Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
The Beach Boys
Established: 1961 in Southern California
Members: Brothers Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson; their cousin Mike Love; and friend Al Jardine founded the original band. Bruce Johnston later became a full-fledged band member when Brian stopped touring.
Biggest hits: Anything having to do with cars, surfing or girls—"I Get Around," "Help Me Rhonda," "Good Vibrations," "California Girls" and more.
Awards: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988; Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.
Trademark style: Until 1966, the band wore a uniform of blue-and-gray-striped button-down shirts and white pants.
Best lyric: "Let's go surfin' now / Everybody's learning how / Come on and safari with me" — "Surfin' Safari"
Where they are today: Mike and Bruce are still touring as the Beach Boys with other musicians—including drummer/actor John Stamos. After battling drug addiction and mental illness, Brian went solo in 1988 and most recently released an album of Gershwin covers in August 2010. Dennis passed away in 1983, and Carl died of lung cancer in 1998.
Published 11/04/2010
