He is a founding member of The Beach Boys, although he was largely separate from the band from the 1970s until 2011. He played bass, sang, and wrote songs for them. In the 1970s and 80s, Wilson struggled with drug problems and eating too much. In the 1980s and 90s, he began a solo career.
He was a Kennedy Center honoree in 2007. In 2011, Wilson reunited with The Beach Boys.
