Ronald Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor, who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. Prior to his presidency, he served as the 33rd Governor of California from 1967 to 1975, following a career as an actor and union leader in Hollywood. Leaving office in 1989, Reagan held an approval rating of sixty-eight percent, matching those of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and later Bill Clinton, as the highest ratings for departing presidents in the modern era. (More from Wikipedia)
The Beach Boys soldiered on and became one of America’s most beloved rock bands, with President Ronald Reagan dubbing them “America’s band” in 1983. Over this period, some pieces of what would have been the SMiLE album – authorized and otherwise – began dribbling out. “Sail on, Sailor” was released in 1973 and was the only Beach Boys single to crack the Top 50 for nearly a decade (between 1968 and 1976).
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In addition to Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart, there are a host of Wilsons who have made popular music over the years. The Beach Boys – “America’s band” according to no less than President Ronald Reagan (whose middle name is Wilson, come to think of it) – was founded in 1961 by Brian Wilson, his brothers Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson, and their cousin Mike Love; Al Jardine was the one original bandmember not in the family. Another Nancy Wilson is a top-notch jazz vocalist who started in the 1960’s and frequently crossed over to the R&B and rock charts. Mary Wilson was one of the founding members of the Supremes; the story of the other bandmembers being eclipsed by lead singer Diana Ross formed the main storyline for the Broadway musical Dreamgirls that later made Jennifer Hudson a star in the film version, Dreamgirls. Then there are R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Wilson Pickett, country star Gretchen Wilson, comedian and chef Justin Wilson, and many others.
