Raised in Hawthorne, California, Wilson's formative influences included George Gershwin, the Four Freshmen, Phil Spector, and Burt Bacharach. In 1961, he began his professional career as a member of the Beach Boys, serving as the band's songwriter, producer, co-lead vocalist, bassist, keyboardist, and de facto leader. After signing with Capitol Records in 1962, he became the first pop artist credited for writing, arranging, producing, and performing his own material. He also produced other acts, most notably the Honeys and American Spring. By the mid-1960s he had written or co-written more than two dozen U.S. Top 40 hits, including the number-ones "Surf City" (1963), "I Get Around" (1964), "Help Me, Rhonda" (1965), and "Good Vibrations" (1966). He is considered among the first music producer auteurs and the first rock producers to apply the studio as an instrument.
Raised in Hawthorne California Wilson's formative influences included George Gershwin the Four Freshmen Phil Spector and Burt Bacharach In 1961 he began his professional career as a member of the Beach Boys serving as the band's songwriter producer co-lead vocalist bassist keyboardist and de facto leader After signing with Capitol Records in 1962 he became the first pop artist credited for writing arranging producing and performing his own material He also produced other acts most notably the Honeys and American Spring By the mid-1960s he had written or co-written more than two dozen US Top 40 hits including the number-ones "Surf City" (1963) "I Get Around" (1964) "Help Me Rhonda" (1965) and "Good Vibrations" (1966) He is considered among the first music producer auteurs and the first rock producers to apply the studio as an instrument