california

Brian Wilson’s family seeks to place him under conservatorship

The family of Brian Wilson, the musical architect whose genius helped power the Beach Boys, is seeking to place him under a conservatorship after the death of his wife, Melinda, last month.

According to documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last week by lawyers representing the potential conservators, Wilson, 81, has “a major neurocognitive disorder” and “is unable to properly provide for his own personal needs for physical health.”

Melinda Wilson previously provided care for her husband, but after her death Jan. 30, the appointment of a conservator has become necessary, according to the petition filed Wednesday.

In a statement, the family said LeeAnn Hard, Brian Wilson’s business manager, and Jean Sievers, his publicist and manager, would serve as co-conservators.

“This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for,” the statement said.

In an email to The New York Times, Sievers said Wilson has been “diagnosed with dementia.”

A hearing on the petition has been scheduled for April 30.

Wilson, a revered founder of the Beach Boys, is widely credited as a musical visionary who channeled an idealized notion of California into a chart-topping sound. But the mental health challenges he faced along the way have also been well-documented. Wilson credited his wife, whom he married in 1995, with helping to stabilize his life and career.

— The New York Times