Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford (née Rovell; born February 6, 1948) is an American singer who is best known as the first wife of
the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
'
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
. Raised in Los Angeles, she started her singing career in the late 1950s, initially as part of a family singing trio,
the Rovell Sisters, with her siblings Diane and Barbara. Through a mutual connection with musician
Gary Usher
Gary Lee Usher (December 14, 1938 – May 25, 1990) was an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer, who worked with numerous California acts in the 1960s, including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and Dick Dale. Usher also produced fict ...
, Marilyn met Brian at a Beach Boys concert in August 1962 when she was 14 and Brian was 20. Brian subsequently renamed the Rovell Sisters to "the Honeys" and wrote and produced several of their records in the 1960s.
Marilyn married Brian in December 1964 and together had two children,
Carnie
Carny, also spelled carnie, is an informal term used in North America for a traveling carnival employee, and the language they use, particularly when the employee operates a game ("joint"), food stand ("grab", "popper" or "floss wagon"), or ride ...
and
Wendy Wilson
Wendy Wilson (born October 16, 1969) is an American singer and television personality who is a member of the pop trio Wilson Phillips. She co-founded Wilson Phillips with her older sister, Carnie, and childhood friend Chynna Phillips when th ...
, who later formed two-thirds of
Wilson Phillips
Wilson Phillips is an American pop group formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The group consists of Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson, the daughters of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of t ...
. The couple's early marital struggles were reflected in the pessimistic and dejected lyrical content from the Beach Boys' 1966 album ''
Pet Sounds
''Pet Sounds'' is the 11th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on May 16, 1966, by Capitol Records. It was initially met with a lukewarm critical and commercial response in the United States, peaking at number 10 on the ...
'' (particularly the songs "
Caroline, No
"Caroline, No" is a song by American musician Brian Wilson that was released as his first solo record on March 7, 1966 and, two months later, reissued as the closing track on the Beach Boys' album ''Pet Sounds''. Written with Tony Asher, the lyr ...
" and "
You Still Believe in Me
"You Still Believe in Me" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album ''Pet Sounds''. Initially conceived as "In My Childhood", it was the first songwriting collaboration between Brian Wilson, the group's ''de facto'' l ...
"). In 1971, she and Diane formed
American Spring
American Spring (known as simply Spring before 1972) was an American pop music duo formed in Los Angeles, California. It consisted of sisters Marilyn Wilson and Diane Rovell, who had earlier been members of girl group the Honeys. As with the H ...
, with Brian again acting as producer and songwriter. Marilyn and Brian ultimately divorced in 1979, due in part to Brian's longstanding issues with mental illness and drug abuse. She continues to occasionally perform concerts with the Honeys.
Background and early singing career
Marilyn Rovell was born on February 6, 1948 in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, the second daughter of Mae Gausmann and Irving Rovell (originally Rovelski). Her father was the owner and operator of a hand laundry. She has two sisters: Diane (born 1945) and Barbara (born 1949). In 1955, the Rovell family moved to a two-bedroom house at 616 North Sierra Bonita Avenue in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. Her father took a job as a metal worker for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and, on the weekends, a part-time job as a clothing salesman. Biographer
Steven Gaines wrote that the family "were what the decidedly anti-Semitic
Hawthorne
Hawthorne often refers to the American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Hawthorne may also refer to:
Places
Australia
*Hawthorne, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane
Canada
* Hawthorne Village, Ontario, a suburb of Milton, Ontario
United States
* Hawt ...
crowd considered '
Fairfax Jews'".
The family soon purchased an upright piano for their living room. In Gaines' description, "Mae was the musical one in the family", and all of her daughters "had strong, harmonious voices and loved to sing". According to biographer James Murphy, "Their home was filled with music and the girls spent hours gathered around Mae’s piano singing their favorite songs by
the Andrews Sisters
The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (July 6, 1911 – May 8, 1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (January ...
and
the McGuire Sisters
The McGuire Sisters were a singing trio in American popular music. The group was composed of three sisters:
* Ruby Christine McGuire (July 30, 1926 – December 28, 2018)
* Dorothy "Dottie" McGuire (February 13, 1928 – September 7, 2012)
* Ph ...
