Celebrity Grave: "Beach Boy" Musician Carl Wilson 1998

Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. He was the younger brother of fellow Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Dennis Wilson.

Wilson was diagnosed with brain and lung cancer in early 1997. Despite his illness and chemotherapy treatments, Carl continued to perform after diagnosis. Carl played through the Beach Boys' entire summer tour which ended in the fall of 1997. He sat down most of the time and needed oxygen after every song, but he still had his unique voice. The only time he stood during concerts was when he sang "God Only Knows" to his fans.

Carl Wilson lost his battle with cancer on February 6, 1998, just two months after the death of his mother, Audree Wilson. He was survived by his brother Brian, wife Gina (daughter of Dean Martin), and two sons by his first marriage, Justyn and Jonah.

A handful of recordings of Wilson have been released, notably the album Like a Brother, by a "supergroup" Wilson formed with Gerry Beckley of America and Robert Lamm of Chicago. He also appeared posthumously on his brother Brian's album Gettin' in Over My Head (which used his vocal from the unreleased Beach Boys song "Soul Searchin'" put to a new backing track), and bandmate Alan Jardine's 2010 release A Postcard From California (on the simiarly reconstructed track "Don't Fight The Sea"). He also appears on the many Beach Boys archival releases that have come out since his death.

Carl Wilson is buried at Westwood Village Cemetery in Los Angeles.