It wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that Brian Wilson – co-founder, chief writer and lead singer of the Beach Boys – was responsible for Huntington Beach becoming Surf City USA in the national consciousness.
When Wilson passed away on June 11, the South Coast honored its favorite son with a paddle-out at the Huntington Beach Pier. The tribute coincided with International Surfing Day and drew nearly 400 people.
It may surprise some to learn Wilson wasn’t from Huntington Beach and didn’t surf. He and brothers Dennis and Carl grew up in Hawthorne. Today, a landmark at 3701 W. 119th Street in Hawthorne commemorates the Beach Boys.
The group’s love of the beach drew them to Huntington Beach, home to miles of open sand and some of the best waves in California.
On Feb. 8, 1964, the Beach Boys first performed in Huntington Beach at the old Pavilion Skating Rink, a landmark once located next to the pier. Built in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration, the venue hosted civic events, concerts, and dances.
Since that pier-side show, Beach Boys music has become the soundtrack of Surf City. Their songs have filled the set lists of amateur cover bands, community events, restaurants, shops and homes around the world.
The 1963 single Surfin’ U.S.A. was perhaps the melody most associated with the city, shaping its unofficial identity as Surf City beginning in 1991. The nickname was made official in 2008 after Huntington Beach won a trademark dispute with Santa Cruz.
Over their decades-long career, the Beach Boys sold more than 146 million albums. They were the top-selling band before the Beatles and remain among the most successful of all time. Anecdotally, many newcomers to Huntington Beach in the late 20th century were inspired to settle in Surf City after first connecting with surf culture through Beach Boys music.
Thanks to Wilson and his bandmates, Huntington Beach rightfully claims a place alongside Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans and Chicago as a city defined by music — in this case, one that popularized a genre all its own.
Wilson will be missed for many years to come.