Before Jimmy Buffett blew out his fateful flip flop and pioneered the trop rock musical genre, the Beach Boys brought California’s surf and summertime exuberance to music that’s spanned six decades.
Known for their iconic lyrics and harmonies, the Beach Boys took the stage on March 6 at Key West’s Coffee Butler Amphitheater with Mike Love, Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston.
Founded in Hawthorne, California in 1961, The Beach Boys were originally composed of the three teenaged Wilson brothers: Brian, Carl and Dennis; their cousin Mike Love; and school friend Al Jardine. They released their first album, “Surfin’ Safari,” in 1961.
“Rolling Stone” magazine ranked their album “Pet Sounds” No. 2 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” and ranked the Beach Boys No. 12 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”
They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and had the Key West crowd on its feet and singing along to familiar and timeless classics such as “California Girls,” “Barbara Ann” and, of course, “Surfin’ Safari.”
Photos by LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
