BEACH BOYS 1983 SPIRIT OF AMERICA TOUR WITH CHUCK AKA BB1, SHARRIE AND GENE.

The Beach Boys 50 year reunion tour
 is under way and will be playing at
 the Santa Barbara Bowl May 28th. 
 With all the excitement going on,
 I just can't help but reflect on 
their 1983, Spirit of America Tour
           30 years ago.        

Chuck Williams aka BB1, Sharrie and Gene
 at The Beach Boys Spirit of America
 tour in 1983. The reason we didn't have to wear
 our backstage passes, is because
 when we're with Chuck, we didn't need to.

 The Capitol Years, was a Beach Boys box set, only available as an import in the United States for $99.99. However, Chuck aka BB1, called his old friend, Mike Love, who arranged for him to be the first to have it. 

The Spirit of America Tour  came to the Orange County Fair Grounds in August of 1983 and since Gene and I lived in Laguna Beach at the time, Mike sent 3 backstage passes to Chuck...  It was an intimate setting after the concert, with a catered dinner and drinks and I have to say that when Mike Love took my hand and looked at me with those intense blue eyes, I developed a little

crush on him.   

Chuck and Gene each bought a Beach Boy cap at the concert and from what I remember, wore it everywhere.

Gene in his classic 1983 Spirit of America 

Beach Boy cap, singing, Caroline No.

I don't know what ever happened to Gene's t-shirt, but I know Chuck still has his in pristine condition and pulls it out for special occasions.

This one too, is a classic, still hanging around and I bet if you live in Santa Barbara you might

 catch Chuck wearing it while cruising in his Cobra.

I will never forget Dennis Wilson singing FOREVER, that warm California August night and tears filled my eyes, truly believing Gene felt the same way about me.

Mike Love and Bruce Johnston really getting down .

Four months after the Spirit of America concert... on December 28th, 1983, Dennis Wilson drowned while diving from a friend's boat, trying to recover items he had previously thrown overboard in fits of rage.  We were shocked and heart broken to say the least. His solo project Pacific Ocean Blue was released a couple of years ago and now a movie is being made. 

With the upcoming 50th Anniversary tour and album, it's appropriate to pay tribute to one of the founding members of the band.  R.I.P. Dennis!

    Dennis Wilson singing Forever, on the bottom, 1971.

The Drummer. A new movie being made about Dennis Wilson  follows the last six years of his life, leading up to his death in 1983. 

I know Chuck will be at the Santa Barbara Bowl concert next week and will take pictures for me to post, so stay tuned for more fun, fun, fun stories about Chuck aka BB1 and the Beach Boys live.

Check out a couple of posts I have done on Dennis Wilson and the Beach Boys, just click on links below.

http://www.maybellinebook.com/search/label/Dennis%20Wilson%27s%20death
http://www.maybellinebook.com/search/label/Dennis%20Wilson%20surfboard

Grammys - Beach Boys,- Foo Fighters - Chuck Williams, aka BB1, Buzz!!

Beach Boys, number one fan, Chuck Williams, aka, BB1, talks about The Beach Boys and the Foo Fighters.

              Brian Wilson and Al Jardine.

Hollywood, California – December 16, 2011 – The founding members of The Beach Boys, one of the world's most legendary bands in popular music history, will reunite for a global 50th Anniversary CELEBRATION in 2012. Click for press release.

Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel.

Grammys 2012: Foo Fighters' 'Wasting Light' wins for rock album

Click on video and listen to The Foo Fighters do, WALK.

Chuck Williams, aka, BB1, has been a Beach Boy historian, collector and personal friend of Mike Love and the band for over 40 years.  He is seen here with Dennis Wilson's surfboard and a poster of the show he produced withThe Beach Boys, at the Santa Barbara Bowl, when he ran it during the 1970's.

This picture of The Beach Boys, was shot in Chuck Williams, aka BB1's, living room.


BB1's buzz about The Beach Boy's and The Foo Fighters:

Chuck Williams, BB1,second from the left with the Beach Boy's Bruce Johnston, Al Jardine and Mike Love,  at the Concert for America – A Tribute to Ronald Reagan." The event, sponsored by the Reagan Foundation

Chuck remembers;  It was the first time the Beach Boy's played together for several years.  I was on the bus with Al, Bruce and Mike heading to Air Force 1 , and mentioned, how nice it was having Al back.  "We should get the Real Beach Boys back together."  I said, and the next thing I knew, Mike called and said the band was going to do a surprise appearance on The Grammys, recording their 50 year anniversary album and embarking on a Global tour.  I like to think I had a hand in making this happen.

As far as the Foo fighters are concerned, I met them when they were in Santa Barbara, and talked to Taylor Hawkins about The Beach Boys.  He told me that he'd been a die heart fan since he was a kid living in Orange County and identified with Beach Boy Drummer, Dennis Wilson. I couldn't help but notice the resemblance and the energy he put out on stage, when he was playing the drums.  If you didn't know, you might think it was Dennis up there.

Side note:  When my cousin Chuck told me this story, I had to smile, because I know Taylor was dating Mimi Jakobson, Greg Jakobson, daughter, before he joined The Foo Fighters.  Greg co-produced, Dennis Wilson's solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue and was a close friend as well.  A new movie about Dennis is coming out soon and Greg Jakobson was one of the consultants, based on his memories of Dennis in the 1970's.

The Beach Boys FAQ - All That's Left to Know about America's Band FAQ Series click here.

Greg Jakobson and Dennis Wilson in the studio.

Author, Jon Stebbins and Taylor Hawkins, drummer in the Foo Fighters.