Well, this piece of news doesn't get more American than baseball, hot dogs, and indecent health care (but we promise not to go there). According to recent developments, Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson is getting the green light to start reworking the incomplete compositions of 20th-century music legend George Gershwin.
Gershwin, who was born in Brooklyn and died in 1937, was one of the American music greats, penning such universally recognizable tunes as "Rhapsody in Blue" and "Irving Berlin" with his brother Ira. Wilson will reportedly receive access to the full Gershwin collection, which is currently controlled by Todd Gershwin, George's great-nephew.
After reinterpreting Gershwin's compositions, Wilson will place the results in an album to be released via the Walt Disney Records imprint Disney Pearl. Wilson has praised Gershwin's work, saying "He had a gift for melody that nobody has ever equaled, yet his music is timeless and always accessible. This is the most spiritual project I've ever worked on."
Todd Gershwin also sounds mightily pleased with Wilson's project. But really, who wouldn't be? "The Gershwin families are delighted that the legendary musician Brian Wilson has chosen to record a collection of George and Ira Gershwin songs for his next project. In every generation, American music has been pushed forward by visionaries, from the Gershwin brothers to Brian Wilson. This latest interpretation will be a new opportunity to discover the magic of Gershwin music," commented Todd. No word yet as to the album's release date.
