With one of the most famous pedigrees in popular music, Wilson Phillips will be bringing their California sun-kissed brand of pop to the MSU Riley Center Sunday, March 25.
The trio is made up of sisters Wendy and Carnie Wilson, whose father, Brian Wilson, is a founding member of The Beach Boys and is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th Century, and Chynna Phillips, who starred on the popular series “Dancing With The Stars” and is the daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas.
The band’s eponymous debut album, Wilson Phillips, sold over five million copies of its debut album. It included the singles “Hold On” and “Release Me,” which both reached No. 1, and “Impulsive,” which reached No. 4. A fourth single, “You’re In Love,” returned the group to the top early in 1991, and was followed, incredibly, by a fifth single, “The Dream Is Still Alive,” which peaked at No. 12.
They are currently touring in support of “Dedicated,” an upcoming album of covers of the music of The Beach Boys and The Mamas and The Papas.
“The idea for this album came from our management,” Wendy Wilson said. “At first, we were apprehensive. But as we began to dissect the songs, we thought it was brilliant. Who could do these songs better than us?”
Produced by Carnie’s husband Rob Bonfiglio, the album includes iconic hits such as “God Only Knows” and “California Dreaming.” The album’s closer, “Good Vibrations,” is a cover of The Beach Boys’ grand opus of ambitious recording and musicianship.
“This was a big undertaking for us,” Wilson said. “But we decided to not to think about it — we just went for it. Rob took apart the song layer by layer. We ended up doing an acapella version of it — it’s really interesting. We spent about two weeks on it. It really gave us an appreciation for what our parents did. It was really cool and very exciting.”
Although the band continued recording and making records over the next decade, a cameo appearance in the 2011 Academy Award nominated film “Bridesmaids” catapulted them back into super stardom.
“There is definitely some sort of resurgence happening,” Wilson said. “The timing is just right — it’s all about cycles and timing.
(Bridesmaids) really helped us to facilitate this (comeback.) It was a true blessing. We had no idea what the movie was about — we just knew we were doing a cameo. But we were part of the story line — that was so flattering. We love that movie. It was a Godsend.”
With nine children between them, the Wilson sisters and Phillips have many commitments, including the upcoming reality show, “Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On.” But it’s the job of being a mother Wilson loves the most.
“It’s not easy — I get a little sad when I have to leave,” said Wilson, who has four boys with her husband Daniel Knutson. “I know I’m going to miss something important with the kids — a school program or just eating dinner with them. But this tour is a really great opportunity for us. We are women in our 40s — we just have to go for it and find a way to balance motherhood and our careers. Wilson Phillips is very dear to me, but my family always come first.”
In an attempt to “have it all,” the band currently tours in small increments. According to Wilson, this may be the secret to their success.
“We are looking forward to coming to the South and playing in Florida and Mississippi,” she said. “We always have a good time on tour because we do small bits at a time. We really bond and hangout on tour. We take our work seriously, but we have a lot of fun.”
How to go
Tickets range from $44 to $50 and are available at msurileycenter.com, or by contacting the Riley Center box office at 601-696-2201. The show begins at 6 p.m. The Riley Center is located at 2200 Fifth St. in Meridian.
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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