“Today, one of my heroes died,” the musician said onstage
Sting honored his hero Brian Wilson hours after news of his death during a concert in Germany Wednesday evening. While on stage, Sting played a guitar-backed rendition of the Beach Boys‘ “God Only Knows.”
“Today, one of my heroes died, Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys,” Sting said before his performance. “So I want to sing a song that I love.” Sting shared a video of the moment on his Instagram, writing, “Rest in peace, Brian Wilson,” in the caption.
The musician now joins Elton John, Carole King, Mick Fleetwood, and countless other musicians who have shared tributes for the late Beach Boy. “Brian had that mysterious sense of musical genius that made his songs so achingly special,” Paul McCartney wrote on social media following Wilson’s death. “The notes he heard in his head and passed to us were simple and brilliant at the same time. I loved him, and was privileged to be around his bright shining light for a little while.”
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Sharing a portrait of Wilson, Fleetwood wrote on behalf of Fleetwood Mac, “Anyone with a musical bone in their body must be grateful for Brian Wilson’s genius magical touch!! And greatly saddened of this major worldly loss!!”
On Wednesday, his family confirmed his death in a statement to Instagram. “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now,” they wrote. “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”
