2005: Performance at Live 8
In July 2005, Brian Wilson performed at the Live 8 concert in Berlin, which was watched by approximately three million viewers on television.
2007: Cited Billy Joel as favorite pianist
In 2007, Brian Wilson cited Billy Joel as his favorite pianist.
2011: Spiritual beliefs
In 2011, Brian Wilson said that while he had spiritual beliefs, he did not follow any particular religion.
2013: Brief Dating with Linda Ronstadt
In her 2013 memoir Simple Dreams, Linda Ronstadt implied that she had briefly dated Brian Wilson in the 1970s.
2015: No modern music
By 2015, Brian Wilson maintained that he does not listen to modern music, only "oldies but goodies".
2015: Ending Interviews Abruptly
In 2015, Salon's Peter Gilstrap wrote that Brian Wilson had been known to end interviews abruptly.
2016: Release of Memoir
In 2016, Brian Wilson's memoir characterized his father as "violent" and "cruel".
May 2024: Conservatorship
In May 2024, it was announced that Brian Wilson had dementia and entered into another conservatorship.
2024: Suffering from Dementia and Conservatorship
In 2024, Brian Wilson was revealed to be suffering from dementia following the death of Ledbetter, and was placed in a conservatorship.
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