Bruce Johnston

Bruce Johnston (born June 24, 1944) is a musician who is better known as a former member of The Beach Boys. Contrary to what many might believe, Johnston was actually not one of the original members of the band. He joined in 1964 after Brian Wilson announced he would retire from live performances.

Johnston, a Chicago native, subsequently would abandon the band many times, then return. This pattern continued until the late 1970s.

A man of many musical capacities, Johnston was raised in Beverly Hills, where he was a member of a band named The Sleepwalkers. He also participated in one song with The Teddy Bears, he was a member of the Ritchie Valens band, and founder of the Surf Stompers as well as leader of The Rip Cords. He played various instruments in each of those bands, including the bass, guitar, keyboard and drums.

Johnston is frequently credited as one of the original greatest supporters of the Beach Boys' 1966 signature album Pet Sounds. He also helped, as a songwriter, to create some Barry Manilow hits and he released his own solo album, Going Public, in 1977.

Johnston is still currently touring with the Beach Boys.