Background:

Singer Wendy Wilson is famous as part of the Los Angeles, CA based vocal group Wilson Phillips, along with her sister Carnie Wilson and childhood buddy Chynna Phillips. Signed with SBK Records in the late 1980s, the trio exploded to international prominence thanks largely to their 1990 self titled debut album, which sold over 10 million worldwide and spawned three No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The group was nominated for four Grammy Awards in 1990, including Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for the single “Hold On,” Album of the Year for “Wilson Phillips” and Best New Artist. They earned an additional Grammy nomination in 1991 for the single “You're in Love.” The group split up in 1993 after the failure of their second album, “Shadows and Light” (1992). Wendy went o to record a Christmas album with her sister in 1993 and an album called “The Wilsons” in 1997 with her sister and their father. She reunited with Carnie and Chynna for a third Wilson Phillips album, “California” (2004), and a Christmas album, “Christmas In Harmony” (2010). The group's new album, “Dedicated,” will be released in April of the year. Also a television personality, the mother of four boys has appeared in many television shows, such as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Vicki!,” “The Rosie O'Donnell Show,” “Supernanny,” “The Newlywed Game” and “Entertainment Tonight.”
    

Brian Wilson's Younger Daughter  

Childhood and Family:

Wendy Wilson was born on October 16, 1969, in Bel Air, California. She is the daughter of Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson and his first wife Marilyn Rovell, who was a member of groups The Honeys and Spring. She has an older sister, Carnie (born April 29, 1968), who is a television hostess and partner in her musical group, Wilson Phillips. Wendy is the second cousin of musician Mike Love and niece of Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson and Diane 'Dee Dee' Rovell.

On May 24, 2002, Wendy married Danny Knutson. She gave birth to her first child, a son, Leo Evan, on September 14, 2003. Her second son, Beau, was born on September 29, 2004. Wendy and her husband welcomed twin boys, Will and Jesse, on August 17, 2007.


You're in Love

Career:

The offspring of salient musicians, Wendy Wilson co-founded Wilson Phillips with her sister Carnie and childhood friend Chynna Phillips, who is the daughter of John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas, when they were in their teens. The group signed with SBK Records in 1989 and launched an eponymous debut album on May 8, 1990.

Produced by Glen Ballard, “Wilson Phillips” was a massive commercial success. It charted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200, No. 1 in Canadian Albums Chart and No. 7 on the UK Albums chart and also had strong charting position in such countries as New Zealand (#10), Australia (#7), Norway (#16), Switzerland (#16) and Austria (#19). Released in February 1990, the lead single “Hold On” became the group's first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and went gold in the US. It also peaked at No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart. The song won a Billboard Music for Hot 100 Single of the Year for 1990 and was nominated for Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. Wendy and her bandmates scored another No. 1 hit single with  “Release Me,” which spent two weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 from September 15, 1990 to  September 22, 1990. The third single “Impulsive,” which marked the group's first to feature Wendy as the lead vocalist, reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the fourth single “You're in Love” gave the girls their third No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The latter was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1992. The fifth and last single “The Dream Is Still Alive” peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Wilson Phillips” was nominated for the Grammy in the category of  Album of the Year, while the trio received a nomination for Best New Artist. The album eventually sold over 5 million copies in the US alone and over 10 million worldwide, making the trio the best selling female group of all time at the time.

In 1991, Wilson Phillips contributed a cover of “Daniel” to the tribute album “Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin.” Though it was not released a single, the song did reach No. 7 on the US Adult Contemporary chart thanks to intense radio airplay.

Wilson Phillips released a second studio album, “Shadows and  Light,” on June 2, 1992. The album, which featured darker songwriting from the trio that dealt with personal issues like the alienation with their fathers or child abuse, earned mixed reviews from music critics and, although it  made into the Top 5 on the Billboard 200 and achieving platinum status, it was considered as a commercial disappointment. The album produced three less successful singles: “You Won't See Me Cry,” “Give It Up” and “Flesh and Blood,” which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 20, No. 30 and No. 115, respectively.

After the failure of “Shadows and Light,” Chynna left the group to pursue a solo career and the band broke up in 1993. Along with Carnie, Wendy released a Christmas album titled “Hey Santa” on October 5, 1993 under SBK Records. The album was not a financial success and only peaked at No. 116 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It reached No. 25 on the Top Holiday Albums chart. The sisters reunited two years later for the album “The Wilsons,” which they recorded with their estranged father, Brian Wilson. Released on September 9, 1997 on Polygram Records, the pop/rock album was a critical success but another commercial failure. The single “Monday Without You” failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100. In 1998, Wendy and her sister joined Beach Boy Al Jardine for three years of live performances as well as a live album in 2002, “Al Jardine's Family and Friends Live in Las Vegas.”

Following the release of a “Greatest Hits” album in 2000, the Wilson sisters reunited with Wilson Phillips in 2001 to perform live at a tribute show to Brian Wilson, and then in 2004 to release  “California,” an album of cover songs. The album reached No. 35 on the Billboard 200 and No. 197 on the UK Albums Chart. A single, “Go Your Own Way,” which was previously recorded by Fleetwood Mac, reached No. 13 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. “California” was a surprise hit in New Zealand, where it peaked at No. 9 and received gold status after “Go Your Own Way” topped the country's adult contemporary radio chart for several weeks.  

In 2007, Wendy released “Wendy Dance Album.” In the following year, in February, she appeared in an episode of the American reality series “Supernanny.”  Her sister Carnie and her niece Lola Bonfiglio also made an appearance in the episode. In April 2008, she appeared in an episode of “Tyra Banks Show” called “Amazing Moms.” Along with her mother and husband,  Wendy appeared in a special edition of “The Newlywed Game” in the early 2010.  

On October 12, 2010, Wilson Phillips released a Christmas album, “Christmas in Harmony,” on Sony Masterworks. The album marked their reunion with longtime producer Glen Ballard. It reached No. 9 on the U.S. Billboard Top Holiday Albums and No. 135 on the Billboard 200. Singles “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “Little Drummer Boy” and “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day” reached No. 22, No. 13 and No. 14 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary, respectively.

2011 saw Wilson Phillips appear on their own reality show, “Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On,” which broadcast on the TV Guide Network in April 2011.

In April 2012, Wilson Phillips is scheduled to release “Dedicated,”  an album devoted exclusively to songs made famous by the Beach Boys and the Mamas & the Papas.


Awards:

Billboard Music: Hot 100 Single of the Year, “Hold On,” 1990  Show Less