Dennis Carl Wilson was born on Monday, December 4, 1944 to Audree and Murry Wilson in Centinela Hospital in Inglewood, California.
Dennis Wilson was the original drummer of The Beach Boys. However most drum parts on the Beach Boys records are played by Hal Blaine, Ricky Fataar and others. Rather than a drummer, Dennis was important for the band as songwriter (Cuddle Up, Forever), singer (Do You Wanna Dance, Angel Come Home) and the surfing member of the band. It was his idea that his brother Brian would start making songs about surfing.
He drowned on December 28, 1983 in Marina Del Ray while diving at the location where his boat Harmony had been docked. He was legally drunk, as autopsy reports showed, and he was bringing up personal items that he had previously thrown overboard. Some accounts say that Dennis brought up a wedding photo of him and ex-wife Karen Lamm from their first wedding, and then he dove again, but didn't resurface.
Special dispensation for a burial at sea was granted by the Reagan Administration (burial at sea is normally reserved for naval personnel).
Dennis married Carole E. Freedman on July 29, 1965. Carole had a son from a previous marriage, Scott, whom Dennis adopted. The couple had a daughter, Jennifer B. Wilson, who was born on February 25, 1967. Dennis filed for divorce from Carole on December 21, 1966, but the action was dismissed. In June 1967, Carole filed for divorced.
Dennis married Barbara Charren on August 4, 1970. Their son Michael was born in February 1971. Their second son, Carl, was born in December 1972. Dennis and Barbara divorced in August 1974.
Dennis married Barbara Karen Perk Lamm (former wife of Robert Lamm, keyboardist of the group Chicago) on May 21, 1976. Dennis and Karen divorced on September 19, 1977. They reconciled and were remarried in July 1978. Dennis filed for divorce two weeks later, and their second divorce was final in June 1980.
Dennis married Shawn Marie Love, allegedly Mike Love's illegitimate teenage daughter, on July 28, 1983. Their child, Gage Dennis Wilson, was born earlier on September 3, 1982. Shawn and Dennis were still married at the time of Dennis's death.
