Murry Gage Wilson was an American songwriter, talent manager, record producer, and music publisher, best known as the father of the Beach Boys' Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson.
39 Facts About Murry Wilson
2.
Later in his life, Murry Wilson was accused of physically and verbally abusing his children, charges which he denied.
3.
Murry Wilson authored or co-authored at least 50 compositions in his lifetime, albeit with little commercial success.
4.
Murry Wilson was credited as producer for some of the band's early records, including the 1962 singles "409" and "Surfin' Safari".
5.
Murry Wilson controlled the Beach Boys' publishing until 1969, when he sold Sea of Tunes to Irving Almo Music in exchange for $700,000.
6.
Murry Gage Wilson was born on July 2,1917 in Hutchinson, Kansas, as the third child and second son of Edith Sophia and William Coral "Buddy" Wilson, a plumber.
7.
Murry Wilson's father was of English, Irish, and Scottish descent, while his mother was of Swedish heritage.
8.
Murry Wilson was interested in music from a young age and aspired to be a pop songwriter since he was a teenager.
9.
Murry Wilson then did a four-year stint at Admiral Machinery Company, a heavy machinery leasing business, where he was employed by his younger brother Douglas.
10.
Murry Wilson maintained an active interest in music, which he passed along to his sons, encouraging them to learn to sing and play instruments.
11.
The degree to which Murry Wilson fleshed out his goals through his infant children was in fact peculiar.
12.
The Murry Wilson brothers did not publicly discuss their problematic relationship with their father until they were adults.
13.
Murry Wilson denied such reports when approached by Rolling Stone in 1971.
14.
In private, many people confirm that the Murry Wilson brothers had it very hard.
15.
For Dennis's tenth birthday, Murry Wilson hosted a children's party that converted the family home into a jungle gym for Dennis and his friends to play in.
16.
Also arranged by Hite, renditions of Murry Wilson's "Painting with Teardrops " and "Two Step, Side Step" were recorded by country singer Johnny Hall and released as a single on the Recorded in Hollywood label.
17.
Murry Wilson was a tough negotiator on the band's behalf, organizing a contract signing with Capitol Records.
18.
Murry Wilson introduced Brian to Roger Christian, who became Brian's writing partner for the band's car songs.
19.
Murry Wilson accompanied the group on their first Australasian tour in January 1964, and required that the band not fraternize with women, use profanity, or drink alcoholic beverages.
20.
That was the only time I ever saw Brian defy him physically, and Murry Wilson, defeated, left the studio.
21.
In 1964, Murry Wilson sold off his machinery business and separated from Audree.
22.
In February 1965, Murry Wilson visited a Beach Boys recording session for "Help Me, Rhonda" and, to the group's annoyance, attempted to resume his role as the band's producer.
23.
Murry Wilson later told Rolling Stone that he enjoyed the album and praised it as a "masterpiece of accomplishment for Brian", noting that it had become a ubiquitous influence on the music heard in product commercials.
24.
Murry Wilson didn't think he could ever write anything as good as that again.
25.
In 1968, Murry Wilson appeared on the Beach Boys' Friends album, singing the brief bass vocal harmony in the chorus of "Be Here in the Mornin".
26.
In late 1969, Murry Wilson sold Sea of Tunes, over the band's objections, for the undervalued amount of $700,000.
27.
The tape begins with a spoken interlude in which Murry Wilson suggests the Beach Boys should record these songs, as he "doesn't have long to live".
28.
In 1972, Murry Wilson became ill with diverticulitis that contributed to his worsening heart disease.
29.
Dennis called his father on Mother's Day and Murry Wilson told him, 'I'm just going to live about a month.
30.
On June 4,1973, Murry Wilson died at his home in Whittier, California, after having a heart attack at the age of 55.
31.
Murry Wilson was buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.
32.
Murry Wilson didn't make us better artists or musicians, but he gave us ambition.
33.
Murry Wilson used to spank us, and it hurt too, but I loved him because he was a great musician.
34.
Engineer Chuck Britz, studio owner Stan Ross, record executive Russ Regan, and band promoter Fred Vail all spoke positively of Murry Wilson and credited him with much of the band's initial success.
35.
Murry Wilson was in it to help his sons, to help make his sons a hit band.
36.
In 2020, musician George Faulkner released a tribute album, George Faulkner Sings Murry Wilson, containing 11 Wilson songs.
37.
Murry Wilson was portrayed in two television movies: in 1990's Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys, by Arlen Dean Snyder, and in 2000's The Beach Boys: An American Family, by Kevin Dunn.
38.
The latter program inspired illustrator Peter Bagge and comedian Dana Gould to create a 2000 web cartoon based on Wilson, titled Rock and Roll Dad, with Wilson voiced by Paul F Tompkins.
39.
Murry Wilson wrote at least 50 compositions in his lifetime, with over 25 recorded by other artists.