Rockin’ and a rollin’ with The Beach Boys

It’s hard to find someone today who doesn’t know The Beach Boys. And even if you think you don’t know their music, as soon as you hear the first harmonies from “California Girl,” “Kokomo,” or “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” you realize you do. The Boys have cemented themselves as one of the most popular groups ever, and their music has stood the test of time for almost 50 years. As a 24-year-old marketing girl, you’d think those sun-soaked songs wouldn’t have an impact on me, but I may very well be one of the most excited staff members about their upcoming concert on March 19 – I even signed up for concert duty just so I could attend!

See, the first concert I ever went to was The Beach Boys. I was a wee little girl of 7, and had just moved to Chicago with my mom and new Stepfather. That concert was the first thing we really did together with our newly-formed family, and even though I had never heard of The Beach Boys up to that point, I learned a lot about the “golden oldies” from listening to the radio incessantly with the parentals (anyone from Chicago remember 104.3?) I absolutely loved the concert (at 7 you can imagine I was still quite impressionable), and it became one of my fondest memories.  But there’s also that other way that Mike Love and the gang made their way into my life …

As a young girl growing up in the early 90s, I (of course) was a fan of the TV show Full House, and you *know* The Beach Boys were known to make an appearance on the show from time to time. Remember the one where Uncle Jesse gets to sing with them?  Not to mention all of the times the Tanners would break out into an old Beach Boys song! (Side note: Actor John Stamos, who played Uncle Jesse on the show, actually did record and perform with the Beach Boys and even appeared in the music video for Kokomo!)

I don’t need to get all sentimental and tell you how those songs instantly bring a smile to my face and remind me of a childhood filled with great music, but the Boys and family do go hand-in-hand for me. Which makes me kind of curious – is there a musical group, or an old movie, or even a place out there somewhere that does the same for you?

Next week, I’ll be bobbing along to “Barbara Ann” and thinking about my step-family, Sweet Home Chicago and how lucky I am to be a part of an organization that’s responsible for having such a musical impact on its patrons. I hope you’ll be in the audience enjoying the concert, as well, making your own memories to last a lifetime.