This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years, and now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint.
It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party, hosted by America 250.
America's Block Party is a can't-miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at America250.org. I turned off news altogether.
I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting.
Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America. What's up y'all? Summer's got a different temper.
Everything's a little looser, brighter. One plan turns into another. You hear something, you stay a little longer.
Next thing you know, you're somewhere you didn't plan to be. It's those in between moments. That's where the ideas hit. conversations stretch out, little memories sneak up on you.
Sometimes it's just about what's in your hand. that color. That chill. a new tropical butterfly refresher from Starbucks. guava and passion fruit flavors with mango pineapple flavored pearls.
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Try the new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks. Hi, it's Karen in Georgia from My Favorite Murder. We cruised around LA in the Hyundai Ionic 5 and dove into the fascinating life of actress and inventor Hedy Lamar. Want the full story? Take a listen.
She starts dating Howard Hughes. And in fact, she helps him design a faster plane.
So she finds the fastest bird and the fastest fish and sketches out a drawing of what the two would look like as a plane. And that becomes the plane that we know today. And he calls her a genius. Check out our new episode, Spotlighting Groundbreaking Innovators like Hedi Lamar and Billie Jean King. Presented by the Hyundai Ionic 5.
Goodbye. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories. Up next, A eulogy in the form of a story, and so many great eulogies are. and it's a part of our final thoughts series. We do eulogies about, well, so many people, famous and not so famous, fallen heroes.
and ordinary people alike. The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson passed away on June 11, 2025. And although his mark that he left on American music was massive, His funeral was a low-key affair.
something he would have wanted. entrusted to give the eulogy at Brian's private funeral, Was David Leaf, a close friend and author of several books about the man. David joins us now to share his eulogy for his friend. This may be the only recording of it in existence. You'll be hearing music from Brian's last album, At My Piano.
Throughout this story. Take it away, David. It was the fall of 1971. I was 19 years old. In journalism class, Edward R.
Murrow had become my hero. I read this big article about Brian and the Beach Boys in Rolling Stone. I saw the Beach Boys in concert in Georgetown University, an amazing show. and I bought the Surfs Up album. The title song surfs up.
was the most beautiful piece of music I had ever heard. The song that preceded it on the album, Until I Die, was the saddest.
Okay. My college roommate and I went down the rabbit hole, became obsessed. We read everything we could find. Listen to all of the old Beach Boys albums. We listened over and over to the surf sub album.
As a journalist, as a person, I sensed something was wrong. and said it over and over to my roommate.
so much so that he got annoyed. tired of me saying it. He said it. If something is wrong, Do something about it. In those songs I had heard a calling.
I became a self-appointed savior. I said to my roommate, I'm gonna move to California. Write a book about Brian Wilson. Become his friend. and help him finish Smile.
My goal was almost certifiably insane. It took only 33 years to achieve it. But I was driven, obsessed even. Looking back 50 years later, I understand now that I wasn't just chasing a dream. I was on a mission.
Anyway, I arrived in Los Angeles on a Saturday night in 1975. I was staying at a friend's apartment in Santa Monica. On Monday morning, just 36 hours later, I went to the unemployment office to transfer my claim from New York to California. $95 a week. Uh In those days, you could live here on that.
Afterwards, crossing Broadway, then going north on Fifth Street. I saw what must have been an apparition. Walking towards me was Dennis Wilson. The Real Beach Boy. the inspiration for the group.
Brian's brother. Never shy, I walked up to him and said, Hi Dennis, my name is David Leaf. I just moved to California to write a book about your brother Brian. I can still hear his laughter as he shook his head in disbelief, said Good luck and walked into a low brick building. which I later learned was Brother Studio.
Half a year later, I met Brian. Perhaps fate was guiding me. The legend was that Brian Wilson never left his house, maybe not even his bedroom. I found out that wasn't quite true. One spring day at the Sawtell YMCA, I was shooting hoops with a college friend.
Two men approached us and one of them asked, want to play two on two? That was 6'9 Stan Love, recently retired from the NBA and brother of Mike Love. With him. was Brian Wilson. As we played, And for the record, Brian played no defense at all.
I kept thinking, Are my Beach Boys friends back in New York gonna believe this? I barely believed it myself. In nineteen seventy six and nineteen seventy seven. I met Brian three more times. He was intimidating.
I said nothing. Uh It wasn't until I began work on the Beach Boys in the California myth that I got a real glimpse into his world. Two of his closest friends who I had interviewed believed in the sincerity of what I was doing. They thought I should get to know him. Not for an interview, just to spend some time with him.
Um They invited me to their apartment for dinner. There I met the real Brian Wilson. Shy, Deeply gentle, and seemingly defeated. Just as he had expressed so beautifully in one of the songs that had inspired me. till I die.
