Bruce Johnston will cease touring with The Beach Boys after 61 years with the band.
Confirming his exit to Rolling Stone, Johnston cited a desire to work on solo projects and songwriting as his reason for leaving the group’s touring lineup. “It’s time for Part Three of my lengthy musical career!” Johnston said. “I can write songs forever and wait until you hear what’s coming!!! As my major talent beyond singing is songwriting, now is the time to get serious again.”
Johnston also mentioned that he’d like to focus his time on speaking engagements and making more public appearances, with the help of actor (and honorary Beach Boy) John Stamos. “In addition, I’m currently working on developing a speaking-engagement chapter of my career — inspired in part by Cary Grant, who long ago made a similar move after his movie career. With a ton of help designing what I speak about from John Stamos, I’ll be doing appearances and events of my own. I might even sing ‘Disney Girls’ & ‘I Write The Songs!!’”
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However, Johnston maintained that the departure is “not goodbye, it’s see you soon,” mentioning that he plans to rejoin The Beach Boys for special engagements, including a July 4th performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. “I am forever grateful to be a part of the Beach Boys musical legacy.” Johnston will be replaced by the experienced Chris Cron, who currently fronts a Beach Boys tribute called Pet Sounds Live.
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Mike Love, who now remains the only original Beach Boys member in the touring band, also offered a statement commemorating Johnston’s work. “Bruce Johnston is one of the greatest songwriters, vocalist, and keyboardist of our time,” Love said to Rolling Stone. “We’ve had the honor of his performance and participation for many many years with the Beach Boys. Change is always promised in life, today we find ourselves in a chapter of change, but not an end.”
Love continued: “Bruce shifts his focus on what he does so well which is songwriting and recording. I personally look forward to collaborating in the studio with Bruce in the very near future. I am very supportive of Bruce and I have every confidence that he will produce great music. I am delighted that Bruce will join the band on special occasions and when his schedule permits including The Hollywood Bowl performances celebrating the 250th Birthday of our great nation. I love & respect Bruce Johnston.”
Johnston originally joined the Beach Boys in 1965 as Brian Wilson stepped away from touring to focus on studio work. His first recording with the band was as a vocalist on their beloved track “California Girls”; he subsequently appeared on every Beach Boys album through 1972, contributing several songs (including the aforementioned “Disney Girls (1957)”). After leaving the band for a stretch of the ’70s — during which he composed “I Write the Songs” for Barry Manilow and released a solo album, 1977’s Going Public— he rejoined the Beach Boys in 1978 and contributed heavily to 1979’s L.A. (Light Album)and 1980’s Keepin’ the Summer Alive, the latter of which Johnston produced.
From 1978 onward, Johnston remained in The Beach Boys; with the exception of the 2012 reunion tour, Johnston has been the only original member of the band to tour with Love in the Beach Boys for the last 28 years. Love has a slew of dates set with The Beach Boys this year, including the aforementioned 4th of July show at the Hollywood Bowl and a handful of US dates in the spring and late summer. Get tickets to see Mike Love’s Beach Boys here.
Original Beach Boy Al Jardine, on the other hand, continues to tour with Brian Wilson’s former backing band, calling themselves the Pet Sounds Band. Their tour resumes on April 11th in New Jersey; get tickets to see Al Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band here.