." By 1958, Marilyn and her sisters had formed a music trio, known as "the Rovell Sisters". whose act featured renditions of songs such as the McGuire Sisters' "Ding Dong" and "
Sugartime
"Sugartime" is a popular song written by Charlie Phillips and Odis Echols, and published in 1957. The biggest hit version was by the McGuire Sisters, whose recording of it topped the Most Played chart in February 1958. It was also the second ...
". The Rovell Sisters appeared on local television programs and competed in talent contests. Marilyn and Diane attended
Fairfax High School.
The Honeys and American Spring
![The Beach Boys 1963 Billboard (Wilson brothers crop)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/The_Beach_Boys_1963_Billboard_%28Wilson_brothers_crop%29.png)
Marilyn met
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...
when she attended a Beach Boys concert at
Pandora's Box
Pandora's box is an artifact in Greek mythology connected with the myth of Pandora in Hesiod's c. 700 B.C. poem ''Works and Days''. Hesiod reported that curiosity led her to open a container left in the care of her husband, thus releasing physi ...
, a
Sunset Strip nightclub, in August 1962 with Diane and their cousin Ginger Blake, who was dating Wilson's collaborator
Gary Usher
Gary Lee Usher (December 14, 1938 – May 25, 1990) was an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer, who worked with numerous California acts in the 1960s, including the Byrds, the Beach Boys, and Dick Dale. Usher also produced fict ...
. According to Marilyn, "I was drinking hot chocolate. After they finished their song, Brian looked at me and said, ‘Can I have a sip?’ I said, ‘Sure’ and, as he gave it back to me, it spilled all over me and we started laughing. That’s how we met." Later, Wilson's song "
All Summer Long" nodded to their first meeting with the lyric "Remember when you spilled
Coke all over your blouse?"
Brian prevailed upon
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
to sign the Rovell sisters, whom he rechristened "
the Honeys
The Honeys (originally the Rovell Sisters) were an American girl group, formed in Los Angeles in 1958, that initially comprised sisters Marilyn, Diane, and Barbara Rovell. Barbara was later replaced by their cousin, Ginger Blake. After 1962, ...
", envisioning them as a female counterpart to the Beach Boys. The company released several Honeys recordings as singles, although they sold poorly. Several years later, Marilyn and Diane formed the music duo
American Spring
American Spring (known as simply Spring before 1972) was an American pop music duo formed in Los Angeles, California. It consisted of sisters Marilyn Wilson and Diane Rovell, who had earlier been members of girl group the Honeys. As with the H ...
, a collaboration with Brian and musician David Sandler. Released in July 1972, the group's only album ''
Spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season)
Spring, also known as springtime, is one of the four temperate seasons, succeeding winter and preceding summer. There are various technical definitions of spring, but local usage of ...
'' was critically acclaimed but failed to chart.
Early relationship with Wilson and ''Pet Sounds''
Marilyn began dating Brian Wilson when she was 15 and he was 21.
They initially concealed their relationship from outsiders. Brian was closely acquainted with the Rovell family, and from 1963 to 1964, was allowed to make their home his primary residence. Gaines writes that the couple shared a bedroom, but slept in different beds, an arrangement that "didn't seem to raise any eyebrows at the Rovell household, although
er parentswere particularly moral and conservative". Inspired by a remark from Diane, Brian later wrote "
Don't Hurt My Little Sister" about the affair. Gaines adds that, from the onset of the couple's relationship, it "was often unclear to outsiders exactly which sister Brian loved best", and Marilyn and Diane had "found themselves caught up in a benign competition" that persisted even after Marilyn had married Brian.
