
Three generations of music’s legendary Wilson family joined together with dozens of various buddies and musicians in Agoura Hills, Calif., Thursday night for a charity dwell efficiency saluting the Seashore Boys, marking the first time since Brian Wilson‘s lack of life merely over three weeks prior to now that there had been a public celebration of his music involving members of this particular tribe.
Nonetheless the timing was significantly coincidental, given that tribute dwell efficiency had been inside the works for this date since remaining 12 months, as a result of the annual event put collectively on the Canyon Membership by The Tribe. That’s the title taken by a collective of L.A.-based singers and musicians that has positioned on a gift spherical this time yearly going once more to 2015, working arm-in-arm with the Get Collectively Foundation to elevate money for quite a few charities. Thursday’s current included numerous performers associated to The Tribe who don’t have a clear connection to the Seashore Boys, nevertheless the numerous customer artists who’re a part of the extended Seashore Boys family ensured an notably sentimental night.
Among the many many members of Brian Wilson’s family on stage all through the 28-song current had been Carnie Wilson and her daughter Lola Bonfiglio; Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford, who’s Carnie’s mother and Brian Wilson’s ex-wife, teamed as soon as extra alongside along with her longtime musical affiliate Ginger Blake as a result of the duo the Honeys; and Leo Knutson, the son of Wendy Wilson and, in truth, the second of Brian’s grandchildren to be on stage on the Canyon.
“It’s very bittersweet for me,” said Carnie Wilson backstage. “I indicate, we deliberate this for the ultimate six months, nevertheless who knew that my daddy would’ve handed away three weeks prior to now. So, really, I barely made it proper right here tonight, nevertheless I’m proper right here.”
The sweet half for Carnie was in having her mother and daughter every featured beside her. “It’s very unusual — I indicate, you probably can probably depend upon one hand (the identical musical households that span) three generations. Like my buddies, Ricky Nelson’s sons — you acknowledge, Ozzie and Harriet, and Ricky Nelson, after which Gunner and Matthew. I can’t take into account too many further. And it’s a pleasure and a delight that my daughter Lola goes to open the second set with ‘The Warmth of the Photo voltaic,’ and it’s gonna knock everybody’s socks off. She sings anybody in my family beneath the desk.”
Carnie Wilson, the Honeys (Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford and Ginger Blake), Lola Bonfiglio and Leo Knutson perform on the Seashore Boys tribute dwell efficiency on the Canyon Membership
Chris Willman/Choice
Two former members of the Seashore Boys moreover took the stage — Blondie Chaplin, who sang the hit “Sail On Sailor” all through his tenure with the group inside the early ’70s, and David Marks, who spent quite a few years inside the band all through its mid-’60s prime and obtained right here once more spherical later for reunions.
Singer Blondie Chaplin, former member of The Seashore Boys, performs onstage at The Canyon on July 03, 2025 in Agoura Hills, California.
Getty Pictures
Musician David Marks, genuine member of The Seashore Boys, performs onstage at The Canyon all through The Tribe’s All Star Tribute Reside efficiency to the Seashore Boys on July 03, 2025 in Agoura Hills, California.
Scott Dudelson/Getty Pictures
After which there was a veteran musician who could as properly have been a member of the Seashore Boys, for all intents and features: pianist Don Randi, who carried out on quite a few studio lessons for the group as a participant in what would later come to be recognized by all people (other than a certain bass participant) as a result of the Wrecking Crew.
Don Randi performs on the Seashore Boys tribute dwell efficiency on the Canyon Membership
Chris WIllman/Choice
That additionally left room for a great deal of unassociated frontpeople or featured instrumentalists, from actor Rob Morrow to ex-Wings member Laurence Juber to Speedy Member of the household Steve Postell to “American Idol” alumnus Carly Smithson. And Nelson Bragg, a longtime member of Brian’s touring band, was part of the house band and a lead vocalist as properly.
Actor/musician Rob Morrow performs onstage at The Canyon on July 03, 2025 in Agoura Hills, California.
Scott Dudelson/Getty Pictures
The set was largely made up of foreseeable Seashore Boys favorites — primarily the ’60s necessities plus “Kokomo” — nevertheless John McNeely did warn that there will be quite a few deep cuts as he stepped as a lot because the mic. Sure ample, he sang “Pupil Demonstration Time,” the polarizing, counterculture-themed, early-’70s rewrite of Leiber & Stoller’s “Riot in Cell Block #9” that may usually current up on followers’ lists of least favorite Seashore Boys songs… which, adore it or hate it, made its unusual look proper right here all the further nice.
The Seashore Boys themselves had not carried out “Pupil Demonstration Time” since 1973. Nonetheless there was an excellent deeper cut back than that: “Proper right here She Comes,” from the 1972 “Carl and the Passions/So Highly effective” album, with a lead vocal by Blondie Chaplin. We requested him backstage: When was the ultimate time he carried out “Proper right here She Comes”?
“I’ve under no circumstances executed that tune reside,” said Chaplin. In no way? “No, that’s the first time I’ve ever executed it — not even once more then. It was a little bit of shaky, you acknowledge what I indicate? Bu I did it because of Kevin (Wachs, who executive-produced the current with Mare Wachs) wanted me to do it.”
Chaplin has extra moderen recollections of Brian than some, having been a part of his band on tour inside the late 2010s. “He’s an excellent man, man,” said Chaplin, nonetheless talking inside the present tense. “I miss him. Tomorrow there’ll be some moist tears,” he well-known, reiterating what a number of the performers said, that there was an extreme quantity of camaraderie inside the current to get too melancholy. “It’s sad, nevertheless he, he’s given loads. Everybody’s been touched by what Brian’s executed — it doesn’t matter which musician.”
