Who was Melinda Ledbetter? All about Brian Wilson’s late wife and family

Musician Brian Wilson passed away on 11 June. He was married to talent manager Melinda Ledbetter untill her death in 2024 and was allegedly diagnosed with dementia, according to Daily Mail. However, the exact cause of his death was not revealed in the statement released by his family. It read:

"We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. 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."

Brian Wilson's career spanned over five decades, having risen to fame with the Beach Boys in the 1960s. He was known for hits like God Only Knows, Don't Back Down, Surfin USA, Good Vibrations," California Girls, and others. Brian Wilson was a prolific songwriter, having written over forty credited songs for other artists. Later in his life, he struggled with addiction issues and credited his wife, Melinda Ledbetter as being "his saviour" and for helping him come out of the dark phase in life.

More about Melinda Ledbetter and her family, as legendary singer Brian Wilson passes away

Melinda Kae Ledbetter was born on 3 October 1946 and grew up in Colorado with parents, Leonard and Rosemary Ledbetter. According to Deadline, Melinda Ledbetter started her career as a model, having worked for brands like Anna Klein and Bob Mackie. She later began working as a car salesperson, and this is where the couple met in 1986. According to People Magazine, in a 2015 interview with ABC News, Brian Wilson recounted the moment of their first meeting, where he bought a brown Cadillac seville from her. He said:

"I remember meeting her at her dealership, Cadillac, and I said, ‘God, she's a pretty girl. That's a pretty girl.' I just said to myself, ‘God, I think I'll see her again sometime."

Melinda Ledbetter and Brian Wilson began dating in 1986 and were in an on and off relationship, but soon broke up. This was due to Dr. Eugene Landy, a psychologist whom Brian Wilson had initially consulted for his mental health struggles, but who soon controlled a large part of his life. Landy developed what was called the "24 hour therapy" and encouraged Brian Wilson to cut contact with his family and friends. Landy's influence on the Kokomo singer extended to every aspect of his life, and in 1991, his family sued Dr. Eugene Landy in court and ensured that the two could never contact again.

In a 2004 interview with Larry King, Melinda Ledbetter talked about how Dr. Eugene Landy slowly took over every aspect of Brian Wilson's life. She said:

"He was called in to help, and I think originally he did help. He helped Brian lose weight. He helped Brian care about himself physically again. As time went on, he became very captive of Brian. Brian was primarily a prisoner."

Around this time, Melinda Ledbetter and Brian Wilson met once again by happenstance. She in an interview with The Rolling Stone said:

"I was driving down Pico Boulevard one day and I nearly ran over him."

Brian Wilson was previously married to singer Marilyn Rovell for fifteen years, untill their divorce in 1979. The former couple welcomed two daughters, and after their divorce, Rovell was granted custody of their two children. In 1995, Brian Wilson and Melinda Ledbetter married in a private ceremony attended by their closest family and friends. The couple adopted five children over the course of their almost thirty years of marriage. In her interview with Larry King, Melinda Ledbetter explained the decision. She said:

"About a year into our marriage, we decided we wanted children, and we didn't get married till I was 48. We decided we would adopt."

Melinda became Brian Wilson's maganer in 1999, a position she retained untill her death in January 2024 at the age of seventy seven. Brian Wilson wrote a heartfelt tribute to Melinda Ledbetter, although no cause of death was released. He wrote:

"Our five children and I are just in tears. We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career. She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us."

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According to People Magazine, Melinda Ledbetter and Brian Wilson's love story, which was depicted in the 2015 movie, Love & Mercy. They are survived by their five children, and Brian Wilson's two daughters from his previous marriage.

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