In between her time spent recording and performing, Marilyn worked at a doughnut shop, and enrolled in
Hollywood Professional School
Hollywood Professional School was a private school in Hollywood, California. Initially established as a music conservatory by pianist Gladys T. Littell in 1921 under the name Hollywood Conservatory of Music and Arts, the school quickly expanded its ...
with Diane. Brian moved out of the Rovells' home in late 1964, after which Marilyn's relationship turned more serious. She recalled, "I had started falling in love with him. I knew he really liked me and I knew that he cared for me, but I didn't think he was in love with me." According to Gaines, some source report that Brian's family and friends "were strongly against Brian's involvement with a Jewish girl, and it took them years to appreciate Marilyn and her family".
On November 1, 1964, Wilson and his bandmates embarked on their second overseas tour. He later recalled that immediately before boarding his flight, he had suspected that Marilyn had been in love with
Mike Love
Michael Edward Love (born March 15, 1941) is an American singer and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys with his cousins Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson and their friend Al Jardine. Characterized by his nasal tenor and occasional bas ...
. "By the way she was looking at him, I thought she was in love with Mike. I had a nervous breakdown over it." In Marilyn's version of the events that day, she had overheard Brian and his cousin discussing how they were "going to have a blast" together on various escapades throughout the tour. Marilyn then remarked, "I hope you guys enjoy yourselves, because I'm going to have a good time too." During the subsequent flight, Wilson had a panic attack and sent two telegrams to Marilyn proposing that they marry.
Brian and Marilyn were married on December 7, 1964. Within weeks, Wilson had a nervous breakdown that he attributed, in part, to himself and Marilyn not "getting along too good". Marilyn took her husband to see a psychiatrist, who declared that Brian's issues were merely a result of temporary exhaustion. Further conflicts in their marriage were exacerbated by his progressive drug habits, spurred on by a new friendship with talent agent
Loren Schwartz. Following unsuccessful attempts to dissuade him from his constant fraternizing with Schwartz, Marilyn separated from Brian for at least a month. She later said, "He wasn't devastated at all
y my leaving ... I think he was too involved with the drug thing." Marilyn later reconciled with her husband and returned to live with him.
Much of the lyrical content from the Beach Boys' ''
Pet Sounds
''Pet Sounds'' is the 11th studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on May 16, 1966, by Capitol Records. It was initially met with a lukewarm critical and commercial response in the United States, peaking at number 10 on the ...
'' reflected the couple's early marital struggles. Marilyn felt that her relationship with Brian was a central thematic reference, particularly for "
You Still Believe in Me
"You Still Believe in Me" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album ''Pet Sounds''. Initially conceived as "In My Childhood", it was the first songwriting collaboration between Brian Wilson, the group's ''de facto'' l ...
" and "
Caroline, No
"Caroline, No" is a song by American musician Brian Wilson that was released as his first solo record on March 7, 1966 and, two months later, reissued as the closing track on the Beach Boys' album ''Pet Sounds''. Written with Tony Asher, the lyr ...
". "
Wouldn't It Be Nice
"Wouldn't It Be Nice" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys and the opening track from their 1966 album '' Pet Sounds''. Written by Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, and Mike Love, it is distinguished for its sophisticated Wall of Sound-s ...
" was similarly inspired by Brian's feelings for Diane. According to the album's lyricist,
Tony Asher
Anthony D. Asher (born May 2, 1939) is an English-American songwriter and advertising copywriter who is best known for his collaborations with Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys) and Roger Nichols in the 1960s. Asher co-wrote eight songs on the B ...
, Brian was visibly "confused about love", having displayed a fierce preoccupation with teenage girls and an infatuation with Diane for the duration of the album's writing sessions.
