“I just remember her playing with a pick. I didn't care how she played, as long as she played the notes right”: Brian Wilson left his mark on the bass world through studio musicians, especially Carol Kaye, who he requested play his basslines note-for-note

Musician Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys performs onstage during Day 4 of Bonnaroo 2012 on June 10, 2012 in Manchester, Tennessee. .

Like Paul McCartney and Sting, Brian Wilson is one of rock ’n’ roll’s most important figures who just happens to play bass. The Beach Boys mastermind and studio savant held down the low-end in the group’s early years – and while he didn’t exactly reinvent the way the instrument is played, later on he left his mark on the bass legacy through session musicians, most notably Carol Kaye.

Back in June 2004 Wilson put out his third solo album, Gettin' In Over My Head, which features guest performances by McCartney, Elton John, and Eric Clapton. Most important by far, though, was the release of Smile, the studio tour-de-force that he began recording in 1966.