The Beach Boys have been
nearly everywhere since brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, their
cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine got together and invented what
became known as "The California Sound" in the early 1960s. One
thing they haven’t done, though, is be part of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh—The
World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.
That changes this year
when the group wraps up opening day tomorrow night with a rousing
concert free to all AirVenture guests, courtesy of Ford Motor Company.
The concert is scheduled for two hours and starts at 6 p.m.
The Beach Boys’ finely
crafted tunes about surfing, having fun in the sun, hot cars, growing
up, and of course, "California Girls," made them the hottest
band in America during the mid-1960s. Even after Beatlemania swept the
nation, the Beach Boys more than held their own, thanks to increasingly
sophisticated music and innovative recording techniques. In fact, former
Beatle Paul McCartney credits the Beach Boys’ "Pet Sounds,"
which is universally hailed as a landmark pop album, as the inspiration
behind Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The music world is
marking the 40th anniversary of that multi-platinum masterpiece this
year.
Of course, that album was
just one of the group’s successes: The Beach Boys have had dozens of
top 40 hits, including four No. 1 singles, and record sales in excess of
100 million. In 1988, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame (along with the Beatles).
At EAA AirVenture, Mike
Love and longtime band mate Bruce Johnston will lead today’s Beach
Boys in their first-ever appearance at the annual Oshkosh gathering.
Ford is bringing the Beach Boys to AirVenture as something special and
fun to thank EAA members for their support.
The concert takes place adjacent to the
Ford Motor Company Hangar on AeroShell Square. So put on your Hawaiian
shirt and get ready to rock and roll with America’s band!