Bel Air and children
In early 1967, the couple put their Laurel Way house up for sale and took residence at a newly purchased
Bel Air mansion on Bellagio Road. Marilyn told Gaines that they moved because her husband had "wanted a bigger home", but according to Badman, the move was to extricate themselves from Brian's "hanger-ons". She referred to Brian's friends as "drainers", a sentiment shared by the rest of Wilson's family, who felt that acquaintances such as
Van Dyke Parks
Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle'' and for his collaborations with ...
and
Danny Hutton
Daniel Anthony Hutton (born September 10, 1942) is an Irish-American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night. Hutton was a songwriter and singer for Hanna-Barbera Records from 1965 to 1966. Hutton had a m ...
were enabling Brian's self-destructive behavior and drug habits. To keep away strangers, Marilyn went so far as to install a high brick wall and an electronically-controlled gate around the estate.
Marilyn and Brian had two daughters,
Carnie
Carny, also spelled carnie, is an informal term used in North America for a traveling carnival employee, and the language they use, particularly when the employee operates a game ("joint"), food stand ("grab", "popper" or "floss wagon"), or ride ...
and
Wendy
Wendy is a given name now generally given to girls in English-speaking countries.
In Britain, Wendy appeared as a masculine name in a parish record in 1615. It was also used as a surname in Britain from at least the 17th century. Its popularity ...
(born 1968 and 1969, respectively), who later had musical success of their own as two-thirds of the group
Wilson Phillips
Wilson Phillips is an American pop group formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The group consists of Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson, the daughters of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, and Chynna Phillips, the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of t ...
. Marilyn said that her husband completely "backed out" of the responsibility of raising their children because he felt that he was an unfit parent. She remembered "really getting worried about Brian" around this time, explaining that she felt there "was suddenly a difference between having fun and having sick fun ... once you have a child you look at things differently". Carnie remembered her mother explaining to her as a child that her father "was not like other dads. He'll never be able to be a father like your friends have."
![Brian Wilson 1971](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Brian_Wilson_1971.png)
By 1969, Gaines writes, "Marilyn's romantic and sexual life with Brian had virtually ended" amid his growing infatuation with Diane. A few years into their marriage, Marilyn was encouraged by her husband to have affairs with other men, including songwriter
Tandyn Almer
Tandyn Douglas Almer (July 30, 1942 – January 8, 2013) was an American songwriter, musician, and record producer who wrote the 1966 song "Along Comes Mary" for the Association. He also wrote, co-wrote, and produced numerous other songs pe ...
. In her recollection, she felt that Brian's insistence was just "funny' at the time, and she agreed to a
threesome
In human sexuality, a threesome is commonly understood as "a sexual interaction between three people whereby at least one engages in physical sexual behaviour with both the other individuals". Though ''threesome'' most commonly refers to sexua ...
with him and Almer on at least one occasion. In turn, Wilson had a simultaneous affair with Diane. Marilyn eventually banished Diane from their Bellagio home in late 1973.
Continued struggles with Wilson
Responding to accusations of neglect, Marilyn stated that she sought professional help for her husband for many years, but was unable "to find someone who could deal with him on his own level". Conversely, Gaines reported that "no professional help" had been sought. Wilson's mother Audree told a journalist, "It would get to the point where Marilyn really thought Brian needed help; then he seemed okay, and she'd sort of forget about it, not necessarily talking to him about it at all." In early 1975, Marilyn consulted Brian's cousin, Stephen Love, telling him that she was considering having Brian committed to a psychiatric hospital and divorce him if he continued to refuse counseling. Love countered that it was preferable to hire
Stan, his younger brother, as Brian's caretaker.
The arrangement with Stan persisted for several months, after which Marilyn successfully persuaded Brian to volunteer himself as a patient under psychologist
Eugene Landy
Eugene Ellsworth Landy (November 26, 1934 – March 22, 2006) was an American psychologist known for his unconventional 24-hour therapy and treatment of celebrity clients. His most notable patient was the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, with who ...