Mm. Months later, After finishing the book, but before publication, I saw him again. This time was very different. One night, Harvey Kubernetes, Melody Maker's West Coast correspondent. was on his way to listen to music with Rodney Bingenheimer.
He saw somebody wandering dangerously in the middle of a very busy sunset boulevard in West Hollywood. He pulled that person to the side and realized it was Brian. Bryan admitted he had taken too many downers. Harvey and Rodney drove Brian to what they believed was a safe harbor. My apartment.
It was well after 1 a.m. when there was a knock at my door. When I opened the door, I was stunned to see those three people. Harvey and Rodney immediately left. Brian came in.
Brian asked. Got anything to eat? Of course he did. There were two leftover slices of pizza which I quickly reheated in the toaster oven. He wolfed them down.
Then he fell asleep on the couch. Around 4 a.m. he woke up and asked for a ride home. And that was the beginning of our friendship. In time, I became part of his inner circle.
not just as a chronicler of his music, but as someone he welcomed into his life. We saw him in difficult moments. and we did what we could to help. Mm. Uh Throughout the turbulent 1980s, a time when we almost lost him, I was around a lot.
There were new songs he wanted me to hear. There was our work with the Attorney General's office to get rid of the psychologist. There were our conversations with Carl on how to make it happen. And we did. We helped free Brian from what he later called, quote, nine years in prison.
Brian re-entered the world. And after reconnecting with Melinda Ledbetter, my late wife and I would often join them for dinner, double dates. On February 6th, 1995. Brian and Melinda were married at the beautiful Wayfarer's Chapel on the Palace Verdes Peninsula. I stood beside Carl, who was best man.
As an usher along with his musical pal Andy Paley and his great best friend Danny Hutton. Through the glass chapel walls, you could almost hear the waves crashing below. Later at the Hotel Bel Air, their first dance lit up the room. It was a luminous evening filled with joy. shared by those who had witnessed the storms of his life.
To have been part of that day remains one of the great honors of my life. not because of who Brian was to the world, But because of who he had become to me, Vulnerable, brilliant, wounded, kind. a true friend, and by then our bond had deepened far beyond admiration. Through the roller coaster of his life, I had become someone Brian could rely on, a peaceful, grounding presence. He said being around me was like taking a 20 milligram Valium.
I've never taken a Valium. Is that a lot? He depended on that calm. And perhaps more than anything, we laughed. One day, Brian came over with a gift.
He had gone to one of those souvenir shops on Hollywood Boulevard. and bought two fake Oscar trophies. He handed them to me. Best writer Best comic. I treasure them to this day.
He loved going out to dinner, just the two of us, singing along to the radio. He called it casual singing. Many of you have had similar experiences. Brian would just show up. Needing something.
Needing sanctuary. And when we come back, the eulogy, the story of Brian Wilson. from his friend David Leith. This is Our American Stories. Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans.
It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint. It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues.
Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party, hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't-miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history.
It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at America250.org. Hi, it's Karen in Georgia from My Favorite Murder. We cruised around LA in the Hyundai Ionic 5 and dove into the fascinating life of actress and inventor Hedi Lamar. Want the full story?
Take a listen. She starts dating Howard Hughes. And in fact, she helps him design a faster plane.
So she finds the fastest bird and the fastest fish and sketches out a drawing of what the two would look like as a plane. And that becomes the plane that we know today. And he calls her a genius. Check out our new episode, Spotlighting Groundbreaking Innovators like Hedie Lamar and Billie Jean King. Presented by the Hyundai Ionic 5.
Goodbye. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. Alright. It's the rage bait.
It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there.
NBC News reporting for America. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop. With Mint, you can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments, but that's weird.
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Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com. Mm. And we continue with our American stories and this remarkable storytelling eulogy. of the Beach Boys Brian Wilson.
By his friend, David Lee. Through the years, I've probably been his most ardent public advocate. In 2019, I endowed a scholarship in his name at UCLA. Danny Hutton made a very generous donation to that fund. I even made a film about his greatest challenge, Finishing Smile.
The courage it took for him to do that was beyond anything we'd ever witnessed. He earned the longest standing ovations of his career at the first six sold-out smile shows at London's Royal Festival Hall. performing what he had called his quote Teenage Symphony to God. Brian cherished and needed. the unconditional love of everyone in his life.
including the fans in the UK. For British rock royalty it was different. They revered him not just a peer. but as a musical prophet. After seeing Brian Wilson present Smile in 2004, Sir Paul McCartney told me backstage, quote, The man is my hero.
I weep when I hear him sing, I love him. On Brian's 80th birthday, Sir Elton John sent this message. To me, you're the only real pop genius in the world, and I love you very much. And this morning I spoke with Sir Barry Gibb, he of the Bee gee's. He asked me to share this quote I knew Brian Wilson.
I wish I had known Brian much more than I did. He was a true inspiration. My life changed musically when I first heard God Only Knows. He was a musical genius. A maestro.
