Bruce Johnston started his career along with
Terry Melcher in the duo
Bruce And Terry, before joining the
Beach Boys in 1965, originally replacing
Glen Campbell, who in turn had replaced
Brian Wilson who had given up touring.
His start in his career was no doubt helped by his rather unusual classmates - Jan And Dean, Kim Fowley, Arnie Ginsberg, Randy Newman and Nancy Sinatra were all contemporaries at University High...
The first Beach Boys record that Bruce sang on was California Girls. His first writing/prduction credit was in 1969, the instrumental track The Nearest Far Away Place on the 20/20 album.
Bruce also wrote Deirdre and Tears In The Morning for the Sunflower album, and Disney Girls (his best song, later covered by Art Garfunkel among others) for Surf's Up, before quitting in 1972 due to disagreements with then-manager Jack Rieley.
In the mid-70s Bruce released a solo album, Going Public, which featured his song I Write The Songs which, as recorded by Barry Manilow, earned Bruce a Grammy (the only member of the Beach Boys to have got one prior to this year's Lifetime Achievement Award).During this time he also worked with David Cassidy and on Pink Floyd's The Wall among other projects.
He rejoined the band in 1979, and has remained with them ever since, although the band now touring only has Bruce and Mike Love from the classic line-up (See Mike Love's Touring 'Beach Boys').