The Beach Boys cofounder Brian Wilson comes from a family of musicians.
Brian, born in June 1942, is the eldest child of Audree Wilson and songwriter and music publisher Murry Wilson. His parents later welcomed sons Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson in 1944 and 1946, respectively. Brian, Dennis and Carl later formed the Beach Boys along with cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine, and the group became one of the most influential bands of the rock era. (Dennis and Carl died in 1983 and 1998, respectively.)
One year after the Beach Boys achieved major fame with their first hit “Surfin’ U.S.A.” in 1963, Brian tied the knot with Marilyn Rovell. The pair went on to welcome daughters Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson before calling it quits in 1978. Brian later married Melinda Kae Ledbetter in 1995, and the pair adopted five children: Dakota, Daria, Delanie, Dylan and Dash.
By 2012, Brian had become the grandfather of six grandchildren: Lola, Luciana, Leo, Will, Beau and Jesse. Carnie shares daughters Lola and Luciana with husband Robert Bonfiglio, while Wendy shares sons Leo, Beau and twins Will and Jesse with husband Daniel Knutson.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Brian’s family:
Murry and Audree Wilson
Brian’s father, Murry, and mother, Audree, tied the knot in 1938. They went on to welcome Brian in 1942 followed by Dennis and Carl in 1944 and 1946, respectively, before divorcing in 1966. Murry died in 1973 at age 55, while Audree died in 1997 at age 80.
Carnie Wilson is still singing Beach Boys songs with her father, Brian Wilson, amid his battle with dementia, she exclusively tells Us Weekly. “Over Easter, we were singing some Beach Boy songs for him,” Carnie, 55, told Us of the holiday she spent with her father, 81, and daughter, 18. “He couldn’t get over [it]. […]
Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson
Brian’s brothers, Dennis and Carl, were born in 1944 and 1946, respectively. All of the brothers gained international recognition for their band, the Beach Boys. Dennis, the drummer, died from drowning in 1983 at age 39. Carl, the lead guitarist of the Beach Boys, died from lung cancer in 1998. He was 51.
Marilyn Rovell
Brian met his first wife in 1962 when she was a high school student. The twosome married in December 1964 and welcomed Carnie in 1968, followed by Wendy in 1969. After several years of a strained marriage, Marilyn and Brian separated in 1978 and filed for divorce the following year.
Melinda Kae Ledbetter
Brian initially dated Ledbetter, who was a car saleswoman and later became Brian’s manager, from 1986 to 1989. The couple later reconnected in 1991 and married in 1995. Brian and Ledbetter adopted five children together: Dakota, Daria, Delanie, Dylan and Dash. Brian’s wife died in January 2024 at age 77.
“My heart is broken. Melinda, my beloved wife of 28 years, passed away this morning,” Brian shared in a statement following her death. “Our five children and I are just in tears. We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career. She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us. Please say a prayer for her.”
A handful of families have produced multiple music stars, building a legacy of intergenerational talent that reaches farther than most solo artists can hope — but along the way, many of these families have faced controversy, tragedy and chaos. The Jackson family, for example, dubbed the “Royal Family of Pop,” yielded over a dozen successful […]
Carnie Wilson
Brian and Rovell’s first daughter, Carnie, was born in 1968. Carnie and her sister, Wendy, along with friend Chynna Phillips, cofounded the pop vocal group Wilson Phillips in 1989. The group, which released popular hits such as “Hold On,” disbanded in 1993 before eventually reuniting in 2003 and 2012. Carnie has also recorded some solo ventures, releasing A Mother’s Gift: Lullabies From the Heart in 2006 followed by a Christmas album in 2007.
In addition to music, Carnie has appeared on various TV shows, including That ’70s Show, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Talk and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Carnie tied the knot with Bonfiglio in 2000, and they went on to welcome daughters Lola and Luciana in 2005 and 2009, respectively.
Wendy Wilson
Brian and Rovell’s youngest daughter, Wendy, was born in 1969. Along with Carnie, Wendy was part of Wilson Phillips. Similar to her sister, Wendy has also made appearances on various reality shows such as Supernanny, Amazing Moms, The Newlywed Game and Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On.
Wendy married Knutson, who is a record producer, in 2002. They share sons Leo and Will and twins Beau and Jesse.
American Idol is arguably television’s biggest, most influential platform for emerging artists over the past 23 years – including relatives of some very famous faces. From siblings of pop superstars to the children of Hollywood royalty, numerous Idol auditioners tried to carve out their own place in the spotlight. Some sailed through the audition rounds, […]
Dakota, Daria, Delanie, Dylan and Dash
During Brian’s marriage to Ledbetter, the duo adopted Dakota, Daria, Delanie, Dylan and Dash.
“About a year into our marriage, we decided we wanted children, and we didn’t get married till I was 48,” Ledbetter explained in a 2004 interview with Larry King. “We decided we would adopt.”
The five children have chosen to remain out of the public eye.
Lola and Luciana
Carnie and Bonfiglio welcomed Lola and Luciana in 2005 and 2009, respectively. In January 2025, Lola shared that she was auditioning for American Idol.
“Surprise surprise… i auditioned for @americanidol !! tune in on march 23rd to see my results 🫵🙈🤍,” Lola wrote alongside an Instagram post of her standing in front of an American Idol sign.
Leo, Will, Beau and Jesse
Wendy and Knutson welcomed Leo and Will in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Twins Beau and Jesse arrived in 2007.
