Recommendations of the Editorial team
Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston – who joined the band in 1965 when Brian Wilson swapped the stage for the studio – is leaving the touring band after almost six decades and around 6,000 concerts. This leaves Mike Love as the last musician from the classic era to join the touring line-up.
“It’s time for part three of my long music career!” Johnston tells Rolling Stone in an exclusive statement. “I can write songs forever – just wait to see what’s next!!! Since my greatest talent besides singing is songwriting, it’s time to take it seriously again. I’m also currently working on building a career as a speaker – inspired by, among others, Cary Grant, who took a similar step after his film career. With great support from John Stamos in the direction of the content, I’ll be doing my own performances and events. Maybe I’ll even sing ‘Disney Girls’ and ‘I Write The Songs’!”
“I look forward to joining the Beach Boys on special occasions – and see you all at the Hollywood Bowl as we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday!!,” he continues. “This isn’t goodbye, we’ll see you soon. I’m forever grateful to be part of the Beach Boys’ musical legacy.”
Mike Love’s statement
Mike Love shared his own statement with ROLLING STONE: “Bruce Johnston is one of the greatest songwriters, singers and keyboardists of our time. We have had the honor of experiencing his performances and involvement with the Beach Boys over many, many years. Change is always inevitable in life – today we find ourselves in a chapter of change, but not of an end. Bruce is concentrating on what he does so well: songwriting and recording. Personally, I am very much looking forward to being in the studio with Bruce in the near future “I support Bruce wholeheartedly and have every confidence that he will produce great music. I am happy that Bruce will join the band on special occasions and when his schedule allows – including the Hollywood Bowl shows to mark our great nation’s 250th birthday.”
Over the past 28 years, with the notable exception of the 2012 reunion tour, Johnston has been the only OG member to tour with Love in the Beach Boys. He also wrote several of the band’s songs, including “Disney Girls,” “Deirdre” and “Tears in the Morning.” In 1972, Johnston briefly left the group for his own projects and during this time wrote Barry Manilow’s huge hit “I Write The Songs”. He returned in 1978 and stayed until his final gig with the Beach Boys in January of that year.
Chris Cron as successor
His successor in the band is Chris Cron, an exceptionally talented singer who fronts the Beach Boys tribute band Pet Sounds Live. As seen in the video above, he manages to recreate the Beach Boys’ classic vocal parts with amazing precision. He has quietly joined the Beach Boys since the end of February, but still has gigs booked with Pet Sounds Live when the Beach Boys take a break.
Meanwhile, founding member Al Jardine continues to perform with Brian Wilson’s former backing band – with a program centered around the 1977 album “The Beach Boys Love You”. (Jardine has renamed the group the Pet Sounds Band. It has no connection to Cron’s Pet Sounds Live Band.) They have been playing most of The Beach Boys Love You since July 2025, and on February 21 they performed the album in its entirety for the first time at a special show at the United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. The highlight was the live debut of “Let’s Put Our Hearts Together,” where Marilyn Wilson – Brian Wilson’s first wife – sang her part from the album live for the first time since the original recording 50 years ago.
Jardine’s tour continues
Jardine and the Pet Sounds Band continue their tour on April 11 at the Scottish Rite Auditorium in Collingswood, New Jersey. He’s bringing the show to Australia and New Zealand in June.
Mike Loves Beach Boys return to the stage on March 22nd at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Dates are booked through August, including three nights at the Hollywood Bowl over the Fourth of July weekend – where Johnston is scheduled to make a guest appearance.
