The Beach Boys—the sweet sounds of summer. A creative band known for their rock, pop, surf rock, and psychedelic grooves, they became one of the most popular acts of their time. The band’s close vocal harmonies and youthful Southern California lyrics—referring to surfing, cars, and romance—gained their music popularity throughout the United States. They have been astounding crowds since 1961. The Beach Boys received their big break with the help of the song “Surfin’,” a song that Hite Morgan immediately viewed as a hit. Originally known as The Pendletones, when they first recorded the hit “Surfin’,” on the record label made a mistake inserting the name Beach Boys instead of their real band name. The limited budget meant that the band could not reprint the labels and therefore, the new name was born! The iconic band today is made up of Mike Love, Brian Wilson, Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston. Their past members also include Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Glen Campbell, Ricky Fataar, and Blondie Chaplin. With hits like “Surfer Girls,” “I Get Around,” and “California Girls,” the group has achieved 36 US Top 40 Hits as well as 56 Hot 100 Hits, including 4 #1 singles. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine awarded the Beach Boys the number 12 spot on the list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.” In honor of the band coming to Cleveland’s Blossom Music Center on June 13, 88.3 will be also giving away pairs of tickets to the show throughout the day. Keep your dials locked on 88.3 FM The Sting on Thursday June 7, 2012 to keep your summer just “beachy”—with the Beach Boys marathon!

--Charlene Bowles