The first time I was made aware of Carl Wilson it was on the back of the Surfin' Safari album by the Beach Boys…Edd Smith had the album and he pointed out the individual guys to me. Carl was just a kid…he was playing lead guitar with his older brothers Dennis and Brian, cousin Mike Love and David Marks (who sort of became the "forgotten Beach Boy"). I loved the early Beach Boys records, the simple songs about hot rods, the beach, and the California sun and the blondes. At tha...t time in my life, never would I have thought I would one day meet Carl, let alone sing on one of his solo albums, and have him sing on one of mine…life has strange ways of interweaving paths...
Carl left us far too soon, only reaching 52 years of age. But his voice will be around forever, that wonderful, clear voice that gave us the lead vocals on God Only Knows and Good Vibrations among other classics. Carl left us in 1998, over 20 years ago, yet tonight it doesn't seem that long ago to me.
I sang background on two cuts on Carl's "Youngblood" album (Rockin' All Over The World and Young Blood) and Carl (along with Timothy B. Schmit) sang on my "Heart" album (Heart and Over You). I felt privileged to work with him and loved his professional approach to singing in the studio.
Great voice, silenced all too soon...
CARL WILSON 1946-1998