's 24-hour therapy regimen. In 1976, Brian recorded an original song called "
Marilyn Rovell
Marilyn may refer to:
* Marilyn (given name)
* Marilyn (singer) (born 1962), English singer
* Marilyn (hill), a type of mountain or hill in the British Isles with a prominence above 150 m
* 1486 Marilyn, a Main-belt asteroid
* ''Marilyn'' (19 ...
", a dedication to his wife, although the track remains unreleased. The 1977 album ''
The Beach Boys Love You
''The Beach Boys Love You'' is the 21st studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released April 11, 1977 on Brother/Reprise. Sometimes referred to as the band's "punk" or "synth pop" album, ''Love You'' is distinguished for its pioneer ...
'' included "Let's Put Our Hearts Together", a duet between the couple. In December 1976, after Landy raised his fee, Marilyn relieved Landy of his services and a new psychiatrist was immediately brought to Brian. When the psychiatrist died in an accident soon thereafter, Stan was reemployed as Brian's caretaker, now working alongside professional model
Rocky Pamplin
Rushton "Rocky" Pamplin (born August 3, 1949) is an American former college football player and model who was employed as a bodyguard and caretaker for the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson from 1977 to 1979. He was also the Playgirl cover and centerfold ...
in keeping Brian stable and sober.
Three weeks after Pamplin had been hired as Wilson's bodyguard, Marilyn began having an affair with the model, concealed from Brian, that lasted until January 1979. According to Marilyn, she ended her relationship with Pamplin after Pamplin had declared he would be recording his own album with Brian as producer. She recalled, "I looked at
ocky and Stanand said, 'You ... expect me to go along with you? I'm not going to lie about Brian for your benefit.' I won't have anyone lie about Brian. ... I fired them the next day." Conversely, in Brian's 1991 memoir, ''
Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story'', it is stated that Marilyn had "pushed" Brian into producing the songs "
California Feelin'
"California Feelin" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Stephen Kalinich that was recorded by the Beach Boys in the 1970s. Wilson recorded a solo version in 2002 for the Beach Boys compilation '' Classics Selected by Brian Wilson''. Two compos ...
" and "
Don't Be Cruel
"Don't Be Cruel" is a song that was recorded by Elvis Presley and written by Otis Blackwell in 1956.Victor (2008), ''The Elvis Encyclopedia'', p.115-116 It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in '' Rol ...
" for Pamplin.
Separation and later years
In July 1978, Wilson and Marilyn separated, with Wilson filing for divorce in January 1979. Marilyn was given custody of their children and half of a share of Wilson's songwriting royalties.
She and her children later moved to a home in
Encino, California
Encino (Spanish language, Spanish for "oak") is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California.
History
In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition, first Europeans to see inland areas of California, traveled north t ...
. According to Gaines, "Brian continued to depend on Marilyn for encouragement and stability, and kept in close telephone contact with her." Marilyn and the children were not allowed to contact Wilson during the period in which he was readmitted into Landy's program in the 1980s.
Since her divorce from Wilson, Marilyn became a real estate broker. On her 47th birthday, she attended her ex-husband's wedding to
Melinda Ledbetter. Wilson purposely chose Marilyn's birthday for the wedding ceremony date so that it would be easy to remember for future anniversaries.
In 2022, Marilyn filed a $6.7 million suit against Wilson regarding "copyright termination interests" after Wilson had sold his publishing rights to
Universal Music Publishing Group
Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is a North American music publishing company and is part of the Universal Music Group. It was formerly known as MCA Music Publishing until it merged with PolyGram.
Universal Music Publishing is the worl ...
for $50 million.
Fictional depictions
* In the 2014 biopic ''
Love & Mercy'', Marilyn is portrayed by
Erin Darke.
Notes
References
Bibliography
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Further reading
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson-Rutherford, Marilyn
Living people
American women pop singers
1948 births
Brian Wilson
Wilson family (The Beach Boys)
American people of Jewish descent
Singers from Los Angeles