He pushed us to different heights without us even knowing it. All of us. We will miss you, Brian. I salute you, Brian. I love you, Brian Wilson.
I hope you're happy. God only knows. Yeah. What did Brian mean to England? In 2002, he was the only American rock star who performed at the Queen's Jubilee.
We were instructed not to speak to the Queen unless Her Majesty addressed us first. Darien tells this story better than I. But when Queen Elizabeth walked on stage in classic Brian style, He pushed past Ozzy Osborne and said, Hi queen. Yeah. Bob Dylan once said.
Jesus, that ear. he should donate it to the Smithsonian. Nobody questions Brian's genius. What's still unbelievable to me He said he was my friend. for nearly 50 years.
He overcame more than most could imagine and he gave us a body of music that makes him worthy of every accolade he's received. and many, many more. Music was his lifeblood. Van Dyke Parks once said Music is his best friend, lover, everything. It never betrayed him.
Um I'll add that food was a close second. As Brian once told a friend, quote, no matter how bad things get, There's always something to eat. But what Brian loved most was just to be a regular guy. He was the quarterback of his high school football team. Center fielder on the baseball team.
He performed at the school assembly. He double-dated. He loved to make his friends laugh. And then music became his obsession. His mission.
to spread God's love through music. Quote Love Under the disguise of a record, he explained. Quote, music is God's voice, he said, again and again. And the music he gave us in The Beach Boys and in the most unexpected second act of his solo career. was worthy of that worship.
Brian changed my life. has he changed all of yours. What's most important to know about Brian? What we already know. He was the sweetest, kindest person we ever met.
It wasn't always easy to be with him. Or be married to him. Right, Marilyn? But how lucky we are to have known him. In recent years, his body betrayed him.
It was hard to watch. As his friend, Someone who loves him. And I still find it hard not to say that in the present tense. I believe this. What we've lost is just his physical presence.
I know how painful those words are to hear. especially for Carney, Wendy, and Marilyn. and for the children Brian and Melinda brought into their home. Daria, Delaney, Dylan Dash, Dakota. and our beloved Gloria.
Each of you must hold on to your private memories knowing he loved you. even if he didn't always express it in a traditional way. He loved you. As he had wanted to name that album many years ago, quote, Brian loves you, he said. You know, like Jesus loves you.
For his friends here, those who knew him back in high school and the Beach Boys in his band, you each know you're Brian. For the world his musical legacy. The shimmering melodies he composed. the ethereal harmonies she arranged for the boys and all those good vibrations. That's all within a keystroke on our laptops or on our smartphones.
His music will always be there to brighten our lives. and waiting for generations not yet born. Brian Wilson is eternal. Twenty years ago, Brian said this. Quote.
I saw the future, a vision of music. in a dream I had one night. And I foresaw the future. It was way, way, way farther than now even. I heard all kinds of celestial heavenly sounds.
It just blew my mind. I think eventually we're headed for heaven. We know you are there, Brian, and already teaching Dennis and Carl their parts. You are finally at peace, my friend. Our friend.
And in the end, You gave the world what you most longed for in life. Harmony. And a special thanks to David Leaf, who is just, well, a friend, also a biographer. And that film about finishing his remarkable record, Smile. Watch it.
and be moved by it. It's a stunning record and achievement that Wilson was able to give to the world. And my goodness, what we learned from what the British and some of the greatest songwriters in history thought about the man.
Well, Sir Paul McCartney said, The man is my hero. I weep when he sings. And so do we all. Elton John said you're the only pop hero of mine. And of course, Bob Dylan.
says nobody questions Brian's genius. He overcame more. that anyone can imagine. And by the way, all the music you were hearing was from Brian Wilson's last record, At My Piano. He was an ordinary guy in the end, like all of us.
He was a quarterback of his high school football team, double-dated, loved to make friends laugh. Music is God's voice. Brian Wilson would tell people, You gave the world what it most longed for. harmony. David Leaf said.
I heard all kinds of celestial sounds. Brian Wilson told his friend, and we heard them too. The Eulogy: The Story of Brian Wilson from his friend. David Leaf here. on our American stories.
Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint. It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage.
Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. This July 4th, come celebrate at America's Block Party, hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't-miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes, and the kickoff to Giving Forth, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark celebration at America250.org. Hi, it's Karen in Georgia from My Favorite Murder. We cruised around LA in the Hyundai Ionic 5 and dove into the fascinating life of actress and inventor Hedi Lamar.
Want the full story? Take a listen. She starts dating Howard Hughes. And in fact, she helps him design a faster plane.
So she finds the fastest bird and the fastest fish and sketches out a drawing of what the two would look like as a plane. And that becomes the plane that we know today. And he calls her a genius. Check out our new episode, Spotlight and Groundbreaking Innovators like Hedi Lamar and Billie Jean King. Presented by the Hyundai Ionic 5.
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