Who was Brian Wilson’s father Murry Wilson? Singer’s troubled relationship with dad explored

Brian Wilson, founding member, lead singer, and songwriter of The Beach Boys, has died. He was 82 years old.

His family confirmed his death in a social media statement, stating that they are “heartbroken” over his demise. They requested privacy at the moment. But the exact cause of his death was not revealed.

However, according to a report in NBC News, his legal representatives told last year that he has been suffering from "major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia)" and suggested he be placed in conservatorship.

The artist’s life was often tumultuous as he struggled with mental health and substance abuse. Wilson’s relationship with his father, Murry Wilson, was also marked by significant challenges, which included abuse and emotional turmoil.

He acted as a talent manager for The Beach Boys but was ultimately fired from the band in 1964 due to his controlling behavior. He was also a songwriter, record producer, and music publisher.

Let us understand more about the troubled relationship between Brian Wilson and his father, Murry Wilson.

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How was the relationship between Brian Wilson with his father, Murry Wilson?

Brian Wilson was born to parents Murry Wilson and Audree Wilson on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California.

According to Far Out Magazine, Brian Wilson shared a strained relationship with his father, Murry Wilson. In his 2016 autobiography, he discussed the violent abuse he faced at his father’s hands.

“When he didn’t put his hands on us, he tried to scare us in other ways.”

He also mentioned in his memoir that:

“My dad was violent. He was cruel.”

“He drank too much and became a monster - and he didn’t know how to deal with his son’s fears. Whenever I got afraid, he would yell at me or slap me or call me a p****”

He told how his father, Murry Wilson, expected them to work all the time. Recalling the incident, he said:

“He would set up our amps and scream at us to do more.”

Despite this fact, Brian Wilson has credited him for helping to start their band, The Beach Boys. He said that his dad reached out to his contacts in the music industry to help them record their first single, Surfin'.

Murry Wilson became The Beach Boys’ de facto manager in 1962. He later founded the publishing company Sea of Tunes. However, in 1964, Murry Wilson was fired from the band due to his controlling behavior as he became intolerable, which further deteriorated their relationship. But he continued as the band’s publisher.

Describing Wilson’s behavior, Mike Love in conversation with Goldmine said:

“[He was] very abusive and gruff and terrifying and intimidating and negative. Stuff like, ‘You guys don’t know what you’re doing’. Those kind of remarks. Very unsupportive. However, he was an aspiring songwriter and he knew that there was a value to songs. I didn’t even know what publishing was when we started out. I wasn’t from a show business background.”

Brian Wilson was married twice, first to Marilyn, with whom he welcomed two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, in the late 1960s. After divorcing her, he remarried in 1995 and adopted five children with his wife, Melinda. They were married until her death in 2024.