David Marks said he was a near-miss for the current, nevertheless the properly being fates favored him. “Ginger (Blake, from the Honeys) often known as me a pair months prior to now and I couldn’t do it; I wasn’t feeling very properly. Nonetheless Nelson talked me into it, and I started feeling greater, so I made it merely in time for rehearsals remaining week,” he recounted.
“I assume the timing is pretty good, to remember Brian and his good music. The issue was deliberate means sooner than Brian handed, so the timing of this event is good because of he’s in all of our hearts.” He carried out guitar on the night’s car-song medley “because of I was on these data” from the mid-’60s. Marks said it felt barely uncommon taking part in a Seashore Boys salute: “I suggested my partner, it’s kinda weird that I’m proper right here paying tribute to myself! Nonetheless I didn’t want to miss it.”
(L-R) Former Seashore Boy member David Marks and Carnie Wilson attend The Canyon all through The Tribe’s All Star Tribute Reside efficiency to the Seashore Boys on July 03, 2025 in Agoura Hills, California.
Scott Dudelson/Getty Pictures
If Lola Bonfiglio seems acquainted, it is likely to be because of she was seen as a contestant on “American Idol” once more in March. She might need been having rather more of a family affair if her father, Ron Bonfiglio, was available. nevertheless he’s out on the freeway participating in with Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band, who had been set to start their tour on July 4. Nonetheless it was nonetheless numerous family help Thursday night.
“It’s positively the first time shortly I’ve carried out with my grandma and Ginger” (aka the Honeys), the 19-year-old said. “It’s so specific and I am keen on it, and it’s honoring my grandpa. It’s a cool issue that his legacy is so, so giant, and that, I indicate, all these of us know who my grandfather is — it’s crazy. Nonetheless I’m merely attempting to be on stage and by no means cry.” She made it by the use of “The Warmth of the Photo voltaic” and the other numbers she participated in with out tears, and closed her giant amount with a look skyward and an “I such as you, grandpa.”
Talked about her grandmother, Marilyn WIlson-Rutherford, after the current, “It was nice singing with family —and that’s our completely different family, The Tribe, with Kevin and Mary.” Added Ginger, “They’re unimaginable of us, and we always love doing these reveals for them because of their coronary coronary heart is within the appropriate place. And notably instantly, commemorating and paying tribute to Brian, Marilyn’s ex-husband.” (Wilson produced a group of recordings for his then-wife’s duo by the use of quite a lot of the Sixties.)
The two songs the Honeys carried out with help from the following two generations had been “I Can Hear Music,” from the Seashore Boys’ “20/20” album, and “Friends,” the title monitor of an album that Marilyn well-known was Brian’s favorite of all his work, along with “The Seashore Boys Love You.” (No supplies from that latter album was carried out all through the evening, nevertheless Al Jardine is planning to cowl that base on his tour.)
Among the many many knockout numbers of the night on the Canyon Membership, previous any of the aforementioned, had been two of the massive ballads, Carly Smithson’s “God Solely Is conscious of” and Cara Lee’s “Don’t Worry Youngster”; a Wachs-led “Sloop John B” that briefly turn into a reggae amount merely sooner than the climax; and a “Actually really feel Flows” that accurately commemorated thought of one in all Carl Wilson’s signature numbers with an epic flute solo from one in all many night’s instrumental MVPs, Fuzzbee Morse.
“Good Vibrations” lived as a lot as its title as an all-cast finale, although Carnie Wilson seemed to be having a barely solemn second as a result of it started, putting her arms proper right into a prayerful place and looking out up, presumably sending some form of concepts out to the daddy who invented the phrase “a teenage symphony to God.”
Carnie Wilson performs on the tribute dwell efficiency for the Seashore Boys on the Canyon Membership
Chris Willman/Choice
Setlist for the Seashore Boys tribute, July 3, 2025:
Set 1
California Girls — John Pratt
Pleasurable Pleasurable Pleasurable — Lauri Reimer
Darlin’ — Ken Stacey
Kokomo — John McNeely
Pupil Demonstration Time — Michael Stern
Car Medley (Surfin’ Safari, 409, Little Deuce Coupe, I Get Spherical) — Pacific and David Marks
Caroline, No —
I Can Hear Music — the Honeys, Lola Bonfiglio, Leo Knutson
Friends — Carnie Wilson, the Honeys, Lola Bonfiglio, Leo Knutson
Wouldn’t It Be Good — Terrell Edwards
Carly Smithson and Blondie Chaplin backstage on the Seashore Boys tribute dwell efficiency on the Canyon Membership
Chris Willman/Choice
Set 2
The Warmth of the Photo voltaic — Lola Bonfiglio
In My Room — Rosemary Butler
You Nonetheless Take into account in Me — Jaynee Throne
God Solely Is conscious of — Carly Smithson
Rock ‘n’ Roll Music — Rob Morrow
Surfer Lady — Alex Jules
Marcella — Freebo
Don’t Converse (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) — Alice Howe
Don’t Worry Youngster — Cara Lee
Do You Wanna Dance — Laurence Juber
Actually really feel Flows — Jeff Allen Ross
Proper right here She Comes — Blondie Chaplin
Sail on Sailor — Blondie Chaplin
Help Me Rhonda — Nelson and Carnie Wilson
Sloop John B — Kevin Wachs
Surfin’ USA — Goddard
Good Vibrations — the Wilsons