How Brian Wilson Changed American Music and Fought to Find His Voice Again

On this episode of Our American Stories, few musicians have soared as high—or fallen as hard—as Brian Wilson. After redefining American music with the Beach Boys and producing Pet Sounds, Wilson began working on a follow-up so ambitious that it became his undoing. The project, SMiLE, pushed the boundaries of sound and pushed Wilson to the edge. For decades, he disappeared from the spotlight, battling mental illness and enduring abuse at the hands of those who claimed to help him. Only with the support of devoted fans and friends did he reclaim his music... and his voice. David Leaf, author of SMiLE: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Brian Wilson, reveals how genius, pain, and redemption shaped one of music’s most complicated legends.

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