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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Remembering Brian Wilson, how he resurrected his masterpiece ‘SMiLE’

Musical visionary Brian Wilson’s family announced on Wednesday that the Beach Boys’ co-founder died at 82.

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By Madeleine Brand • Jun 12, 2025 • 1 min read

Musical visionary Brian Wilson’s family announced on Wednesday that the Beach Boys’ co-founder died at 82. Biographer David Leaf has been a close friend of Wilson for more than 45 years, and his new book is “SMiLE: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Brian Wilson.”

More:Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys, and the ‘Pet Sounds’ goats (2016)

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Madeleine Brand

    Host, 'Press Play'

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    Sarah Sweeney

    Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

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    Stephen Gregory

    Managing Editor, Press Play

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    Angie Perrin

    Producer, Press Play

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    David Leaf

    adjunct professor at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music and the author of “SMiLE: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Brian Wilson.”

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Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand