Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson 'in tears' as he announces his wife's death

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Brian Wilson has announced the death of his wife (Image: Redferns)
Brian Wilson has announced the death of his wife (Image: Redferns)

Brian Wilson has said his "heart is broken" as he announced the death of his wife Melinda Ledbetter.

Melinda was 77 years old. The Beach Boys frontman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a lengthy tribute. "My heart is broken. Melinda, my beloved wife of 28 years, passed away this morning. Our five children and I are just in tears. We are lost. Melinda was more than my wife. She was my savior. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career," he wrote.

Brian added: "She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor. She was everything for us. Please say a prayer for her. Love and Mercy Brian."

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Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson 'in tears' as he announces his wife's death tdiqrikiteinvBrian Wilson has been left devastated by the death of his wife Melinda Ledbetter (Unknown)

The 81-year-old musician also shared messages from his heartbroken children. "It is with a heavy heart that we let everyone know that our mom, Melinda Kay Ledbetter Wilson passed away peacefully this morning at home. She was a force of nature and one of the strongest women you could come by," he shared.

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The post continued: "She was not only a model, our fathers savior, and a mother, she was a woman empowered by her spirit with a mission to better everyone she touched. We will miss her but cherish everything she has taught us. How to take care of the person next to you with out expecting anything in return, how to find beauty in the darkest of places, and how to live life as your truest self with honesty and pride. We love you mom. Give Grandma Rose and Pa our love."

Tributes have been pouring in for Melinda. Sean Lennon, the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, wrote: "We love you Brian. So very sorry to hear this." Singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop commented: "My sincere condolences to you and your family Brian. I am so sorry for your loss, my heart is with you."

Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson 'in tears' as he announces his wife's deathTributes have been pouring in on social media (FilmMagic)

Brian and Melinda first met when she sold him a Cadillac in 1986 and they dated on-and-off for three years. After rekindling their romance in 1992, the couple got married in 1995 and adopted children Dakota Rose, Daria Rose, Delanie Rose, Dylan and Dash.

Melinda and Brian were the focus of the 2014 biopic Love and Mercy, which starred John Cusack and Elizabeth Banks. The film offered fans an insight into Brian's struggles with mental illness and his complicated relationship with his therapist and legal guardian Dr Eugene Landy. It was Melinda who helped to free Brian from this relationship and in 1991, his brother, mother and daughters sued Landy, arguing he'd exerted "undue influence" over Brian's life. They won the lawsuit and Landy was barred from contacting Brian.

Elizabeth, who played Melinda in the film, shared some wise words of advice she was given from the woman she portrayed. "She said to me, 'Music is his first love. Nothing can replace it. It's his being, it's his essence, it's his everything, So I'm settling for second, but it's a pretty good — it's a pretty good second'," she told ABC News.

Scarlett O'Toole

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