The cause of death for Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson has been revealed as respiratory arrest, according to his death certificate obtained by TMZ on June 26. Wilson died at age 82 on June 11.
Respiratory arrest happens when the lungs cease to function, stopping all air exchange and depriving the body of oxygen, even though the heart is still beating. According to the American CPR Care Association, this can result from blocked airways, respiratory issues like asthma or COPD, drug overdoses, or neurological disorders that disrupt normal breathing.
Sepsis and cystitis, both infections, were also noted on the death certificate as contributing causes. Other related health issues included a neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure, and chronic kidney disease. No autopsy was performed, according to the Fox News report.
Wilson’s family shared news of his passing in a post on his Instagram account on June 11. The family stated they were heartbroken to announce their beloved father’s passing and requested privacy during their time of grieving. “We are at a loss for words right now,” the family wrote in their announcement.
The musician had been placed under a conservatorship in May 2024 following a dementia diagnosis and the death of his wife, Melinda Wilson, in January 2024. According to court documents, Wilson was unable to self-administer medication or adhere to medication scheduling, and struggled with his ability to control his mood or emotions. Longtime Wilson family representatives LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers served as co-conservators.
Wilson was born on June 20, 1942, in Inglewood, California, just weeks before what would have been his 83rd birthday. As a teenager in 1958, he started a band called The Pendletones—later renamed The Beach Boys—alongside his brothers Dennis and Carl, their cousin Mike Love, and his friend Al Jardine. In 1961, the band introduced themselves with the song Surfin’, which was put out by Candix Records, a company that changed their name without the band members’ approval.
The group signed with Capitol Records one year later and released the album “Surfin’ Safari,” which included “Surfin’ U.S.A.” They followed with three albums in 1963: “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Surfer Girl,” and “Little Deuce Coupe.”
In 1964, Wilson stepped back from touring with The Beach Boys after a panic attack brought on by their intense workload. He turned his attention to producing, taking the lead in the band’s recording sessions and collaborating with the renowned studio musicians known as The Wrecking Crew. This phase marked the development of their innovative album, “Pet Sounds.”
The 1966 album “Pet Sounds” was initially deemed a commercial and critical flop but has since been widely regarded as Wilson’s masterpiece. The album was inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2004 due to its cultural, historical and aesthetic impact. Rolling Stone voted it No. 2 in their 2003 list of the best 500 albums.
In 1973, Wilson began to struggle with mental health problems rooted in depression, leading him to withdraw from public life. Thanks to the support of psychologist Eugene Landy, he experienced a brief period of improvement in 1976, but soon after, he relapsed into a prolonged depression. For two years, he rarely left his home and even installed his piano in a large sandbox indoors.
In the 1990s, the musician saw a resurgence in his career, returning to both recording and performing live. In 2004, he released Brian Wilson Presents Smile, finally completing a Beach Boys project that had originally been set aside in 1967. Wilson’s eleventh solo release, At My Piano, came out in 2021.
Beach Boys bandmate Al Jardine revealed that he last saw Wilson about a month before his death during a visit to Wilson’s home. Jardine recalled that Wilson looked him in the eyes and said, “You started the band.” Jardine indicated that he believed Wilson found peace in his later years, surrounded by family who loved him.
Wilson’s death certificate shows he was laid to rest at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary one week after his death. He is survived by six children, including daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, who formed two-thirds of the Grammy-nominated pop vocal group Wilson Phillips. Wilson was preceded in death by his brothers Dennis, who drowned in 1983, and Carl, who died of lung cancer in 1998.
The Beach Boys rank among the most popular groups of the rock era, with more than 30 singles in the Top 40 and worldwide sales exceeding 100 million records. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
